THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK OF SELINUNTE

Selinunte was one of the most important of the Greek colonies in Sicily, situated on the southwest coast of the island. It was founded by a colony from the Sicilian city of Megara Hyblea. The date of its foundation can be placed around 628 B.C. The colony  came into contact with the Phoenicians and the native Sicilians. Selinunte  achieved great power and prosperity but there is very little evidence of its history. By the first Punic war the city was under Carthaginian control, but before the end  of the war, the Carthaginians removed all the inhabitants and destroyed the city and it seems certain that it was never rebuilt. The city is beside the sea and contains the acropolis and many temples.

                                 THE ACROPOLIS

 The acropolis is a chalk massif, in the form of a massive trapezoid , surrounded by a wall. It had five towers and four gates. The urban plan is divided by two main streets. Once there were multiple altars and sanctuaries then replaced by temples.  There are six temples: A and O of which little remains, the temple B, the temple C that is the oldest, the temple D and the temple Y also known as the temple of the small methopes. Temple C is the oldest in this area, dating from 550 BC. Probably it  functioned as an archive and was dedicated to Apollo, according to epigraphic evidence or perhaps Heracles. Only the basements of the temples A, B, D, O and Y have remained after the earthquake. Between Temples C and D there are the ruins of a Byzantine village of the fifth century AD, built with recycled stone. Before the main area of habitation, there are the grandiose fortifications for the defence of the acropolis. Only a small part of the fortifications belongs to the old city.

                                             EAST HILL

In the East hill there are three temples: the temple E, the most recent, the temple F the oldest and smallest of the three and the temple G that was the largest. Temple E at Selinus in Sicily is a Greek temple of the Doric order. It is also known as the Temple of Hera. However, some scholars argue that it must have been dedicated to Aphrodite. It was built towards the middle of the sixth century BC and it is the best conserved of the temples of Selinus.

Temple G was the largest in Selinus and among the largest in the Greek world. It was not completed. Evidence suggests that it was dedicated to Apollo, though recent studies have suggested that it might be attributed to Zeus.  

GAGGERA HILL WITH THE SANCTUARY OF THE MALOPHOROS  

Demeter Malophoros was built in the sixth century BC on the slope of the hill and probably served as a station for funerary processions. The place was definitely free of buildings and provided an open area for cult practices at the altar. South of the propylaea, attached to the wall of the enclosure, there was another enclosure dedicated to Hecate. Fifteen metres north there was another square enclosure dedicated to Zeus and to Persephone. A little further up the slopes of Gaggera Hill there  is the spring from which the Sanctuary of the Malophoros gets its water. Fifty metres downstream of it there  is a building once believed to be a temple (the so-called “Temple M”), which is actually a monumental fountain.

TRAPANI

Campobello di Mazara is a town of over 10,000 inhabitants in the province of Trapani. It is about 100 meters above sea level. It is an extensive flat area sloping gently to the sea. Here plenty of olive plantations are grown among which the most famous is the "Nocellara del Belice". In the territory of the town, in addition to the city centre, there are two coastal resorts: Torretta Granitola and Tre Fontane.

Castellammare del Golfo is a town of nearly 16,000 inhabitants in the province of Trapani. The town has a picturesque harbor and a mighty castle overlooking the sea, which gives its name to the country, where the final settlement is due to the Aragonese. Around the harbor there are many beaches, the most characteristic of which is the long beach at Alcamo Marina. Thanks to the extraordinary natural beauty of its coast and inland together with  the charming  village of Scopello, today Castellammare  is renowned  as a tourist destination.

 

Custonaci is a town in the province of Trapani. It is  situated on a rocky hill three hundred meters above sea level. The country is made up of several hamlets, some “Bagli” so named for their shape. At the centre of the most populated nucleus, there is the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Custonaci. The Cave of Scurati, an ancient prehistoric settlement then turned into village with a rich surrounding vegetation , is located in the vicinity of the sea. Less than a kilometer to the sea there is also "Baia Cornino ", a nice little beach in front of the beautiful Mount Cofano.

Erice is a town of about 30,000 inhabitants in the province of Trapani. Today Erice, the old town, is basically a tourist centre. The urbanized area ,at the foot of Mt Erice, is characterized by the hamlets of Casa Santa and Trentapiedi, in which you can find  the main economic activities. Of interest in the town is the tourist destination of Pizzolungo. The other fractions are represented by the rural villages of Napola and Ballata.

