Height 600m above the sea level, tourism office tel. 0941486027, people
2000.
Shopping:
hazelnuts, local pastries, olives, cereals, honey, grapes.
How to get there:
Highway A20, exit Rocca di Caprileone, fork-road San Salvatore di Fitalia.
The town lies upon a pleasant hill,
stretching from north to south and dominating the valley. The mountain
centre benefits from its happy position; being it free and open in every
side, San Salvatore enjoys of an exceptional healthiness: the air is pure,
the waters are limpid, the sunsets are magnificent.
Around the town there are woods of pines and of cork oaks; at the foot
of the mountain there are olive and hazel groves, and vine-yards; but
there are also citrus plantations, and orchards, as well as woods of chestnut-trees
and oaks. The width and the beauty of the lovely views he can admire from
every side surprise the tourist arriving here. Each year, on the 20th
of August, it takes place the patron-feast dedicated to San Calogero Eremita.
It calls for many devotees and pilgrims, who come here to attend the suggestive
and rich ceremonial: indeed, on the 19th of August, at 5 p.m., there is
the solemn procession of the “Child Mary” that is affectionately
called “Bambina di San Calogero”. While the believers say
the Rosary and sing religious hymns, the “Child” advances
under a rich in embroideries baldachin. Then it follows the procession
of the relic, contained in a silver urn. The Vespers begin when the relic
reaches the Church. On the 20th the procession take place after a solemn
Mass.
The simulacrum of San Calogero is carried on the devotees’ back
through an acclaiming crowd.
There is an old habit providing for the Saint must be carried to and fro
during the procession, this going is called “ journeys” and
it terminates when the Saint is finally carried in the Mother Church,
on the opposite side of the town, from here it will return back in his
seat, on the 21st.
| The rock “Pietra Giuda” | The Mother Church | The Tower of the Captain |
| it is a pleasant area up on the mountain, nearby the cemetery. It is the only place reminding of the Jewish colony living in San Salvatore before the Norman Conquest. In this site the Jews celebrated the most important events and rites. | the church dedicated to San Salvatore (the Redeemer), that gave the name to the town, was erected by Conte Ruggero in memory of the battle he won nearby the Fitalia Tower, at the foot of the hill where now the town and the church are located. At present the church is at one nave and two aisles, but it is clear that in the original project there were two aisles more. | in this place there was a sighting tower for preventing the marauders’ incursions, a Captain and his soldiers watched over it. This tower, that today is made up of remains, probably belongs to the Roman epoch, if not to the Saracen period. Indeed, many other towers located on the coast or in the hinterland of the Island, are either Roman Arab or Norman. |