Polizzi Generosa

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Polizzi Generosa
Comune
Comune di Polizzi Generosa
Coat of arms
Location of Polizzi Generosa
Polizzi Generosa Location of Polizzi Generosa in Italy Show map of Italy Polizzi Generosa Polizzi Generosa (Sicily) Show map of Sicily
Coordinates: 37°48′43″N 14°00′14″E / 37.81194°N 14.00389°E / 37.81194; 14.00389
Country	Italy
Region	Sicily
Metropolitan city	Palermo (PA)
Frazioni	Contrada Case Alberì
Government
• Mayor	Gandolfo Librizzi
Area [1]
• Total	134.66 km2 (51.99 sq mi)
Elevation	917 m (3,009 ft)
Population  (1 January 2021)[2]
• Total	3,045
• Density	23/km2 (59/sq mi)
Demonym	Polizzani
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	90028
Dialing code	0921
Patron saint	Gandolfo da Binasco
Saint day	Third sunday of September
Website	Official website

Polizzi Generosa is a town and comune in the Metropolitan City of Palermo on the island of Sicily, southern Italy. Located in the Madonie Mountains at an elevation of 917 meters, the town is part of the Madonie Regional Natural Park, a UNESCO Global Geopark recognized for its ecological, geological, and cultural significance.

The name Polizzi is believed to derive from the Greek Polis Isis, meaning "City of Isis." This possible reference to the Egyptian goddess Isis suggests early Hellenic religious influence and hints at the area's ancient spiritual significance.

Archaeological findings indicate human presence in the area since the 6th century BCE. Excavations have revealed coins from the Greek colony of Himera, Carthaginian artifacts, and a Hellenistic necropolis. By the 4th century BCE, the site served as a Carthaginian military fortress manned by mercenaries from Campania.

The modern town developed during the Norman conquest of Sicily. In 1076, Count Roger I of Sicily constructed a fortress at the site, catalyzing urban growth. In 1234, Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, bestowed the title "Generosa" on the town in recognition of its loyalty and cultural refinement.

During the Middle Ages and Renaissance, Polizzi Generosa emerged as a significant center of regional aristocracy, legal scholarship, and ecclesiastical authority. Its elevated position within the Madonie Mountains and its proximity to trade and pilgrimage routes contributed to its cultural and strategic importance. The town became home to numerous feudal families and was governed by a succession of noble houses, who endowed churches and monasteries and helped establish the town as a locus of baronial influence in central Sicily.

Polizzi was also known for producing highly educated notaries, jurists, and clerics, many of whom were educated at the University of Palermo or ecclesiastical colleges and served in Palermo, Cefalù, and even the Roman Curia. The Codex Polizzano, a 15th-century manuscript collection of legal and notarial texts produced in the town, is considered a testament to its intellectual tradition and is preserved in regional archives. Local monastic institutions, such as the Benedictine and Franciscan houses, played a key role in promoting religious scholarship and maintaining historical records.

This intellectual legacy was so prominent that Giuseppe Antonio Borgese, writing centuries later, would recall Polizzi Generosa as “a village of scholars and saints.”^[3][4][5]

Polizzi Generosa is located within the boundaries of the Madonie Regional Natural Park, which was designated a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2015. The Madonie Mountains host over 1,600 plant species, including nearly half of Sicily’s endemic flora. Other species include important geological formations that span more than 200 million years. The park supports traditional land use systems such as hazelnut orchards, transhumance, and manna harvesting. The park is home to the Abies nebrodensis, a critically endangered fir tree found only in a small grove above Polizzi Generosa. Other rare species include wild orchids, Viola nebrodensis, and the Malus crescimannoi wild apple. In Piano Pomo, visitors can see monumental holly trees towering over 14 meters tall—among the tallest of their kind in Europe.