 

Favignana is a town of 4,000 inhabitants, in the province of Trapani,  made up of the Egadi Islands. It includes Favignana Island and the Marettimo and Levanzo islands, smaller islands Maraone, Formica and Galera Galeotta and The Fariglione. The Favignana Island is located about 7 km from the coast, between Trapani and Marsala. Favignana is the perfect destination for those who love the beach destinations, characterized by crystal clear waters. There are sandy beaches with fine golden sand like Cala Azzurra, Lido Burrone. There is no shortage areas typically rocky for those who love to dive , as Perciata Cave , Centre Fanfalo or the Horse . Not to be missed are also the caves, accessible by boat  such as the Cave of Sighs. There are also numerous underwater experiences you can live in the beautiful waters of Favignana.

Marsala is a town of nearly 80,000 inhabitants in the province of Trapani, on the west coast of Sicily. It is the fifth populated town in Sicily with a rich cultural heritage and landscape. Extreme western tip of Sicily, the city of Marsala stands on Capo Boeo, with views of the Egadi Islands and the islands of the Lagoon (the latter are part of the municipal area). Just the archipelago of the Lagoon is one of the most scenic areas of the city, being the nature reserve and having a rich historical heritage. The road that leads from Trapani to Marsala is lined with salt marshes that offer a beautiful view: bodies of water divided by thin strips of land form an irregular and multicoloured checkerboard. At times it appears in the middle of the silhouette of a windmill, the memory of time in which it was one of the main tools to pump water and grind the salt. 

Mazara del Vallo is an Italian town of nearly 52,000 inhabitants of the province of Trapani , formerly one of the most important cities of Saracen Sicily . Today it  is a multiethnic and multicultural city for the harmonic presence of 8,000 immigrants from Maghreb (Tunisia and Morocco) with families , employed mainly in fishing, and Eastern Europe. The old district of Mazara is quite similar to a  North African Casbah, with suggestive,  tangled  alleys including splendid baroque palaces and Norman buildings . It is a small area where it is hard to get lost and where the old decaying buildings give the town a singular charm. In the largest and most preserved old Sicilian town , Mazara reveals its Arab - Norman structure despite the progress of centuries . It is a city that preserves its culture and traditions.

Castelvetrano is a town of over 30,000 inhabitants in the province of Trapani .There are two important seaside resorts: Triscina and Marinella of Selinunte. Triscina is not far away from the city and is divided  into two sections: the Archaeological Park of Selinunte and the natural reserve of the Belice river.

Marinella of Selinunte is an ancient fishing port where Fishing is still practiced with small boats also used for tourist purposes.

Pantelleria is a volcanic island with a typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters , famous for its capers and  sweets . Not far away from Tunisia, it can be easily seen during cloudless days. It  offers the visitor an extraordinary spectacle of colours : emerald green and cobalt blue that alternate in the sea , the yellow - orange spots of prickly pears , lilac of bougainvillea , green capers and screws , black volcanic rocks.

San Vito Lo Capo
It  is a popular sea resort in the province of Trapani , one of the most beautiful in Italy , especially for its beautiful coastline that opens into a bay and beautiful beach with crystal clear water that glows from light to very light shades, green to deep blue . San Vito Lo Capo is an all white town built around its Mother Church during the 18th century. This church, once a Saracen fortress,  is the centre of the city. Inside it there is a small church dedicated to St. Vito  where the saint is said to have lived .  It was too small to host all the pilgrims , so it has been broadened to incorporate its " defense."

THE ART OF INTERLACEMENT

ARTICHOKE: STORY AND LEGEND

The name “Cynara” comes from “Cinis” because at first  the ground was covered with ashes. A Greek legend says Zeus took  revenge on a girl, Cynara,by transforming her  into a thorny plant.

Hence its name “artichoke”. The artichoke is a typical vegetable of the Mediterranean area. Italy is the most important producer in the world. The cultivation of artichokes in Sicily goes back to several millennia ago. In fact the island has good weather conditions.

The story of artichoke in Menfi

Doctor Gaspare Murania says: “The cultivation of artichokes is very ancient and it is very important to both economical and business development. Artichoke is cultivated in family vegetable gardens and it  gives work to a lot of people”. It has an  ovoidal shape and it is about 170 g. Its production is from November to May.

What does it contain? Artichoke contains properties that  prevent or cure some illnesses. There are some drugs that contain artichoke to treat  cholesterol.

"GRANI ANTICHI & GREEN ECONOMY" SEMINAR

A seminar was held on Monday 7, March 2016 about sustainability and green economy. It was prepared and presented by Mr. Filippo Drago, a young entrepreneur, who runs Molini del Ponte industry in Castelvetrano. As this topic is coming to the centre of discussion and best practices, his presentation was refreshing and timely. He started speaking about his factory that had been created by his   grand-father a long time ago.                                                              

He highlighted the importance of antique traditions and of high-quality flours that guarantee healthy products to customers by using raw materials and machinery  checked with care and attention in line with today’s technological development.

