The lighthouse at Capo Zafferano, Santa Flavia, Sicily was built in 1884. After years of vandalism and neglect, it is being restored. It lights the way along the rugged Tyrrhenian Sea coast for the fisherman of Porticello and Aspra.
Tag: monte catalfano
Monte Catalfano, Just 30 Minutes From Palermo
From the natural oasis of Monte Catalfano above Bagheria and Santa Flavia (Palermo Province, Sicily) you can see the coast of Mongerbino, Le Piscine (“the pools,” where I love to swim at sunset), and the rugged landscape of Capo Zafferano, which from this angle above the Tyrrhenian Sea, may not be recognizable to even Palermitani….
She’s A Tuff Mountain
Monte Catalfano hosted an important quarry, pictured, of a soft rock composed of volcanic materials such as ash, lava, and magma. This rock is known as Aspra tuff, or “tufa,” in Italian. Down the road from where this photo was taken, the villas of Bagheria such as Palagonia, Cattolica, Butera, Valguarnera, and Spedalotto were constructed…
Collecting Water
The ruins of the ancient city of Solunto high up on the slope of Mount Catalfano show a sophisticated use of gravity for water collection, as illustrated here by what is left of a large public cistern that sits at the end of the main street. Founded by the Phoenicians circa 700 BC and then…
View of Sant’Elia
View of Sant’Elia (Fraction of Santa Flavia) from Solunto on Mount Catalfano.
Porticello from Solunto
Porticello from Monte Catalfano and the ancient city of Solunto. The Phoenicians, who settled on the top of Monte Catalfano several hundred centuries BC, knew a good view when they found one!
Il Castello di Solanto
The Castello di Solanto was originally built during the Norman era. Its position in Bagheria along the sea has made it a desirable location for aristocratic Sicilian families who made it their residence over the centuries. The name Solanto is a corruption of Solunto, the ancient Phoenician city upon Mount Catalfano from where this photo…