AgrigentoBurgio.
The village developed around the ancient castle,
which was possibly built by the Arabs and then rebuilt
by the Normans, the Gioenis and the Colonnas. The
lay-out of the village, with its narrow winding
streets, shows its mediaeval origins.
In the upper part stands the Chiesa Madre, dedicated
to St Antonio Abate. This was built in the 12th
c. and extensively altered in the following centuries:
internally it has a nave and two aisles, and some
16th c. additions. Among the best preserved works
are a Madonna and child, by Vincenzo Gagini (1552)
and a fine wooden crucifix from the Sanctuary of
Rifesi. In the Chiesa di San Vito, there is a valuable
statue of the Saint by Antonello Gagini (1552).
Walking up Via Calvario we come to the Castle, which
may have been founded by the Muslims. Later it passed
to the Normans and then, in the 14th c., to the
Peraltas and other feudal farnilies. The Castle
is rectangular, and severe andmassivein appearance,
as is typical of fortified architecture.