As reported in El Idrisi, geographer of Count Roger, Niqùsin (Nicosia) in 1062 is an Arab fortress castle, besieged by the Normans; the cliff of the castle is full of caves.
From the same source we also learn dell`esistenza corresponding to the suburb of Santa Maria neighborhood with the neighborhoods of Santa Nicolella and Vaccarino.
The limit valley was marked by the door Abbia and let out l`attuale Have Piazza Garibaldi area, used as a burial ground and then Islamic urbanized, from the twelfth century, in the district of S. Nicolo del Plano.
Urban development of the country is then tied in the outskirts of the town all`insediamento Benedictine, intimately associated with the Lombard colonization.
To the east is developed the neighborhood of St. Michael, with craft destination (tanneries), it belongs in 1137, as a suburban house, to the Benedictines of Lipari-Patti (Pirro 774) main proponents of the Lombard colonization of Sicily.
To the west, the district of SS.mo Salvatore with its church are donated in 1204 to the Benedictines of St. Mary Latin d`Agira; in the fourteenth century. l`espansione dell`abitato westward stood at Rocca Palta, high rocky spire perforated by caves, which became part of the city defense system, forming the cave district of S. Andrea.
At the same time they created the slums of St. Agatha and the Giudecca island on the southern outskirts dell`abitato, linked to the tanneries and characterized by spaces excavated in the rock.
As we remember the prof. Found in Nicosia late Middle Ages was surrounded by walls, the perimeter of which were placed the following eight ports (seven external and one internal) to the city:
- a) perimeter ports: - port Abbia
- Port or port Sant`Erasmo Coniglia
- Terrascone Door
- Aquila`s Door
- Mistretta`s Door
- Palermo`s Door
- Fera`s Door
- b) Inside Door - Middle Door
Gate middle divided the neighborhood of Santa Maria from that of St. Nicholas.
The Abbia port has, of Arab origin, set in upper dell`abitato in the vicinity of the Castle, had to be the first and for a time l`unica d`accesso away to the city, to the Arab village gathered around the castle: the name probably derives dall`arabo "b a b" which means precisely "gate."
On the east side, toward San Michele, is the Gate of Sant`Ermo (San Thermo in a deed of 1594) called today Porta Rabbit and, popularly, "he brings cunigghja".
On the western side, where the dell`Aquila village was built, it just opened the door dell`Aquila (there is preserved memory in the official name of two roads, respectively, the Way and the Alley Door dell`Aquila).
Lower down, always in the east side, was (according to the Beritelli-La Via) the Gate of Terrascone "appo the church of Saint Lucia": the name Terrascone with forming -asco, brings us to a Ligurian environment, and therefore all`immigrazione altoitaliana that affected Nicosia in the Middle Ages.
The Gate of Fera was placed beside the church of St Benedict and, through it, there is initiated in a wide plain where "ab antique fiunt nundini (ie the market) ipsius lands (Nicoxiae)".
Porta Palermo (now Via Bernardo di Falco), of which there are records in an act of 1561, led in Trazzera Regia that lead to Palermo.
Porta Mistretta (Via Vittorio Emanuele), led instead to the crossroad to Mistretta.
Further urban development to the west between the fifteenth and seventeenth century., Until all`altura of Colletta, is linked to the monastic settlements (Franciscans, Carmelites, the Vincentians), stretching up into the rocky complex of San Cono.
As reported by the Beritelli, and La Via, in 1810 it was divided into five main districts, which contained several smaller ones.
To the west lies the village of St. Elias, which receives this name from a small church dedicated to the saint; it follows the Miracle neighborhood where it is located with the church S. Maria de `Miracoli, under which lies the monastery and the adjacent church of St. Francis of Paola.
In the distance ahead of the temple is held in late August (for the St. Bartholomew`s) a market public holidays: the yard is enclosed by long walls, surrounded by arches and pillars, which form beautiful arcades, under which you are to spread its workshops, whose income is assigned to the public hospital purposes. Religious structure follows a small square to the east is called "Collection".
From the Monastery starts the widest street in the city, about a mile long, leads to the door Have, flanked by public and private buildings; going along this road (leaving on the right a road that leads to the Capuchins, while on the left another door to the granaries), immediately you will come across in the old convent of the Carmine, in front of the church of which lies a wide plain.
Continuing on the main road is the church of St. Anthony Abbot, which overlooks the magnificent oratory of the noble brotherhood of Peace; opposite to it is placed "the Hospital publico" St. Calogoro and, below it, l`Albergo the poor, before the church of St. Benedict.
