Aragona, Italian comune
Aragona is a small town in Sicily in the province of Agrigento, approximately 15 kilometers from the city of Agrigento. It sits in a valley with agricultural lands where locals have long grown almonds, olives, and pistachios, while the center is arranged around the 17th-century Palazzo Naselli and the nearby Church of the Rosary with its wooden ceiling.
The town was founded in 1606 by Baldassare III Naselli and named after his mother Beatrice Aragona Branciforte. By the 17th century it was known as a prosperous and populated place, and during the Risorgimento residents participated in patriotic uprisings before the Bourbons regained control.
The town's name comes from Beatrice Aragona Branciforte, mother of its founder. It was established in 1606 as a baronial settlement under the Naselli family, whose influence remains visible in the local architecture and how people maintain their traditions.
The center is compact and easy to explore on foot, with shops and cafes at nearly every corner selling local products. The best time to visit is April through June or September through October, when the weather is pleasant and local festivals like the Madonna del Rosario in October take place.
In the underground crypt of the Church of the Rosary sits a permanent exhibition with precious objects, including a fragment of the Holy Shroud in a decorated silver urn that the Prince of Aragona acquired in 1684. This rare relic is part of a collection holding gold, silver, and historical documents that remains completely unknown to most visitors.
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