U Cuozzu District in Giarratana
The "U’ Cuozzu "district of Giarratana is the historic heart of the town. The uses, traditions, customs and history of this ancient center are enclosed in the streets of the U Cuozzu. For its ethno-anthropological value, the U Cuozzu district of Giarratana was elected as a demo-ethno-anthropological ibleo property by the Superintendency of Cultural Heritage.
The dialectal term "U Cuozzu" means "Cucuzzolo" and indicates the position in which this evocative district is located: on the top of the hill in the highest part of the town.
The U Cuozzu district of Giarratana is full of historic buildings, ancient monuments and residences that bear witness to the old city of Giarratana, and refined 18th century buildings and nineteenth century that make this neighborhood an amazing open-air museum. Many of the oldest buildings were destroyed by the Val di Noto earthquake of 1693 and left only a few remains and ruins brought to light thanks to archaeological excavations.
The neighborhood comes alive during the Christmas period when the magnificent scenery of the living nativity scene is revived in these places.
