PIAZZA ARMERINA - which sits on a plateau almost 700 m above sea level, is located NE of Agrigento about 35 kms south of Enna. Founded during the Norman era, its medieval quarter has several beautiful old churches, including their Baroque cathedral, as well as a well-preserved fortress, a palace & a castle. But most visitors come here to see the UNESCO world heritage site (1997) of Roman Villa del Casale. Sadly, we didn’t spend any time in the town, but if you have time, the town is worth a visit as well. More info here: http://www.bestofsicily.com/armerina.htm

ROMAN VILLA DEL CASALE - Located 5 kms outside of town, the Villa was built between 330 & 360 AD, likely by a wealthy patrician, although the identity of its owner remains a subject of debate. The villa was likely the center of a large ancient Roman agricultural estate that used a large number of peasant or slave labourers. The villa evidently served several purposes, both residential & official. It was probably the permanent or semi-permanent residence of the estate owner, as well as the administrative center of the large estate where he received his local clients. [Currently, only the manor portions of the complex have been excavated. The ancillary structures - housing for the slaves, workshops, stables, etc. have not yet been located.] The buildings remained in use, at least in part, during the Byzantine & and Arab period, until the site was finally abandoned for good when a landslide covered the villa in the twelfth century AD. The remaining inhabitants who lived in the small village that had grown around it, moved to the current location of Piazza Armerina.

There are 3500 square meters of mosaics on the villa's floors as well as painted walls, many of which are still standing. The mosaics depict scenes from daily life & are remarkable not only for their sociological value but also for their artistry. The style of the mosaics is said to be influenced by the North African motifs of the Romans. Some smaller finds from the site are housed in the Piazza Armerina archaeological museum.

In addition to the impressive artwork, visitors are also struck by the size of the villa & the unusual architectural style. The villa's buildings are arranged in sections, with an impressive entrance & numerous rooms of various dimensions, some quite large. Beneath the villa the remains of a village have been found which date to 100-200 AD.

This web link includes plan of the villa: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Romana_del_Casale

The official web site has a wonderful virtual tour: http://win.villaromanadelcasale.it/inglese/index.htm

This link will take you to an excellent, well-labeled room map with photos. Click on each room of the map to see descriptions & photos of that room. http://win.villaromanadelcasale.it/inglese/sale/sale.htm