MEZZOJUSOHERITAGEPAGES

Dedicated to the comune of Mezzojuso, in the Palermo province, in the Sicily region, in the nation of Italy

Mezzojuso is located on the northern slope of mount "La Brigna".

(19th century wood-cut illustration)

Sponsored by Salvatore Joseph Lagattuta with loving affection

Music: 'Sicilienne' in "Pelleas et Melisande" - by Gabriel Fauré

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The above versions are respectively in Italian, Sicilian and English.

Map: Mezzojuso and Part of the Palermo Province

Mezzojuso: Its Geography and Surroundings

Mezzojuso, in the lower left quadrant of the map above, is located in the heart of the Palermo province of Sicily. At 500 meters above sea level, it rests on a gently-inclined plateau at the northern slope of a small double-peaked mount called "La Brigna", that derives its name from the Italo-Albanian (Arbëresh) word "brignat", meaning 'horns'.

To the south of the streets of Mezzojuso and within its territory are the lofty twin peaks of Il Pizzo di Casa (1211 meters above sea level) and Il Monte Marabito (1198 meters above sea level). These twin peaks can be considered the farthest eastern edge of a majestic mountain range called La Rocca Busambra (whose peak at 1613 meters above sea level is about six kilometers west from Mezzojuso). At La Rocca Busambra's northern foothills is located the unique La Ficuzza forest, which borders on Mezzojuso's western boundary.

Mezzojuso is situated about 34 kilometers from the provincial capital of Palermo (population of 698,556 in 1991), the largest city and the regional capital of Sicily (population of 4,966,386 in 1991). According to the official 1991 decennial Italian census, Mezzojuso had a population of 3,213 persons.

The comune of Mezzojuso is well located, next to Route 121, a major roadway connecting the large Sicilian cities of Palermo (on the north coast) and Agrigento (on the south coast).

In the western area of Mezzojuso is a stream called "il fiume Trazzeta" that flows in a northeastern direction into the fertile Scorciavacca fields in the valley north of Mezzojuso. This little stream then continues on its course, into the rivulet called "il fiume Azziriolo". This rivulet flows in a southeastern direction, into the river called "il fiume San Leonardo" which flows to the north and empties into the Mediterranean Sea at the coastal city of Termini Imerese (population of 26,571 in 1991). Mezzojuso is contained within its political district, "la circoscrizione di Termini Imerese".

Although the territories of the comunes of Mezzojuso and of Campofelice di Fitalia are adjacent to each other, the actual town center of Mezzojuso is about six kilometers north of that of Campofelice di Fitalia. Both places were initially settled as Moslem villages -- "Manzil Jusuf" and "Fitalia" -- during the Saracen Arab era of Sicily, at about 1000 A.D. Though they have generally had separate histories, Campofelice di Fitalia was once a part or a fraction ("una frazione") of Mezzojuso, from latter 1852 until 12 February 1951, when Campofelice di Fitalia was legally declared an autonomous comune. Campofelice di Fitalia's population was recorded as 638 persons in 1991.

 

Upon mount La Brigna is located the town of Mezzojuso.

Photos above (looking southeast): Mezzojuso is situated on the northern plateau of the double-peaked mount La Brigna. Mezzojuso thus straddles the mountainous two "brignat", meaning "horns" in Arbëresh.

In terms of increasingly higher elevations are: the fertile Scorciavacca fields, the streets of Mezzojuso, the doubled-peaked mount La Brigna, the La Lacca fields, and the distinctive twin-peaks of Il Monte Marabito and Il Pizzo di Casa -- the two highest elevations at the southern-most part of Mezzojuso's territory, at the farthest eastern edge of the extensive La Rocca Busambra mountain range.

Mezzojuso: 19th Century Painting

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