Collesano
Welcome to Collesano
Hi everyone! Today I'll be talking about Collesano, a municipality with a population of 3656 inhabitants in the metropolitan city of Palermo, in Sicily. The city is famous for the Museum dedicated to the Targa Florio motor race, which is held annually, and is part of the beautiful Madonie Park.
The geography of Collesano
The town center of Collesano is located along the slope of a vast valley at the foot of the carbonatic relief Poggio Grotta del Signore, which reaches 897 meters above sea level. The territory of Collesano is also part of the Madonie Park, one of the most beautiful natural parks in Italy. There are many mountains around Collesano, such as Monte Castellaro, Monte Cucullo, Pizzo Giammarusa, and Monte d'Oro, all equipped with a wide and varied vegetation.
The history of Collesano
According to Michele Amari, the first urban settlement near the site of Collesano could date back to the 10th century, when Arab geographers called this place ''Qal'at as-sirat'' or ''the rock on the straight path''. Moreover, during the Norman era, under the name of Golisano, the current city of Collesano arose, which became an important center for a vast feudalism granted by Rainolfo, nephew of Ruggero I of Sicily. Collesano was also devastated and then rebuilt under the tenth Norman king, Ruggero II of Sicily, and given in fief to Adelasia of Adernò, a niece of the sovereign, in 1140. The site of the city is also mentioned in the ''Book of Roger'' by the Arab geographer Idrisi, who describes it as a castle placed on a height, built on a steep and elevated hill, surrounded by many arable lands, to which an high and superb mountain overlooks.
Discovering the vegetation of Collesano
The vegetation of Collesano is very varied and includes numerous species, depending on the altitude. In the lower areas we find the typical agricultural landscape of olive groves, vineyards, and citrus groves with arable land. At higher altitudes around 600 meters above sea level, you will find the Mediterranean scrubland, where oak trees constitute the undergrowth. From 600 to 1,000 meters, the holm oak is replaced by cork oak and we also find ferns, peony roses, orchids, cyclamen, and anemones. Around 1,000 to 1,400 meters on the northern slopes, beech woods or pastures grow with isolated specimens of maple and oak, while towards the warmer south, the holm oak reaches higher altitudes, bordering the beech forest. Above 1,400 meters, the predominant tree species is beech.
Conclusions
All in all, Collesano is a beautiful and lively city, rich in history and cultural heritage. If you are nature lovers, this is the perfect place for you, with its great variety of flora and fauna. A tip? Don't miss the opportunity to visit the Museum dedicated to the Targa Florio, a unique sports event that involves motorsport enthusiasts from all over the world. Come and discover Collesano, you won't regret it!
