Villa Criscione (Masseria Criscione)
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Villa Criscione (Masseria Criscione)

The complex stands on a fortified rural settlement and is part of a defensive system of farmhouses and farms which are dotted throughout the Hyblean plateau. The core of the structure probably dates back to the end of the 500th century when the Lords Ascenzo di Modica received the investiture of Barons of Camemi.

The area on which the villa stands most likely dates back to the diaspora of the powerful Kamarina during its vicissitudes against the Syracusans and then definitively destroyed during the Arab-Berber conquest in 827 by Asad Ibn Al Furat.

Remains of a very small cemetery excavated on the slope of a ridge that is no longer visible today and a rustic sarcophagus, used as a drinking trough and still visible today in a courtyard as a water feature, (a room now called antiquarium) testify to the settlement of a very small rural village already built in Greek times (like the much more important and nearby Mastro settlement (above Playa Grande on the bank of the Irminio river).

The meaning of the word camemi also testifies to the influence that the population of Arab origin had on these places, the name resembles the possible presence of a hammam (possible because once these lands were bathed by the river Biddemi) or the meaning would go back instead of passing flocks of larks (Al allil).

An old story wants both the place of small goblins (in Arabic to Camun) capricious and spiteful, most likely this invention dates back to the meeting of air currents of different temperatures dating from the Gulf of Gela to the west and from the Gulf of Sampieri to the east, that originate small sudden eddies, during the summer it happens to see these eddies running no higher than one meter between the carob trees, raising stubble of wheat left over after harvesting, giving the illusion that small beings move running.

From the investiture of the Ascenso family onwards, the structure is a fortified agricultural complex on the plateau of a hill, surrounded by unspoiled nature, among carob woods and dry stone walls. From here it dominates a good part of the Hyblean coast up to the Gulf of Gela to the west and up to the tip of Sampieri to the east. On clear days, at these latitudes which are further south of Tunis, the profile of the island of Malta can be seen.

The strategic position of the complex has meant that, over the centuries, it had a dual function. The construction defended the plateau from the frequent raids of Barbary pirates who had intensified their activity in the Mediterranean from the end of the 400th century and throughout the XNUMXth century. The two turrets, now incorporated into the large nineteenth-century terrace, were once called the crew's houses

Adventitious personnel for the periods of more intense work, still carry the slits from which an armed surveillance of the beam could be guaranteed. The elevated position and exposure to continuous wind currents intensified the production of nuts (almonds) and carobs which became the main product of the bottom. Vocation testified by the large terraced courtyard around which the different rooms of the farm were articulated, the continuous ventilation on the large courtyard makes it a real drying room for the almonds and carobs that were spread out to be dried before storage in the large and well insulated Terran warehouses overlooking the courtyard. Two large doors aligned with each other ensured faster maneuvering of loading and unloading operations. The door that in the 900s became the important entrance to the villa, was in fact a secondary door organized in the direction of Mazzarelli (today's Marina di Ragusa). The important entrance was that of the east organized on the axis of the most important Bourbon trazzera in that stretch between Santacroce Camerina and Scicli in the much more important direction Syracuse-Palermo. In addition to the production of almonds and carob beans, the zootechnical activity was well represented with the breeding of the famous Modica breed cow.

In 1805 the Barons of Camemi ceded the fund to Don Filippo Neri Campo, the fund is divided between the daughters of Don Filippo Neri, even today the families owning the lands date back to their marriages: Camemi di sopra will belong to the married daughter Spadola and to the married one Grimaldi, Camemi di sotto with the large houses to her daughter Donna Joanna who in 1838 married one of the richest farmers and cattle ranchers in the county, Don Giorgio Criscione, the Criscione already owned the neighboring lands of Gatto Corvino, and these fertile lands, once called plains of Cutalia or terre Camemi were a great opportunity for the development of business related to livestock breeding,

