Monuments

Monuments and buildings that bear witness to the history of Terrasini.

Many monuments and buildings bear witness to the history of Terrasini. The Cathedral of Maria SS. Delle Grazie in the main square is a splendid frame for the town. Particularly interesting are the town library of the Palazzo Cataldi (formerly La Grua palace), the Palazzo D’Aumale (today’s ethnographic Museum) Villa Fassini, former residence of the Florio family, probably designed by the famous liberty architect Ernesto Basile. In the near Cinisi it is possible to visit the house of Felicia and Peppino Impastato, the anti-mafia journalist and activist killed by the mafia.

Palazzo Cataldi
Palazzo Cataldi is the former summer residence of the aristocratic La Grua family from Carini and today is the place where the town library “Claudio Catalfio” is located. The palace is characterized by a portico with columns and pilasters, typical of the eighteenth-century age; the front bears the La Grua family crest.

Palazzo D’Aumale
The Ethnographic museum was founded in 1984 and housed in the prestigious Palazzo D’Aumale. The Museum, set up with high quality multimedial contents, arises from the fusion of the former Museum of the Carretto Siciliano (sicilian barrow) “S.Ventimiglia” and the town Museum of Natural History. Palazzo D’Aumale is characterized by its tipical liberty facade painted in pastel rose.

Casa Memoria Felicia and Peppino Impastato
In Cinisi, only 2 km far from Terrasini centre, it is possible to visit the so called House of the Memory Felicia and Peppino Impastato. The house has been opened to visitors because of the need of truth and justice. The House of the Memory has been founded to keep alive the memory of those who have bravely fought the mafia criminal violence. Peppino’s mother Felicia struggled to death to break the silence and to show the worst aspects of society but, most of all, to obtain justice for his son Peppino, killed by the mafia. Hundreds of visitors every year cross that treshold, looking for the truth which is too difficult to know, in the hope that one day organized crime will be defeated.

Villa Fassini
Villa Fassini is located in the neighbourhood of Terrasini, surrounded by olive, orange and lemon trees. In the past the Villa, which has been probably designed by the famous liberty architect Ernesto Basile, was the residence of the Florio family. During the 70’s, some hippies created there a huge community with young people coming from all over Europe.