It is located just under 11 kilometers from the capital at the foot of Mount Moarda which with its 7 peaks, called “skies” overlooks the valley of the “Conca d’Oro”
In the streets of Altofonte where Norman, Aragonese and Angevin princes and kings “built” their history. It is a small town with a history that has its roots in a not too distant past.
Altofonte, the “garden” of the people of Palermo is located just under 11 kilometers from the capital, nestled at the foot of the picturesque Monte Moarda which with its seven peaks, once called “heavens”, literally juts out over the valley of the “Conca d’Oro “.
A real garden, as written earlier, whose territory is rich in woods and springs which since time immemorial has always attracted the people of Palermo and beyond, who have chosen the village of Altofonte not only as a destination for impromptu Sunday trips, but also and above all, in recent years, in an unparalleled U-turn, as a residence in all effects, leaving the chaos of the city behind.
U Parcu, in the local dialect, is an oasis of tranquility and clean, healthy air and boasts a more than important past. Although many “Parchitans” pronounce the name of the village with the final “o” “U Parco”.
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Its history begins with the Normans and exactly when King Roger II chose to build a Royal Palace right inside what was the Norman Park.
The sumptuous building, known to most for its magnificent portico which embraces the Islamic style, stands next to the rich water source called “Altofonte” from which the name of the municipality will later derive.
In the years to come, exactly in 1306, the descendant Federico II of Aragon had an abbey built right next to the palace for the Cistercian monks came from Barcelona and to the latter he donated the entire complex built by his predecessor Roger, as an act of devotion to God, for having received the birth of his son Peter II as a grace.
The monks, known for their tireless industriousness, transformed the territory into a lush and bucolic productive countryside which gave rise to the Abbey of Santa Maria d’Altofonte, once governed by princes, cardinals and which became an important “political force” of the era.
In the second half of the seventeenth century, a small residential area was born on the spot and only subsequently was the actual municipality of Parcu formed at the beginning of the nineteenth century, as evidenced by the “Questionnaire” published in a circular dated 28 September 1829. For this reason reason, even today its residents are called Parcotani.
Stroll around the streets of Altofonte cannot help but bring to mind the charm of times gone by. Those who wish can still admire what remains of the Royal Palace of Roger II, the Mother Church of Santa Maria with its valuable sacred art, the 12th century Church of San Michele and the small church of S. Antoniello built at the beginning of the 18th century .
The numerous historic fountains, such as the Borghese fountain, the Bourbon fountain, the Grande fountain and the Empire fountain, further enrich the architectural heritage of Altofonte.
Of considerable interest and value, it is also right to include Palazzo Vernaci, a late eighteenth-century villa in neoclassical style, once home to the Library, which boasts a vast collection of 16th-century books, now home to the Town Hall. In Palazzo Vernaci, in 1860, he stayed for just one night, Giuseppe Garibaldi and his general staff”, during his journey for the unification of Italy, as commemorated by a plaque placed above the entrance door.
Another jewel of fine architectural workmanship is the Orestano Castle from the 15th century, once belonging to the rich and noble Alimena-Caruso family, which preserves a courtyard with three fountains and a large, finely frescoed circular hall. Alas, this last structure, like others, has fallen into oblivion but the residents do not lose hope in being able to see them restored to their former glory.
The small municipality of Altofonte still has an economy based mainly on agriculture and local craftsmanship. Among its most prized products, its DOP extra verdine olive oil is well known, still produced in the town’s characteristic oil mills, where it is possible to watch the process of pressing the olives and purchase the freshly pressed product.
Lovers of good food can then delight their palate with typical ricotta desserts, buccellati and cassata, true delicacies of the Sicilian palate. With his a thousand hectares of forest, Altofonte cannot fail to be awarded the nickname of “green lung” of the metropolitan city of Palermo.
Its proximity to the city, in fact, makes it a place where you can spend hours of tranquility and serenity and where you can live far from the daily hustle and bustle of large urban areas.
In fact, there are quite a few people from Palermo and beyond who have chosen Altofonte and the municipalities close to Palermo, as one’s permanent home.
This trend, fueled by the challenges of modernity and the search for a greater quality of life, has led many to choose to move to places where the slow pace and welcoming community offer a restorative retreat from urban life…but that’s another story !
Discovering and visiting “U Parcu”, interacting with the innate hospitality of the people of Parco, means immersing yourself in a world of ancient memories and ancient traditions, where the green landscapes bring to mind the beauty and might of Mother Nature.
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