Panorama Photo

In the XI-th century the family Grifeo promoted a first attempt to chase the Muslims from Sicily, joining a bunch of Cretan warriors guided by the Byzantine general George Maniakis (Giorgio Maniace, whence the name of the Castello Maniace in Siracusa). This first attempt, with the Byzantines, did not succeed, but a second one, this time with Count Roger and his Normans, was successful.
Partanna suffered severe damages in the Belice earthquake on 1968, and several churches were completely destroyed. Just look at the Purgatorio church on the side of the castle, whose upper half collapsed. However, every subsequent effort to demolish the lower half failed (steel cables broke, and the walls were unscathed): this a story proudly recounted by the locals.
Visible in the distance (although not easily at this size) are the silhouettes of Marettimo and Favignana - 55 and 80 km respectively. On the other hand, some hills (see the hump in the horizon) hide the nearby temples of Selinunte, only 17 km from here.