Discover Naro: Church Art, Hypogea and Wide Views

Naro: a medieval hill town with a wide horizon

Naro developed into a densely built medieval village stretching along the ridge of a low hill and standing out clearly from the surrounding rural landscape. Its elevated position offers views as far as Mount Etna, the Madonie Mountains, and the sea near Licata and Sciacca. Here, the townscape and the wide horizon are directly connected.

Church art and sacred places

The Chiesa di Maria Santissima Annunziata, Naro’s Chiesa Madre, was built from 1619 onwards on the initiative of the Society of Jesus. It contains a marble sculpture of the Madonna della Catena from the 16th century. For visitors interested in culture, it provides a tangible introduction to Naro’s sacred art.

At the southeastern edge of Naro lies the Santuario di S. Calogero on a panoramic terrace. The underground church of San Calogero houses a black statue of the saint from the 16th century, which also serves as a reliquary for his upper-arm bone. A grotto of the saint carved into the tuff is also integrated into one of the side walls. Here, you encounter a sacred place where setting, rock and religious art come together.

During the Easter season, Naro stages sacred depictions of the Passion of Christ. They are considered the oldest in Sicily. If you would like to experience this tradition, the Easter season is the key seasonal reference point.

Archaeological traces in Contrada Canale

Archaeological traces lead to the Contrada Canale area near Naro. The necropolis consists of four hypogea, each arranged around a long central corridor oriented from north to south. The largest hypogeum is known as the Grotta delle Meraviglie. African oil lamps have been found in Hypogeum B; their discs are decorated with Christian symbols such as the Lamb, the Tree of Life and the fish. Ceramic finds from the hypogea provided evidence for dating the necropolis and attest to the importance of the Naro area in Late Antiquity. For your itinerary, this represents a clear thematic complement to the churches and exhibitions.

Palazzi, the castle and Leonardo

The Museo dell'Arte Grafica is located in the Palazzo Malfitano. Castello Chiaramonte is municipally owned and is currently used for exhibitions and art events. The permanent exhibition “Il genio di Leonardo” displays around 70 scale or life-size models of Leonardo’s machines. Visitors can operate them and observe how they work.

Guidance for your selection

The Antico Duomo Normanno can only be visited or viewed from the outside. This allows Naro to be organized according to interests—from sacred art, archaeology, exhibitions and Leonardo’s machines to landscape views.

More destinations

Canicattì, Licata, Burgio, Santo Stefano Quisquina, Villaggio Pirandello, Sambuca Di Sicilia, Agrigento, Montallegro

To the overview of the wider travel region: Agrigento.