He also spoke about  the black bread of Castelvetrano, well-known all over the world, by underlining its unique characteristics that derive from recipes that get lost in time.The black bread results from a blend of durum flour and two further types of flour ground from the local”russulidda” and “tumminia” wheats. Originally, these wheats are thought to have been selected by the ancient Greek of Selinunte. Over time, the production of these local and unique wheat flours became scarcer, and it almost died out. Fortunately, gastronomic trends have allowed for this ancient taste to survive. The high quality of this bread, as it can be savoured today, is owed to Mother Nature and a yeast base which varies amongst bakers who jealously guard its secret. 

Finally, students asked him some questions on how to create a start-up in this field. In the afternoon, a group of them visited the factory premises.

http://www.molinidelponte.com/

 

ZINGARO NATURE RESERVE. ETNA PARK. ALCANTARA RIVER PARK.

 Zingaro Nature Reserve

Zingaro nature reserve is the first natural reserve that was set up in Sicily in May 1981. It is about 7 kilometers long. "The Zingaro” has a big variety and abundance of rare and endemic plants. It also has a rich fauna and archaeological past. The reserve has a complex network of paths, shelters, water taps, picnic areas, museums, car parks and other amenities; there are not any roads and it can only be visited on foot. The Zingaro Nature Reserve does not only include the land, but also the sea and beaches, which stretch along the coast for almost 7 km. They are beautiful and almost all sandy and lapped by the clear blue sea, and can be reached along various, rather steep paths.

 Etna Park

The Etna Park  is the first to be established among the Sicilian Parks in 1987. It covers 59,000 hectares and is located entirely in the province of Catania. It has the primary duty to protect the unique natural environment and the unique landscape of Etna Mount , the highest active volcano in Europe. The fauna is varied : porcupines , foxes , wild cats , martens , rabbits , hares , and among the smaller animals , weasels , hedgehogs , dormice , quercini and different species of mice and bats . There is no form of vegetation , since the recent lava flows are not hospitable to such forms of life . Dropping to an altitude of 2400 meters , the  first colonizers of the volcano are the lichen ,the moss and  the Sicilian saponaria.

Alcantara River Park

The Alcantara River Park is a regional park in Sicily which was established in 2001 on the site of the existing reserve and includes that part of the territory of the provinces of Messina and Catania, which forms the  basin of the Alcantara river. Alcantara Gorge is located on the Alcantara River north of Mount Etna in order to protect and promote the existing natural system.

PREOLA LAKE AND GORGHI TONDI

The reserve

The Nature Reserve of Lake Preola and Gorghi Tondi is a treasure and to be discovered it must be visited. When you least expect it, immersed in a valley and hidden from view, a series of small lakes surrounded by the vegetation of the area suddenly appear. The area is a depression of Karstic origin where rain and time have eroded the land to form these small natural lakes which, apart from being highly picturesque, nourish the surrounding vines. The neat rows of vines fit perfectly in the wild and harmonious oasis, a refuge at different times of the year for protected species such as herons, hawks and mallards. This reflects the unique characteristics of the area, for position, climate, land and respect for Nature.

The Oasis is located in the town of Mazara del Vallo (TP ) .

Flora and fauna

The cords of marsh vegetation surrounding the ponds are ideal habitats for flora and fauna, with the presence of aquatic plants such as marsh straw , the Scirpo , the cattail, sedge and reed. Stand out above the ridges instead plant associations in Kermes oak , olive and mastic is also a dense holm oak forest relict in the locality of Cantarro .

The environments of the oasis, during the spring and autumn , are frequented by several species of ducks : mallard, teal, wigeon, tufted duck and ferruginous duck , pintail, teal , also from the coot, moorhen from the little grebe  and the great crested grebe . Significant , also , the presence of herons as the bittern , night heron , grey heron , egret and Rails as the water rail and crake. In spring, the period required for the trekking and bird watching , you can see the sultan chicken , glossy ibis , the spoonbill , the stork,  the white Turkish Pochard duck and  the marbled  duck.

Tenuta Gorghi Tondi

Within the WWT Natural Reserve “Lago Preola e Gorghi Tondi” there is “Tenuta Gorghi Tondi”, one of the most fascinating estates in Sicily .It is located in Mazara del Vallo. The native wines (Grillo, Cataratto, Zibibbo, Nero d’Avola) and the international ones (Syrah, Chardonnay) are cultivated in the 135 hectars of vineyards.  At Tenuta Gorghi Tondi winemaking becomes  an artful combination of the Sicilian reality joining the area’s favourable climatic conditions to the high technology in order to guarantee the achievement of a high quality product. The modern cellar allows a great quality production in harmony with the surrounding landscape.