San Giuseppe Jato

The village of San Giuseppe Jato was built in the second half of the 18th century on the slopes of Mount Iato. Initially called San Giuseppe dei Mortilli, it was founded by the Marquis Don Giuseppe Beccadelli of Bologna, who purchased land belonging to the Jesuit Company of Trapani from the Bourbon crown. Promoting colonisation through incentives, in a few years the Marquis obtained the clearing of uncultivated land and the development of a fertile village, in a strategic position between Palermo and the Sicilian hinterland. However, due to a landslide that destroyed much of the settlement, many of the settlers returned to their countries of origin, while others founded the adjacent village of San Cipirello. The name of San Giuseppe Jato was only adopted in 1862, in honour of the ancient city of "Iaitas" located on the crest of Mount Iato, today an archaeological area of great interest.