3 Best Sights in Polizzi Generosa, Sicily

This impressive church occupies an entire block of the main street in the medieval area of town, and it also houses the local library (Biblioteca Comunale) and the Civico Museo Archeologico, an archaeological museum. The church has the standard Greek cross structure. It is filled with marble vaults that host the statues of various saints and is decorated with floral embellishments typical of the extravagant Sicilian Baroque style.

Polizzi is full of churches, each one filled to the brim with fascinating artwork, but this church is probably the most gorgeous of all. Its centerpiece is an astounding Renaissance painting of the Madonna and Child, attributed to the 15th-century Flemish painter Rogier Van Der Weyden. It is astonishing to see this priceless work of art from northern Europe housed in a church in Polizzi Generosa and gives you a sense of how much wealth was brought to the town thanks to its royal patrons.

Even though the outside of this church seems a little run-down, taking a step inside reveals intricate details and explosions of excessive ornamentation. The old monastery dates back to 1450 and is a testament to the wealth and luxury that the church acquired from the lands and agricultural wealth of Polizzi Generosa. The church is filled with elaborate stonework, decorations, and a well-preserved and vibrant majolica ceramic floor.