Discover Partanna: Castello Grifeo, Church Art and Archaeology

Castello Grifeo di Partanna is a medieval building on the slopes of a hill around which the town of Partanna developed, and is considered one of the best-preserved castles in western Sicily. The Castello houses the Museo civico della preistoria del Basso Belice. The museum mainly displays finds from excavations carried out in Contrada Stretto since the 1980s, as well as from necropolises in the Belìce area. These include prehistoric pottery, vessels in the Naro–Partanna style and items from the Bell Beaker culture. The combination of castle and museum is particularly interesting if you would like to combine medieval architecture with traces of prehistory in a themed stay.

Chiesa Madre: design, consecration and art

The Chiesa Madre was designed in 1536 by Baron Baldassarre Grifeo and was not consecrated until 1676. It is one of Partanna’s most representative architectural monuments. The Chiesa Madre contains sculptures by Francesco Laurana, stucco work by Serpotta and a wooden organ carved by Natale Pugliesi. The dates of its design and consecration, together with furnishings created by several artists, give the church a clearly recognisable chronological and artistic range.

Archaeology east of Partanna

The Parco Archeologico dello Stretto in Contrada Stretto is located about three kilometres east of Partanna. The “Cranio Trapanato” was discovered there. A surgical procedure was presumably carried out there about 5,000 years ago; the patient lived for at least one year. The structures there are attributed both a water-related and a ritual function. For you, this site therefore combines an exceptional archaeological find with the question of the possible significance of its facilities. Those interested in early medical practices will also find an unusual archaeological subject here.

Santuario della Madonna della Libera

A modern feature is the Santuario della Madonna della Libera, a reinforced-concrete building with an elliptical floor plan in Contrada Montagna. It stands on the ruins of a 19th-century church dedicated to the Santuario, which was destroyed in the earthquake of 15 January 1968. The modern building was constructed by the architect Baldassare Antonini. The elliptical floor plan defines its modern form, while the ruins point to the earlier church and the earthquake.

Festival and regional cuisine

The Madonna della Libera festival takes place on the first Sunday in October. The Santuario is then the destination of pilgrimages by residents of Partanna and worshippers from surrounding towns. During the Sagra della Cipolla Rossa di Partanna 2026, visitors were able to sample numerous specialities prepared with red onions and get to know and buy typical products of the Valle del Belice directly from the producers.

Announced reopening of the Castello

The reopening of Castello Grifeo to the public was announced for 24 April 2026.

More destinations

For further travel planning, you can also explore Erice, Castelvetrano, Valderice, Dattilo, Poggioreale, Castellammare Del Golfo, Guarrato and Xitta.

For the higher-level travel overview: Trapani.