Il Gattopardo · di Sicilia

The Land

A corner of Sicily, dedicated in your name.

An engraved nineteenth century map of Sicily: the nine provinces, the mountains in hachure, the rivers, and the towns from Palermo and Messina round to Trapani — Sicily, drawn as her old cartographers drew her. Click to enlarge.

Inland from the coast roads, past the last of the lemon groves, the country opens out into the Sicily of the great estates. Terraced vineyards. Silver olives standing in rows older than most countries. Fruit heavy in the heat, and light coming off the stone all afternoon. That is the Sicily your title is drawn from, and the Sicily your souvenir plot is dedicated to.

Your certificate carries your title and its own number, under the seal of the Leopard. Style yourself Don or Donna of Sicily and you join a very long line of people who did the same.