Next to it existed from of old a door, called the Gate of Fera, which was adjoining the palace, then owned by Royal Soldier Gian Filippo La Via (and now owned by the family Castrogiovanni), where he was hosted Emperor Charles V, when it passed the this city in 1535.
Back on the main road, a little further on, they get two churches dedicated to the worship of the Divine Sacrament and directed by confrati pious; from here, two straight roads lead to the great square, known as Piazza di San Nicolò de Plano, ranging front of the cathedral, with beautiful buildings around and in the middle of a rough fountain.
In the square, in addition to the Cathedral dedicated to the holy bishop Nicholas of Bari, they are located:
- the Monte di Pietà (founded July 18 of 1568 for the Royal Order of Philip II) from which originates a long, straight road, introduced by Porta Palermo, which is adjacent to the convent and the church of St. Francis of Assisi;
- the small Oratory of St. Philip Blacks, built in the late eighteenth century;
- City palace, built in 1793 in Doric style with big squared stones on design dell`architetto Salvatore Attinelli; in a wing of the first floor are the classrooms where it meets the Senatorial Court, the decurial Council, and other courts (Civil and Criminal Classrooms); in the other wing are the archives and the reception rooms. On the ground floor are located the Civil and Criminal Prisons.
South of the square is the public market and ordinary edible de `, while to the east of it you get to the Royal Academy of Studies, established in 1798, equipped with various chairs, decorated with the prospect of large columns, according to the architect drawing dell` Emmanuel Marvuglia; opposite to it is the church of San Giovanni Evangelista, and, towards the North, through the remains of Porta dell`Aquila, you arrive in the church of St.. Cataldo.
From the Square, the main road climbs then toward the coast of St. Sunday, ancient abbey of Benedictine, next to which is the temple of St. Joseph followed, a short distance and in succession, the College of Mary (built in 1755 ) and the church of St. Catherine, with the abolished monastery of Benedictine.
Still later you can admire the Dominican Convent, associated with the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer, built in 1555, and enriched by the works of William Borremans.
In the nearby open space (Re Piazza Federico II), it held every Monday and Saturday a rich and provided public market; above it stands the magnificent Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore erattavi by Count Roger, rebuilt at the foot of the castle in 1767, after the famous valley.
From here begins the long Via S. Leonardo (which takes its name from the church) that leads to the door Have, where the church of SS is located. Simon and Jude Apostles.
The castle rises majestically on the top of the mountain, from which there is a view that embraces much of Central Sicily; its walls, made of large stones riquadre, flanked by two buttresses joined by a bridge in Norman shape, and surrounded by towers, make it virtually inaccessible and impregnable. During the elapsed times, there was maintained a good garrison, presided by two castellans, chosen by King Trai most gallant officers.
At the foot of the castle you can see the church of St. Nicholas, said Petit, the oldest of Nicosia, built by the Byzantine Greeks, as evidenced by its structure, a cross with symmetrical arms placed there, and various images of Greek manufacture.
Further down, below the old Trinity Church, now called the Misericordia (where notansi degl`innocenti the Massacre and The Last Judgement, two paintings by Mirabella, and three statues of the Gagini), lies to the east the village of St. Michael , which takes its name from the temple dedicated to this Archangel, which was attached to a monastery inhabited by the Basilian outset, later replaced by the Benedictines.
In this neighborhood, advancing the ruins of two ancient gates, the one that already S. Ermo (later renamed "the Council") and the other of Terrascone ( "appo the church of St. Lucia").
A profound endorsement, produced by iterated floods of 1757, at noon separates this village from S. Croce: the homonymous church, destroyed by that landslide and was near all`altra church of St. Anthony of Padua, was rebuilt by parishioners who dedicated it to St. Rocco.
A little further on, there is the Church of St. Agatha, which follows that of S. Biagio (decorated by the works of Velasco), which is attached to a Benedictine monastery of virgins.
Still later, we find the church dedicated to the Souls in Purgatory, and then the House of Orphans, opened in 1811 at Palazzo Valguarnera l`antica church of S. Eligio, from where they are then transferred next to the St. Andrew`s Church .
Another district, which takes its name from the parish church of SS.mo Salvatore, placed on top of the mountain of, and includes many residents in his district, includes the churches of St. Andrew, St. Gregory and St. Venera; lower is placed l`antica tower, now called Roccapalta, which under the last kings of Aragon was guarded by elite troops, enormous perforated rock from vast caves, which at present are destined to barns.
