Belpasso: Lava Stone, Festival Culture and Sculptures

Belpasso showcases lava stone in historic façades, sculptures throughout the town, religious festival culture and a trail leading to the Rifugio Monte Manfrè mountain hut.

Architecture and Festival Culture in Belpasso

A striking testament to local tradition is the Campanone di Santa Lucia. The bell was made in 1815 and weighs more than 8,000 kilograms. Santa Lucia is the patron saint of Belpasso and is honoured there every year on 13 December with religious celebrations and civic events.

Several buildings in Belpasso combine lava stone with elaborate details. Palazzo Scrofani is distinguished by a wrought-iron balcony and a lava stone portal. Palazzo dei Baroni Bufali di Santa Lucia features stone mascarons, carved details and a corner balcony. The Teatro Comunale is a late-19th-century building in the Neoclassical style, with a façade made of white stone and lava stone. The three buildings therefore showcase different architectural elements: the balcony and portal at Palazzo Scrofani, the mascarons and corner balcony at Palazzo dei Baroni Bufali di Santa Lucia, and the façade of white stone and lava stone at the Teatro Comunale.

Lava Stone Sculptures Throughout the Town

The “Città delle 100 Sculture” project brings lava stone and sculpture into the townscape of Belpasso. Several dozen lava stone sculptures from the project were installed along the streets of Belpasso in 2016, creating a sculpture trail. The “Città delle 100 Sculture” visitor route runs from Piazza S. Antonio along Via Roma to Giardino Martoglio and onwards to Piazza Stella Aragona.

The project regularly includes organised public sculpture symposia, which also have an international focus. They are open to artists who create their works from lava stone on site.

Trails and Active Holidays

Sentiero 786 is an anthropological and natural history trail from Belpasso to the Rifugio Monte Manfrè mountain hut, crossing parts of the northern municipal area of Belpasso. It is 15 km long, has an elevation difference of 800 m from the starting point to the destination, and includes 10 stations. Along the route, information boards provide details about places of interest. The 15 kilometres and 800 metres of elevation gain give the trail a clearly defined scope for day planning; the ten stations provide additional points of orientation.

Harvest, Festivals and Special Traditions

The Sagra del Ficodindia dell’Etna DOP reached its tenth edition. It began as a community initiative marking the end of the harvest and developed over time into an event combining celebration, culture and agricultural promotion.

Another tradition is the so-called “spaccata”: the “Carri di Santa Lucia”, large mechanical structures, are opened in Piazza Duomo and Piazza Umberto. During the “spaccata”, the Santa Lucia float usually reaches a height of more than twelve metres.

More Destinations in Sicily

Other destinations besides Belpasso include Vizzini, San Cono, Montargano, Aci Catena, Milo, Puntalazzo, Aci Bonaccorsi and Grammichele.

More about Catania.