At the edge of the Val di Noto, in the heart of Sicily, rises on Mount Xibet Calascibetta. The geographical position has always been a strong point of the town and its inhabitants: in fact it is almost equidistant from the three seas that bathe the island. Sicilian Baroque finds its maximum expression in the cities of Catania, Ragusa and Syracuse, but few know the northern border of this ancient Vallo, located in the center of the island. Calascibetta, among the less famous centers of this area, in fact, of the Val di Noto, offers a unique history, diversified by its territorial scope.

The historic core retains its medieval structure and boasts Norman origins linked to Ruggero d'Altavilla (Altavilla), from which he received a first major contribution to urban development.  Between sites until yesterday forgotten and special laws, the city had in the past an exceptional role and completely different from today. In particular, a law, special in its kind, made use of privileges and franchises reserved for her and a few other cities of Sicily, the so-called right of the "Apostolic Legation" or "Sicula Monarchy".

This royal right, in Sicily, was applicable only to state-owned cities and was considered, rightly, "the most precious gem of the kings of Sicily", thanks to which the rulers of the island from the eleventh century. to 1929 gave rise to their system of Ecclesiastical Government, which took the name of "Monarchia Sicula"; from this Calascibetta took considerable advantages, up to obtain the 24th place in the Sicilian Parliament. Sicily, in fact, boasts the oldest Parliament in Europe; therefore our town was simultaneously to have constant and privileged relations with the royal power.

The city, moreover, was known as one of the 57 Jewish communities of Sicily; the Jews lived there since the fourteenth century, in a Giudecca, then outside the town, and were dedicated to trade, usury and crafts. Their presence, no doubt, is a sort of indicator of citizens' standard of living. During the Spanish domination, the state city also became "Capocomarca" of an area of seven municipalities.

The first documented archaeological findings of Sicily concern the territory of Calascibetta and date back to November 1456, when Antonio Raffo Spatafora, President of the Kingdom, commissioned an officer to perform excavations "... learned the door of the parts versu Castrogiovanni....". The historical and cultural peculiarity of Calascibetta gives it a particular typicality, since places, historical facts, privileges and prerogatives of this center are unmatched.

Its remarkable archaeological, artistic and historical heritage is known to few, its findings are fragmented in several Sicilian museums, certainly appreciated, but currently not valued. The presence of man in this territory has been documented since the Copper Age: this is witnessed by the finds housed in the museums of the Superintendence of the BB.CC.AA. of Enna and Syracuse. The current urban center shows still tangible and well-preserved signs, such as the enlarged urban fabric, dating back to the Troglodyte era and small traces of the Byzantine.

In 851 the Arab quarter was born, of modest size and perched on the summit of Mount Xibet. The name CalatXibet comes from the Arabic: the prefix Càlat means fortress fortified by nature, followed by the name of Mount Xibet, from which the name "Calascibetta" is derived in time. In more recent history, starting from the eleventh century, driven out the Arabs from the fortress, the Normans settled there with Count Ruggero d'Altavilla (Altavilla), son of Tancredi, who chose Calascibetta for the thirty-year siege of the stronghold of Enna. Today the Norman Tower, also known as the Bell Tower of S. Pietro, is evidence of this.

The name CalatXibet comes from the Arabic: the prefix Càlat means fortress fortified by nature, followed by the name of Mount Xibet, from which the name "Calascibetta" is derived in time. In more recent history, starting from the eleventh century, driven out the Arabs from the fortress, the Normans settled there with Count Ruggero d'Altavilla (Altavilla), son of Tancredi, who chose Calascibetta for the thirty-year siege of the stronghold of Enna. Today the Norman Tower, also known as the Bell Tower of S. Pietro, is evidence of this. The name CalatXibet comes from the Arabic: the prefix Càlat means fortress fortified by nature, followed by the name of Mount Xibet, from which the name "Calascibetta" is derived in time.

In more recent history, starting from the eleventh century, driven out the Arabs from the fortress, the Normans settled there with Count Ruggero d'Altavilla (Altavilla), son of Tancredi, who chose Calascibetta for the thirty-year siege of the stronghold of Enna. Today the Norman Tower, also known as the Bell Tower of S. Pietro, is evidence of this. The Normans settled there with Count Ruggero d'Altavilla (Hauteville), son of Tancredi, who chose Calascibetta for the thirty-year siege of the stronghold of Enna.

Today the Norman Tower, also known as the Bell Tower of S. Pietro, is evidence of this. The Normans settled there with Count Ruggero d'Altavilla (Hauteville), son of Tancredi, who chose Calascibetta for the thirty-year siege of the stronghold of Enna. Today the Norman Tower, also known as the Bell Tower of S. Pietro, is evidence of this.  

The Normans were followed by the Aragonese with King Peter II of Aragon, who built, in 1340, the Regia 1 Cappella Palatina, the second of Sicily, providing it with further fiefs. The built city has subsequently been superimposed on the rock, hiding the first sight: there are, in fact, numerous caves and caves, sometimes communicating with each other, dug into the rock, dwellings of a troglodyte civilization.

These traces of ancient stratified settlements, of undoubted value, highlight a singular urban fabric. Sicily from the administrative point of view was divided by the Arabs into three valleys, while from the seventeenth century. the three valleys were still divided into 44 districts. The most circumscribed administrative divisions, called comarche, included several municipalities headed by a state city, that is to say, belonging to the state patrimony. Calascibetta, as a free city and Cape Comarca, as mentioned by historians Fazello and Amico in their works, had until 1818 the command and authority over seven countries: Valguarnera, Villarosa, Villapriolo, S. Caterina Villarmosa, Caltanissetta and San Cataldo .

During the Spanish domination, new churches and monasteries flourished in the town again, of remarkable architectural and cultural value. The boundless horizons and breathtaking views enrich the intrinsic heritage, so as to leave the visitor enchanted. The uniqueness of this city is also found in its ancient external road system, partly still preserved today. There were twelve regie trazzere (the term trazzera means direct road) that started from Calascibetta; those ancient streets, 36 m wide.