Piazza Armerina is a historic town, picturesquely situated in the heart of Sicily. Its architecture climbs up terraced to the domed cathedral of Santissima Assunta on the hilltop, and in the surrounding area you can admire the well-preserved remains of a Roman villa with beautiful mosaics.
The town was founded in the 11th century by the Normans and the medieval layout of buildings and many historic stone houses have survived to this day. The most striking monument of the city is the Cathedral of Santissima Assunta. Its construction began at the beginning of the 16th century on the ruins of an earlier church, and was completed over 150 years later. For this reason, its body shows the influence of various architectural trends with predominant baroque elements.
The main attraction, Piazza Armerina, is a few kilometers outside the village. Opened to tourists in 2012, it is an extensive archaeological site including the Roman villa Casale. You can admire its spatial arrangement, numerous columns and stone ornamental details, and above all, a set of several dozen magnificent mosaics depicting mythological and genre scenes.
