October 23, 2011 - Sclafani Bagni (PA) and the Castle of Resuttano (CL)

[charlyno]

October 23, 2011 - Sclafani Bagni (PA) and the Castle of Resuttano (CL)


Used motorcycles: BMW 1200 GS 3 - BMW GS Adventure - Honda VFR 800 - Bmw R1150 S 1200 BMW R-

Milestones: Palermo-Cerda-Sclafani Bagni-Calton-Resuttano-Palermo


Nations visited: Italy


Regions visited Sicily


Km covered: 240


Duration: 1 day

ALL THE PHOTOS HERE 19) 23 Ottobre 2011 - Sclafani Bagni (PA) ed il Castello di Resuttano (CL)



Against all the bad weather forecast scheduled for today in the morning gives us a beautiful sunny day. The meeting at 09.00 at Baby Moon, and after the inevitable coffee on the highway up to Bagheria to meet with other bikers. From here to the exit near the industrial agglomeration of Buonfornello. From SS120 we head towards Cerda. The weather seems to be on our side and the sun seems to follow us. The surrounding landscape is beautiful. Along the way we meet some historic cars aimed at a mass. Quickly passed the country continue on SS120 until the junction for our first destination for today, the lovely medieval village of Sclafani Bagni Comune di Sclafani Bagni (PA) which is characterized by two spikes of rock on which stand the ruins of two towers, the Castle Grande and the little castle (XIV century). We arrive just in front of the old Medieval Gates, showing the upper crest of the Sclafani family and is the only access to the old city walls. Parked the bikes we head towards the Mother Church with its beautiful stone portal. We expect to finish the ceremony to go inside. The church is famous not only for his countless works of art, mainly because it hosts a fantastic greek stone sarcophagus of the fourth century. B.C. transported in Sclafani Bagni after the destruction of Himera and maybe purchased from the accounts of Sclafani had placed him in the castle. The beautiful figures that adorn the sarcophagus representing a bacchanal. A unique and exceptional. Opposite the church, the staircase leading to the Great Castle from the top you can admire a breathtaking view of the whole and the entire town. From here we learn the sad news of the death of the rider Simoncelli, for which we express here our deepest pain. After visiting the castle we take the bikes on our way in the lower part of town to visit one of the most beautiful churches in the area, the Church of St. James, famous for its stucco school Serpotta and its frescoes, unfortunately left in the deterioration and abandonment the total. The church is closed to the public but fortunately the door is open and be able to give quick look, making us very soon realize the splendor that once was to characterize the entire building. A few steps away another beautiful church also unfortunately closed to the public, the Church of St. Philip. Shooting the bikes, we head back to the SS120 and after about a mile on the left a road that leads to another beautiful monument of the country, the spa Sclafani Bagni, only in the territory of the Madonie Park built around 1847 at the expense of Duke of Bivona, Family Ferrandina. In 1851, a landslide from the ridge of rock destroyed the building that was rebuilt around 1857 and remodeled in 1970. Unfortunately, the plant is not functioning for several years and is closed to the public. A real shame because the healing properties of water has been known in the thirteenth century AD He made time for lunch and it's time to head to Resuttano (CL), where we booked a table at the Farm Monaco di Mezzo Agriturismo Sicilia, Agriturismo Palermo, Azienda Agrituristica Monaco di Mezzo to expect and where there is the friend John (American Sigonella) biker himself. We continue on SS120 until you reach the junction Tremonzelli and from there go faster by highway ten miles to the junction of Resuttano. From there, about 8 miles to the farm through breathtaking scenery. It 'rained in these parts recently but now we have the sun on our side that continues to follow us! Once at the facility meet John and his friend and then sit at the table and take out in less than no time, various appetizers, mushroom risotto and zucchini, fusilli with sausage and fennel, grilled sausages, with potatoes fragment, with both for dessert and coffee! After lunch after a short "nap" for ten minutes on the benches in the garden, we take the bikes to visit the remains of an old Norman manor house near the motorway, through a short dirt road to the property. This is the Castle of Resuttano Comune di Resuttano comune, resuttano, sicilia, amministrazione believed to date back to "the first rock. The name, however, reported the Arab period antecedent, it would Arabic-SUPTANUM Rahal (fortified farm). Very impressive remains of the ancient tower and adjacent buildings. After the last souvenir photos, greet and make friends of Catania way home. Once again the sun makes us the company almost to want to accompany on our return. At the next