L O D I C I I N I T A L I A N O
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ITALIAN AMERICAN DIGEST SUMMER 2018
Sicily: A Feast for the Senses That Draws on a Multitude of Influences
The temple of Concordia in Sicily.
L O D I C I I N I T A L I A N O
Sicilia, perla del Mediterraneo
by Alessandro Steinhaus
“ Non invidio a Dio il Paradiso perché sono ben soddisfatto di vivere in Sicilia.”
— Federico II di Svevia, 1194-1250
Tra le ragioni per le quali la storia e la cultura siciliana sono uniche, occupano un posto importante la sua posizione di fulcro del mediterraneo. Per secoli ciò ne ha fatto la meta di conquistatori di tutto il mondo, e ognuna delle popolazioni che l’ hanno dominata, dai Greci ai Romani, dai Normanni agli Spagnoli, ha lasciato le sue testimonianze artistiche e culturali. Tali influenze si possono ammirare, ad esempio, nella Valle dei Templi( dichiarata nel 1997 Patrimonio dell’ Umanità dall’ Unesco), negli splendidi mosaici della Villa Romana in Piazza Armerina, nella Tomba di Costanza Imperatrice nella cattedrale arabo-normanna di Palermo e nel teatro greco di Taormina.
Ma non sono solo la ricca storia e i tesori d’ arte a rendere unica la Sicilia: lo sono anche le sue bellezze naturali, l’ ospitalità, il clima, le sue isole e le sue splendide coste.
Non bisogna dimenticare anche che la Sicilia si è sempre distinta per la produzione di ottimi vini, quali il Marsala e il Moscato, il Nero d’ Avola e più recentemente anche di vini bianchi fruttati e leggeri. Non da ultimo, un viaggio in Sicilia consente di provare buonissimi cibi, come la pasta alla norma, la cassata, i golosi cannoli e tante altre prelibatezze.
by Alessandro Steinhaus
” To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything.”
— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
With these words, Goethe, the giant of German literature, described Sicily during one of his travels in Italy, which lasted from 1786 to 1788. Anyone who has been to Sicily knows this is not completely true because the island has an utterly different atmosphere from that of mainland Italy. Sicily, unlike the rest of Italy, is not only Italian but also a little bit North African, Norman, and Spanish.
The Arabs and Normans ruled Sicily in medieval times( the Arabs from 860 to 1091 and the Normans until 1194), and left a legacy you can see all around the island. Although the Arabs turned Sicily into an important commercial crossroad, unfortunately not many buildings have remained from those times, with the exception of the baths at Cefala Diana, south of Palermo. The same can’ t be said of Sicilian cuisine, because the Arab influence added almonds, pistachio, cinnamon, sesame, the mass production of dried pasta, and of course ice cream!
The Vikings came next, including those previously established in France, known as the Normans. After 10 years of war, they succeeded in conquering the invaluable resources of Sicily. At the beginning of their domination, the Normans kept many
The Cathedral of Cefalù, an example of the Norman influence on Sicily’ s architecture.
of the Arab architects to design some of their buildings, and in this way, they continued to enjoy artistic and cultural influences from the Byzantines, a population previously conquered by the Arabs.
This early medieval period of domination by the Arabs and the Normans allowed Sicily to reach its economic and cultural zenith. Even today, the Sicilians consider their Arab and Norman heritages a matter of pride, which they regularly celebrate.
Do you want to see the reasons with your own eyes? Then join our upcoming“ Splendida Sicilia” trip September 1-8; only a few spots are left! Arrivederci in Sicilia!
Pizza, Pasta, Muffalettas, Lasagna, Salads, Catering, and More!
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