Legend of the Pezzinga Jump
The legend of the Salto di Pezzinga speaks of a prodigious leap made by a young lover in the Lungarini alley in Palermo.
The Pezzinga family was one of the richest and most powerful families in the city of Palermo. It is said that Don Pietro Pezzinga, a descendant of the noble family, was a rich, powerful and fascinating knight, also known for his skill in the amatory arts. Camilla Vassallo, baroness of Ganzaria and wife of Don Sancho Gravina also fell in love with him.
The noblewoman, during the Carnival of 1572, was seduced by the handsome knight and after a long resistance, taking advantage of the momentary absence of her husband and father-in-law, ended up giving in to his longs. A love affair was born. But one day her husband returned to the city earlier than expected and the beautiful Camilla did not know how to warn her lover who, punctual as every evening, showed up at the palace. The servants sensed the presence of an intruder. Don Pietro Pezzinga advised the woman to shout "the thief!" in order to save her honor. So Don Rodrigo fled by making a prodigious, as well as legendary leap from the parapet of the loggia to the roof of the opposite building, disappearing through the roofs of the houses. The darkness favored his escape.