In the Travel Journal in Sicily drawn up as a survey of production activities on behalf of the Spanish Crown, Abbot Paolo Balsamo consults Don Giorgio Criscione on the productivity of the Modica breed cow because he is considered one of the best breeders. From that moment on, the main interest is in the specialization of the fund for the breeding of Modica breed livestock. This breed reconciled the different needs of the period: the cows gave milk, meat and above all oxen. Oxen of this breed were very famous and also marketed for agricultural work of towing, transport and plowing because they were very strong and resistant. The cows were also rustic enough to withstand the outdoor life, the best shelter during the sunny summers were and still are the numerous carob trees, the cows returned to the farm only to be milked (even today in Villa Criscione it is possible to see the long stone mangers with stone attachments (stacce) in the courtyard once used as an almond drying room and in a smaller courtyard at the entrance to the new courtyard. more advanced scheme for that time. The buildings that are organized around different courtyards date back to the same period; the small watchtower that stood above the warehouses was enlarged and transformed into a "casina" accommodation for the family of the owner. A large part of the land will remain planted with carob trees and destined for sheep transhumance grazing as evidenced by a secondary courtyardvery large around which the pastoral activities took place.
In the early 900s, the courtyard was transformed into the current atrium of the Villa inspired by a Roman compluvium. From father to son, the “casina” is inherited by Giorgio Criscione Arezzo, a great traveler and art lover at the age of 22 who had already visited all of Europe and was beginning to nurture interests in North Africa. The family from the early 900s onwards will breed horses, Ragusan donkeys and mules derived from them, and exported to North Africa, especially during the colonial period, the Maghrebian aristocratic residences will inspire the reorganization of Villa Criscione. The project involved the conservation of the typical Iblean agricultural structure and, with great discretion, the addition of elements of Hispano-Moorish connotation.

The space is fragmented into a play of small courtyards surrounded by high walls, communicating with each other with water features of strong Arab inspiration, jets, small channels of running water, a large tub with majolica edges inspired by Moorish designs. To repair this small sin of Islamic indulgence, the cloister will be repositioned towards a more Cistercian inspiration, so this space is at the service of worship (the small chapel opens here) and this environment that would like to trap the infinite elements of nature in its definition: water, sky and earth will have to remind man only of his littleness, and that the values ​​which inspire him for a straight life are those of faith, as the plants placed in the patio in front of the cloister remind us: a palm, symbol of the glory deriving from martyrdom for faith, a pomegranate symbol of fertility and abundance of fruit that every life spent according to the values ​​of faith must bear, an olive tree symbol of peace and friendship and a lemon symbol of Christ's royalty.

During the Second World War, Villa Criscione will be linked to the destiny of the "checkpoint 452" as it housed a small outpost of Italian-German troops. Between 9 and 10 July 1943

The roadblock is the scene of battle, Lieutenant Giunio Sella, after whom the mad house of post 452 is named, and the soldiers of the Camemi stronghold will die. Until the early 60s, the garden of Villa Criscione represented for many of them the cemetery where the pity of the local farmers saved them from being unearthed by dogs. The advent of war did not allow the Don Raffaele Criscione Arezzo son of Giorgio, to complete the works he had planned and immediately after the war he concentrated on repairing the damage that the building had suffered.

In 1990 the Superintendency of Cultural Heritage affixes the “ex law 1089” constraint as a building of historical-architectural interest to the entire building complex. It is then that the current owners Carmelo and Giorgio Criscione decide to restore it, restoring the appearance it should have had at the end of the XNUMXs. The most surprising aspect of this intervention is the absolute originality acquired by the complex while respecting its strong identity as a masseria Iblea, where elements of rural architecture are harmoniously intertwined with details of Hispano-Moorish architecture.
(Article source: https://www.villacriscione.com/)

Well subject to constraint. (Decree 1969 of 18/07/90)

FROM n. 1969 of 18.07.1990

 

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