PalermoAlia.
Founded in 1623 by Pietro Celestri, Marquis of Santa
Croce, in the Lalia fief, near an ancient Muslim
hamlet, now no longer extant. In theearly years
of the 19th c. it passed from the Santa Croce family,
which had died out, to the Princes of Sant'Elia.
The Chiesa of Santa Rosalia ( 19th c.) stands on
the site of an older Christian church in Via Veneto,
the road leading into the town. Further on we come
to the Chiesa Madre, dedicated to the Madonna delle
Grazie, built in the 17th c. and later enlarged
with the addition of the side aisles. In the territory
of Alia are the Gurfa caves, majestic rock architecture
of uncertain origin, which alone are worth a visit.
