Lipari Tourist Attractions
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The capital Lípari (4,500 inhabitants) lies on the east coast. Its center is the castle mound, bordered by the Marina Lunga (in the north) and the Marina Corta (in the south). This was where the ancient acropolis was situated. It was replaced by a medieval castle (13th century) and by the fortress which Emperor Charles V had built in the 16th century for the protection of the inhabitants ater the plundering by Chaireddin Barbarossa. Until the 18th century this area was occupied by the old town of Lípari; now there are important public buildings and installations in this same place: town hall, cathedral, museum, archeological park and archeological zone.New townTo the west of the castle mound stretches the new town with its main street, the long straight Corso Vittorio Emanuele, on which shops are situated.
Piazza Mazzini
From the harbor, by climbing the Salita Melingunes, the visitor reaches the spacious Piazza Mazzini, in which the town hall and the Church of Sant'Antonio are situated. At the south end of the square there is a flight of steps, which leads along the town walls to the castle. Another way of reaching it is via the stepped street Via Concordato, which leads directly to the cathedral. This whole complex of buildings is dominated by the 16th century walls, but there is also a Greek tower dating from the fourth-third centuries B.C.
San Bartolo
At the end of the Via Concordato in Lipari stands the cathedral of San Bartolo, which was built in the 12th century by the Norman King Roger II. It no longer has its original features, however - in 1654 it was altered in the Baroque style and in 1861 was given a new facade. Other churches include the Chiesa dell'Immaculata and the Chiesa dell'Addolorata (to the northwest of the cathedral) as well as the Chiesa Madonna delle Grazie (to the south).
Archeological Museum
The Lípari Archeological Museum showcases pieces from the Neolithic period that includes a fine collection of obsidian and ceramic items.
Archeological Zone
Besides the museum, other areas of the castle mound are also devoted to the history of Lípari: the Archeological Park and Archeological Zone. The latter is to the left of the stepped alleyway leading up to the cathedral, by the Church of Immaculata and opposite the classical section of the museum. It has on display layers which have been uncovered and which document the ancient settlements on the site of the town. Finds include: relics from the Bronze Age civilizations of Capo Graziano (17th-15th centuries B.C.), Milazzo (1400-1250 B.C.) and Ausonio I (1250-1150 B.C.), also insulae (insula = Lat. block of houses) of the Hellenic and Roman town.
Archeological Park
The Archeological Park in Lípari has been laid out at the south end of the Via Castello and includes a small theater in the ancient style as well as Greek and Roman sarcophagi. These mainly come from the part of the town called Diana, where Greek settlers from the sixth century B.C. built a necropolis on the site of a Neolithic village, which was later used by the Romans. From the park there is a fine view of the town.
Map of Lipari Attractions
Map - Lipari
