The places told by Giovanni Verga: Vizzini and the village of Cunziria

Vizzini is a town in Catania located 586 above sea level, near the plateau of the Iblei Mountains. It is also known because Giovanni Verga set the final scene of the novel 'Cavalleria Rusticana' in the ancient village of Cunziria. The author's house is still present and can be visited, while the ancient village is often a stage for theatrical performances. The whole of Vizzini is very present in the work of the writer, who also set minor novels in this area of Sicily, so much so that the streets represent a literary itinerary sponsored by UNESCO. Cunziria was an eighteenth-century village built to house the workers of the nearby tannery. Leather tanning is one of the typical activities of the area. Today the remains of the sandstone village are still visible, surrounded by hills covered with prickly pears. Another prominent figure linked to Vizzini is the doctor and philanthropist Gesualdo Costa, who spent his life caring for the poor for free, even on the street. Among the places of worship we remember the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Danger, known for the miracle that took place inside it of the stabbed woman who was saved.