Palio dei Normanni is a name that seems to belong to a distant past. But will it really be like this? There is a locality in Sicilia where for three days you go back in time, between ladies and knights, equestrian competitions and period costumes. To take a dip in the past you have to go to Piazza Armerina, in the province of Enna, where you can relive the medieval magic in this festival to be discovered. Here is the story of a tradition that has lasted for centuries and has never lost its charm of yesteryear.
Palio dei Normanni: yesterday and today
Piazza Armerina dresses up with a medieval theme in the days ranging from 12 to 14 August. Every year there is great anticipation for the traditional Palio of the Normans, which represents one of the oldest festivals of the Sicilian hinterland. Its origins have a link with history and religion, which are intertwined to give life to one of the most suggestive customs in Italy. Over the years it has been enriched with those typical features that make it so special today. Its first name was “La cavalcata”. Then, starting in 1952 it became the Palio dei Normanni and this is how everyone now knows it in Sicilia.
To discover the origins of the medieval festival we must go back to the time when the Saracens occupied Sicily. But after 150 years of dominance, in 1061, at the hands of the Normans, the island was finally liberated. And it was indeed Ruggero d'Altavilla which brought to Piazza Armerina a banner with the effigy of the Madonna delle Vittorie, most holy protector of the city. And it is to her that the medieval celebrations are dedicated, which give way on the day of August to religious solemnities complete with procession and fireworks.
A typically medieval festival
During the Palio dei Normanni, Piazza Armerina sees people in costume parade through its streets, which for a few days animate with rides and shows tourists flocked to attend the medieval event. The first day begins with the traditional rite of handing over weapons to the knights, followed by the blessing. On the second day, the figure of the liberator of Sicily is honored: a procession commemorates the entry of the Normans with the leader Ruggero d'Altavilla, to whom the keys of the city are symbolically delivered. Then, on the last day, the “Quintana del Saraceno” takes place, a tournament on horseback, where the 4 historic districts compete in tests of skill.
To surround the rides and parades there is the Mad Fest, with street performers who entertain the public, jugglers who entertain children and even the fortune teller ready to reveal the secrets of your future. And the music is obviously Celtic and medieval. In addition, there is no shortage of fireworks that color the sky of Piazza Armerina in these days of pure magic. Even the typical dishes offered are reminiscent of the cuisine at the time of Middle Ages, because the Palio dei Normanni is that party capable of stopping time and taking it back to distant centuries, where you can relive the atmosphere of the past without thinking about the present.
