Leonforte

Situated in the heart of the Erei Mountains, Mount Altesina was formerly known as Mons Aereus, meaning ‘airy mountain’, probably due to its prominent, pointed shape. Rising sharply from the valley floor, its peak is visible from much of central Sicily. Thanks to its elevated profile and central location, the Arabs chose it as the main trigonometric point in Sicily, making it the origin of the ‘three valleys’, Val Demone, Val di Noto, and Val di Mazara – the administrative regions that divided the island during the Emirate period and remained in place until the decline of feudalism in the 19th century. Formed during the Lower Miocene, the summit has been inhabited since at least the Bronze Age by indigenous pastoral communities, protected by the mountain’s steep slopes. Here, among rocky spires sculpted by the elements and shaped by human hands, archaeological research has uncovered the remains of a settlement occupied intermittently until the Middle Ages. Among the ruins are houses, cisterns, and artificial caves, likely used for ritual or cultural purposes. Further down, on the oak-covered slopes, several cave burials have been discovered, carved into quartzite outcrops. The mountain’s slopes, now managed by the State Forestry Agency, are almost entirely covered by a dense deciduous forest, consisting mainly of holm oaks that grow above their typical altitudinal range. These are interspersed with the downy oak, a deciduous oak species. In the undergrowth, there are butcher’s broom, ivy, cyclamen, spurge-laurel, rockrose, rockrose parasite, brambles and rough bindweed. The clearings, used for grazing livestock, are green with giant fennels, alfalfas and white and yellow asphodels. The fauna includes great spotted woodpeckers, diurnal birds of prey such as buzzards and sparrowhawks and nocturnal raptors like barn owls, tawny owls and scops owls. Foxes are common, and wildcats have been reported on multiple occasions.

On the southern slopes of Mount Altesina, in the Vignale district, diabase sills emerge. These soils are the oldest in the Geopark, formed during the orogenic phase that shaped Mount Altesina, the highest peak of the Erei Mountains at 1,192 metres above sea level, which occurred between the Serravallian and Lower Tortonian periods.
A sill, or diabase (from the Greek for ‘rock rising through other rocks’), is a hypabyssal magmatic rock with a massive appearance and a dark greenish colour typical of oceanic environments. In the Vignale district, volcanic rock up to 25 metres thick, with the typical characteristics of oceanic basalt, emerges embedded in Triassic sedimentary rocks.

Lake Nicoletti is an artificial reservoir created in the 1970s following the construction of the eponymous dam on the Dittaino River. It is surrounded by lush vegetation, fields cultivated with wheat and broad beans, and orchards of olive, almond, orange and peach trees, as well as pastures. The lake serves as a seasonal habitat for numerous migratory birds, which stop in its waters at various times of the year. Recreational fishing and water sports are permitted within the designated facility.

All that remains of the castle are a striking stretch of wall, which at points blends seamlessly into the natural contours of the rock on which it stands, two large cisterns carved into the stone and a medium-sized chamber with a barrel vault with lunettes. The site is located on Castellaccio Peak, on the right bank of the upper branch of the Dittaino River (also known as the Crisa Stream). Following the foundation of Leonforte, the castle was abandoned, and its privileges were transferred to the Branciforti Palace built in the city.

Today, only a few masonry remnants remain of the Castle of Guzzetta (also known as Bozzetta), which stands on a steep, inaccessible rocky crag beyond the ruins of the Castle of Tavi and the present-day village of Leonforte. It was once a crucial feudal stronghold, controlling access to the Sicilian hinterland. The castle is first documented in 1326, although it may have been built earlier, as a fiefdom of Guzzetta is mentioned as early as 1296. In the absence of evidence attesting to a Norman origin, its construction is therefore presumed to date back to the 13th century. Over the centuries, the castle and its fiefdom passed through the hands of various feudal families, including the Valguarnera family, who were the last owners until the abolition of feudalism. The castle was likely abandoned around 1610, when Licentia populandi – a royal license allowing feudal lords to establish new settlements within their fief – was granted for the foundation of Leonforte – an event that led to the gradual depopulation of neighbouring villages, including Tavi. Today, the remains of the castle walls are difficult to discern due to dense vegetation covering the summit of the rock. The only clearly visible fragment is part of an outer bastion with an arrow slit, revealing how the fortification was built to follow the terrain’s irregularities, resulting in an irregular layout.
The site is geologically significant due to the presence of quartz arenite spires. The landscape is shaped by the emergence of the Numidian Flysch, a terrigenous formation from the Burdigalian era, characterized by alternating thick clay banks and quartz arenite lenses formed by ancient turbidity currents. This configuration allows large volumes of water to accumulate in the quartz arenite lenses and then emerge at the contact points between the reservoir rock and the clays. These are the sources of the Crisa Dittaino River and the reason for the valley’s long history of human settlement.

The late-ripening Leonforte PGI peach, also known as the settembrina (‘September peach’), is cultivated according to a centuries-old tradition of natural cross-pollination between late-ripening varieties that are unique to the Enna region. A distinctive feature of this tradition is the practice of bagging each individual fruit while still on the tree, starting in the second half of June, to protect it from external threats until harvest at the end of September.

