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An unbreakable bond

In 1454, the Ventimiglia court moved from Geraci Siculo to Castelbuono. With them they brought a treasure of inestimable value: the Sacred Relic of the Skull of Saint Anne. From that moment, a deep and lasting bond was forged between the Saint — the mother of Mary — and the people of Castelbuono, culminating in her proclamation as the town’s patron saint.

Una devozione che attraversa i secoli e che la sezione di Arte Sacra racconta attraverso uno dei complessi di oreficeria religiosa più significativi della Sicilia: il cosiddetto Tesoro di Sant'Anna.

The Treasury of Saint Anne

Gold, silver, coral and objects of centuries-old faith: the Treasury of Saint Anne is a collection that speaks of power, beauty and popular devotion all at once.

Among the masterpieces of the collection, the 17th-century altar frontal stands out, embroidered with gold and silver thread and embellished with coral — a work of extraordinary refinement. Beside it stands the alabaster statue of St George and the Dragon and a series of liturgical artefacts that bear witness to centuries of patronage by the nobility and local piety.

The Reliquary of St Anne

The most precious piece in the entire collection is the silver reliquary housing the Skull of St Anne, kept in the Palatine Chapel.

Commissioned in 1521 by Isabella Moncada, it is a work of goldsmithing of exceptional craftsmanship — not merely a sacred object, but the tangible symbol of the pact between the Ventimiglia family and the community of Castelbuono.