Lercara Friddi
Discovering Lercara Friddi, a town in Sicily
Hello everyone! Today I will talk to you about Lercara Friddi, a beautiful town in the Metropolitan City of Palermo in Sicily. Around 6,200 people live here and the town is located at the base of Colle Madore, including its Sicani archaeological area, amongst the Landro and Platani valleys.
Physical geography
Lercara Friddi is situated on the route that connects Palermo to Agrigento, 670 meters above sea level. Thanks to its elevated position, the climate here is cool and pleasant in the summer, while in the winter it can be cold with some enjoyable snowfalls.
History
Let's now turn to the history of Lercara Friddi. This town was founded in 1595, when the Spanish administration of King Philip II decided to rebuild abandoned fiefs. Baldassarre Gomez de Amezcua was granted permission to found the town after marrying Francesca Lercari, daughter of Leonello. Through this marriage, Baldassarre was granted the feuds of Friddi, Friddigrandi, and Faverchi, mainly used for wine and wheat production.
Leonello Lercaro was a Genoese entrepreneur of Armenian origin who arrived in Sicily in 1570 in search of a better life. It was his entrepreneurial spirit that led to the foundation of the city of Lercara Friddi. The family was of Greek Catholic rite, which explains the presence of the Icon of the Madonna of Constantinople in Lercara. This was found by an 11-year-old boy in 1807. The engraved effigy, dating back to 1734, is said to originate from a church in Lercara that followed the Lercari rite. The icon was lost due to the ruin of the church and rediscovered outdoors near a stream.
For a long time, the major urbanistic testimonies of Lercara Friddi were mainly places of worship. The first church to be built was the church of San Gregorio d'Armenia, built by Lionello Lercaro between 1573 and 1580 in the area of Via dei Martiri. Then the churches of Madonna del Rosario, Sant'Anna, and San Gregorio Traumaturgo were built.
The development of the town was hindered by the heavy conditions imposed on the colonists, but in 1618, Francesco Scammacca Gravina, heir to the Lercaro barony, moved to Lercara Friddi and contributed to the growth of the center with new roads, watering places and churches. In 1708, the barony of Lercara was elevated to the rank of principality.
Conclusions
In conclusion, Lercara Friddi is a beautiful town full of history that has experienced difficult times but has always managed to find a way to rise. Testimonies of the past are still visible today, especially in its places of worship. If you have the opportunity to visit Sicily, I recommend taking a trip to Lercara Friddi. I am sure you will love it!
