Discover Carini: Churches, Catacombs and Caves

Carini combines Sicilian sacred architecture, early Christian and late Roman traces, and geologically shaped cave environments. If you would like to combine culture and nature on your trip, the town can be divided into two main areas: historic buildings and museums on the one hand, and protected areas and underground landscapes on the other.

Churches, art and historic sites

The Chiesa Madre was built at the end of the 15th century. It houses Alessandro Allori’s painting “Adorazione dei Pastori” from 1575. It also features stucco work attributed to the school of Giacomo Serpotta, as well as a painting of the Madonna del Monserrato from the late 16th century by an unknown artist. The Chiesa degli Agonizzanti features rich stucco decoration with putti attributed to the school of the Serpotta family; its frescoes depict various scenes from the life of Mary and are attributed to Filippo Tancredi and, in part, Filippo Randazzo.

The Chiesa del SS. Rosario was built between 1566 and 1570 with the support of Gilberto La Grua Talamanca. The late Renaissance Sicilian sacred building later received Baroque additions and valuable decorations. It also houses a painting of San Domenico in Soriano from 1684 by Francesco Camaro. In the 13th century, the Baglio di Carini served as an operational center for the local tuna fishery and the agricultural activities in the surrounding area; in the 16th century, it was transformed into a defensive fortress with a watchtower.

Catacomb, mosaic and settlement remains

The early Christian catacomb of Villagrazia di Carini is an underground complex dating from the 4th century AD, with galleries and fresco-decorated cubicula. The Museo della Catacomba preserves finds from the early Christian cemetery as well as from the late antique and early medieval settlement of San Nicola. The Mosaico Galati belonged to the reception hall of a wealthy domus in the late Roman settlement of Contrada San Nicola. It was formerly displayed together with the mosaic fragment N.I.47275 in an exhibition pavilion in the former cloister of San Rocco. Advance booking was required for this earlier presentation; at that time, visits were scheduled from Monday to Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m. and on Sunday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon.

Caves and protected landscapes

The Grotta di Carburangeli has been recognized as a geosite since 2017. It extends underground for approximately 400 meters and runs horizontally; water filtration has created stalactites and stalagmites. The cave is home to bats from the Vespertilionidae and Rhinolophidae families. The Riserva Naturale Grotta di Carburangeli was established to protect a cave of speleological, paleontological and biological interest. The Riserva Naturale Integrale Grotta dei Puntali is a protected area in Mesozoic limestone on the slopes of Monte Pecoraro.

Practical visitor information

The interactive route “Carini città parlante” provides information about the monuments along the route from Castello La Grua Talamanca to the prehistoric caves. A monumental tourist route uses signs with QR codes and the Flico Official app; descriptions and podcasts are provided in Italian and English. Visits to the Circuito del Sacro are conducted by specialized staff, including art historians, architects, archaeologists and students. For people with mobility impairments, “Carini città parlante” offers guided virtual tours in a 360-degree virtual room. The web app provides audio guides, texts and videos in Italian, English, French, Spanish, German and Japanese. The daily opening hours stated for Castello La Grua Talamanca were 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 to 6 p.m.

Further destinations for planning your trip: Prizzi, Ventimiglia Di Sicilia, Petralia Sottana, Polizzi Generosa, Camporeale, Piana Degli Albanesi, Alimena, Ficarazzi.

To the higher-level travel overview: Palermo.