The worship of the Madonna della Stella is deeply celebrated by the population in Militello. Worship sky-rocketed in the 18th century and the rich lords of Militello, among others, began to commission votive works for the Madonna. In fact, the parish church of the Madonna della Stella is home to the...

As you enter the church you are almost blinded by the powerful light of this space. The walls are completely white, adorned with 18th-century stucco and gilding, works by the artist Onofrio Russo from Policoro. The elegant pillars with exposed stone bases and the arcades that divide the central na...

The church of Madonna della Stella (Our Lady of the Star) is one of the two main hubs of religious life in Militello, together with the Mother Church of San Nicolò or San Salvatore (St. Salvador). Both churches were destroyed during the 1693 earthquake and remained without a seat for many years un...

Inside the courtyard of the Barresi-Branciforte castle there is the Fontana della Zizza (Zizza Fountain), dating back to 1607, which is the final part of the water mains. The rich family was a great promoter of public works. As a matter of fact, it was responsible for the construction of the aquedu...

During the feudal dominion of the Barresi-Branciforti family, the town of Militello in Val di Catania featured prominently in the town's commendable reconfiguration. The prince Francesco Branciforte, once he had married Lady Joanna of Austria, the granddaughter of Charles V and cousin of the King o...

The town of Militello in Val di Catania reached the height of its growth in the 17th century, and is one of the centres rebuilt on new sites following the great earthquake of 1693. In fact, in these years the enlightened Prince Francesco Branciforte designed the new urban layout, already thinking a...