This ancient legume was once widely cultivated in the region and sown in rotation with wheat due to its ability to enrich the soil with nitrogen. It is also a key ingredient in regional and Leonforte cuisine, featuring in dishes such as maccu di fave, a creamy dish made by cooking dried, shelled broad beans for a long time. Even today, it is cultivated entirely by hand. Between November and December, furrows are prepared and the seeds are sown in clusters (a postarella) and covered. This is followed by weeding to remove spontaneous vegetation and mounding the soil around the growing plants. Once the plants begin to wither, they are cut down, dried in small sheaves (manate di favi) and beaten in the farmyard (where animals once trampled them). The seeds are separated from the furba (leaves and stems) by tossing everything into the air with a trident on days with a light breeze. At the end of March, when they are green and freshly harvested, they are often served with salt, spring onions and pecorino cheese (favaiana e cipuddetti), or used in the traditional frittedda: fried in extra virgin olive oil with pancetta and onions, then cooked slowly. Historically, smaller broad beans were used as animal fodder, while larger ones were sold. This has gradually reduced the number of fields and put the large broad bean at risk of extinction.

This ancient legume is typical of the Leonforte area. It was recently considered at risk of extinction due to a drastic reduction in cultivation. It was widely grown and appreciated until the 1950s, when it was replaced by varieties that were more weather-resistant, capable of higher yields and suitable for mechanised farming.
Today, a few enterprising farmers from Leonforte have resumed cultivation, carrying out every stage of the plant’s growth manually, due to its very short, creeping stem, which lies almost in contact with the ground and prevents the use of machinery. Subsequent selection processes are also carried out by hand. Recognisable by its distinctive colour and intense flavour, this lentil boasts unique organoleptic properties, a higher percentage of protein and fibre and a lower fat content than common lentils.

This practice involves setting up tables covered with dishes and breads prepared by the community. In Leonforte, this devotional tradition takes on the additional meaning of the cùnzulu (funeral banquet) offered to Saint Mary upon the death of her husband, Saint Joseph. This tradition reflects the circular temporality that shaped rural life in the past. At a time of extreme food scarcity, when winter provisions had run out, the ritual offering expressed hope for future abundance. It underscores the connection with spring and crop germination and the need to entrust this critical moment to divine providence.
Traditionally, the confreres perform polyphonic songs characteristic of Holy Week in front of the food-laden altars. In doing so, the community activates its symbolic mechanisms of protection during transitional phases, using food as a guarantee of life’s continuity. These practices persist today through their revival as part of identity-based and heritage tourism. Visitors can participate in the traffic – the various stages of communal dish preparation – and learn about wild spring herbs gathered for the occasion, as well as traditional recipes, while becoming part of a shared ritual experience.

This sacred procession, documented since the 19th century, marked the beginning of Holy Week celebrations in Leonforte. On the Saturday before Palm Sunday, a ceremonial space made of olive and palm branches was set up in the square in front of the small church of the Crucidda, near the Granfonte. This staging was accompanied by a display of lights. On Saturday evening, a pilgrimage departed from the Church of Santo Stefano alla Crucidda, accompanied by the ‘Song of Lamentation’ (Canto del Lamento). The lighting of the illuminations marked the culmination of the procession, followed by a vigil late into the night.
On Sunday afternoon, a sacred drama was performed by actors and children, re-enacting the Gospel passage of Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. The performance used the Granfonte and the Giardino delle Ninfe as a theatrical stage, blending natural and architectural elements into a symbolic setting. While the Saturday pilgrimage from Santo Stefano alla Crucidda continues to this day, the sacred representation was interrupted in 2021.

The procession of u mulimentu (the Glorious Tomb or the Urn) on Good Friday is the most heartfelt and engaging celebration of Holy Week in Leonforte. Dating back to 1650, it follows a long, winding route spanning over seven kilometres and passing all thirteen local churches. Many believers participate barefoot as a vow, and the presence of the marching band playing the funeral march Ione, and above all, the performance of the lament, generate an atmosphere of intense emotion. The singers of the Leonforte lament (u lamientu) have been singing a polyphonic melody in harmony during Passion Week for centuries.

The origins of the lament are unknown, but it is passed down through oral tradition. It was once sung during work in the fields, on the way to work, or on the way home. Before Lent, groups of singers of the lament, called squadre, would gather to prepare for the Easter rites, allowing new members, often from the same family, to learn the soloists’ verses by listening to the custodians of the song repeat them aloud, both men and women.

A team of singers of the lament consists of eight to ten people: the first voice narrates the events; the second voice repeats the last word of the previous verse, giving the song its pathos with a tone more similar to a shout; and the choir creates a mournful atmosphere by emitting a deep, melancholic ‘o’ sound (turda). The singers’ distinctive posture sees them turn their eyes toward the sky and hold their hands to their ears, on their chests, or crossed, in order to find the right tone.

Since 2007, some young people have taken up the tradition with the help of the last singers. The lament accompanies the Holy Week processions and the altars of Saint Joseph. On the eve of Palm Sunday, the Credo Regale, which was revived after 35 years, is performed in the small church of Crucidda. Good Friday is the culminating day: at noon, after the crucifixion, the singers of the lament gather at the foot of the cross and sing to the crucified Christ. During the deposition of Christ from the cross, the lament accompanies the brothers’ chanting of Misericordia. Finally, the lament can be heard in the churches and along the procession of u mulimentu.