Petralia Sottana is a medieval hill village in the Madonie area of the Province of Palermo, set on a rocky spur around 900 to 1,100 metres above sea level. In the upper valley of the Southern Imera River, it looks out across woods, mountain slopes and a wide inland landscape, with a compact historic centre built largely from local stone.
Its identity reaches back to the ancient Petra, founded by the Sicani, while its later name, Batarliah, recalls the Arab period. After the Norman age, the original Petralia developed into the two sister communities of Petralia Sottana and Petralia Soprana, giving the village a distinct place in the history of the Madonie.
Today Petralia Sottana retains the character of a mountain borgo: narrow lanes, stairways and underpasses follow a medieval layout, while the stone fabric of the village preserves traces of its geology as well as its history. Strongly tied to pastoral traditions, local craftsmanship and religious memory, it stands out as a Madonie village where landscape, stone and layered settlement history are inseparable.
Patron Saint:
Saint Calogerus (San Calogero) – 18 June
Nearest Airport:
Catania (Fontanarossa) – (113 km, 01:31)
Neighboring Cities:
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