On the outskirts of Polizzi Generosa stands the Commenda, the ruins of the medieval commandery of the Order of Knights of Malta, established by Hospitallers in 1177 and rebuilt in the 15th century. Once one of the richest commanderies in the Priory of Messina, it functioned as a religious hospice and pilgrimage station. Notable for its stone bell tower and Gothic-arched entryway, the Commenda is one of the few remaining inland examples of medieval Hospitaller architecture in Sicily.

^[6]

The Chiesa Madre is Polizzi Generosa’s principal church. Built originally during the Norman period and rebuilt in Baroque style in the 17th century, it features twin bell towers, a clock, and a grand staircase. The interior houses two significant triptychs:

A Renaissance triptych attributed to Antonello de Saliba (c. 1466–c. 1535), nephew or pupil of Antonello da Messina. The central panel depicts the Madonna and Child enthroned, flanked by saints and predella scenes of the Passion. The work blends early Renaissance perspective with Byzantine iconographic tradition, characteristic of de Saliba’s style.

^[7]

Also housed in the church is a late‑15th‑century Flemish-style triptych (Trittico Fiammingo), attributed to a Netherlandish workshop active in Brussels. The central Madonna and Child panel is flanked by female saints in richly detailed landscapes. The work heralds the influence of Rogier van der Weyden’s school and is particularly rare in inland Sicily, reflecting historic transnational patronage during the Spanish‑Habsburg era.^[8]

Both triptychs remain in situ and are protected by the Sicilian Superintendency for Cultural Heritage.

Giuseppe Antonio Borgese was born in Polizzi Generosa and later became a leading literary critic, novelist, and political thinker. After refusing to swear allegiance to the Fascist regime in 1931, he relocated to the United States, where he taught at the University of Chicago and emerged as a key figure in the post-war world federalist movement.

In 1945, Borgese co-founded the Committee to Frame a World Constitution and was the principal author of the 1948 Preliminary Draft of a World Constitution. He believed in the moral necessity of a democratic world government, writing:

“Peace and justice stand or fall together… World government is necessary, therefore it is possible.”

He edited the journal Common Cause, which served as the main publication of the world federalist movement in the late 1940s and early 1950s.^[9]

A Franciscan lay brother and missionary preacher, San Gandolfo is the patron saint of Polizzi Generosa. Born near Milan, he traveled through southern Italy as a humble friar before settling in Polizzi, where he lived a life of prayer, poverty, and service. After his death in 1270, his tomb in the Chiesa Madre became a pilgrimage site, and his veneration was embraced locally. His feast is celebrated annually on the third Sunday of September.^[10][11]

Polizzi Generosa is the ancestral seat of the noble Rampolla del Tindaro family. Cardinal Mariano Rampolla del Tindaro (1843–1913), a prominent Vatican diplomat, served as Secretary of State under Pope Leo XIII and was a serious papal candidate in the 1903 conclave.

Polizzi Generosa is the birthplace of fashion designer Domenico Dolce (born 13 August 1958), co-founder of the global luxury fashion house Dolce & Gabbana. Dolce has frequently credited his upbringing in Polizzi Generosa—with its religious festivals, traditional craftsmanship, baroque architecture, and multigenerational family culture—as a defining influence on his creative vision.^[12][13]

The influence of Polizzi Generosa is evident in Dolce & Gabbana’s signature design elements, including black lace, gold embroidery, religious iconography, and themes of Sicilian motherhood and family. Dolce & Gabbana have also hosted multiple haute couture “Alta Moda” shows in Sicily to showcase regional traditions and artisanship.

Dolce remains actively connected to his hometown. He founded the 5 Cuori Foundation (Fondazione P.G. 5 Cuori) in Polizzi Generosa to support local initiatives in the areas of culture, education, and community welfare.^[14]

The statue of the Madonna Addolorata, housed in the Chiesa di Santa Maria della Grazia in Polizzi Generosa, is a rare example of Andalusian wax sculpture—one of only five known in Sicily. Deeply revered by the local community, the statue is central to the Good Friday procession.

In 2014, Domenico Dolce,designed and donated an ornate black-and-gold mantle for the statue. Inspired by Sicilian and Andalusian baroque motifs, the garment draws directly from the visual themes of Dolce & Gabbana’s 2012 Milan Fashion Week collection, which celebrated the designers’ Sicilian roots. In addition to the mantle, Dolce oversaw the design of the Vara (processional platform), adorned with Swarovski crystals and golden elements, and outfitted all 40 bearers in custom ceremonial attire—black suits, white shirts, gold tie clips and cufflinks, and traditional capes.

A second mantle, used in alternating years, was created decades earlier by Saverio Dolce, Domenico’s father and a respected tailor in Polizzi. This black satin cloak, embroidered with black glass beads, was also made for the Madonna Addolorata. A member of the local confraternity, Saverio likely passed his deep devotional ties to his son. The dual mantles represent a family legacy of faith, craftsmanship, and cultural identity within the town.

Dolce & Gabbana is widely considered one of the most prominent fashion houses in the world. In 2024, the brand was valued at over USD 3 billion and ranked among the top 50 global fashion brands by the FashionUnited Brand Index.^[15]

People with connections to Polizzi Generosa include:

• Director Martin Scorsese an acclaimed American filmmaker known for his influential contributions to cinema, particularly in the crime and drama genres. His paternal grandparents were born in Polizzi Generosa. His work is marked by bold visual style, complex character studies, and iconic films such as Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, and Raging Bull.
• Vincenzo Sellaro, MD was born in Polizzi Generosa and in 1905 founded the Order of the Sons of Italy in America in Little Italy, New York. Today, this organization is known as the Order of the Sons and Daughters of Italy in America and is the oldest organization supporting Italian Immigrants and Italian Heritage in America.
• The writer, Carol Lunetta Cianca, was born here in 1898. At 100 years of age she published an acclaimed autobiography that described the back story of her undercover experiences on behalf of the United States during World War II.
• Character actor Vincent Schiavelli (One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Amadeus, Ghost) moved to Polizzi for the final years of his life. His grandfather, Andrea Coco was chef to the Rampolla del Tindaro noble family. Schiavelli was also a food and cookbook writer who wrote about Polizzi Generosa and his roots in Many Beautiful Things: Stories and Recipes from Polizzi Generosa.^[16] Schiavelli is buried in the Polizzi Generosa cemetery.
• Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman to fly in space, was awarded honorary citizenship of Polizzi Generosa.
• Celestina Salamone Cristodaro, respected local historian, wrote deeply researched local histories of Polizzi Generosa, including Polizzi d’Altri Tempi: Realtà e Suggestione (1987) and Polizzi Del Passato (1990), which remain essential resources on the town’s cultural and architectural heritage.^[17][18]

• Maggio, Theresa (2002). The Stone Boudoir: Travels Through The Hidden Villages of Sicily. New York.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

• Cutuli, Carmelo. Vincenzo Sellaro and the Sons of Italy in America. ISBN 9798873018444.

• P.G. 5 Cuori Foundation – Official Tourism Site

• Martin Scorsese on Sicilian Heritage – Variety, 2025

• Extracted Civil Records
• Alex Polizzi on Sicily’s Authentic Spirit – The Telegraph

• Polizzi Generosa Travel Feature – HitSicily

• Giuseppe Antonio Borgese: The Polymath from Polizzi – Times of Sicily

• The Sicilian Highlands (1904 Reprint) – The Atlantic

• Dolce and Gabbana Take Sicilian Inspiration to the Heights – The New York Times (2013)

• Dolce & Gabbana Turn to Sicilian Tradition – Business of Fashion

• P.G. 5 Cuori Foundation – Official Tourism Site of Polizzi Generosa

• Sicily World – Facebook Group Covering Local Sicilian Heritage (Italian)