In 2021, Sicilian photographer Giuseppe Peri stitched drone photos of Centuripe into one image. Two years later, it produced a viral sensation, turning the ancient town into a global attraction for its remarkable human-shaped outline

From the ground, Centuripe looks like a small Sicilian village with winding streets, terraced buildings and a long history. From above, however, it takes on a completely different appearance. Photographer Pio Andrea Peri noticed the unusual shape while looking at his hometown on Google Earth. When he took his drone into the sky, he discovered something remarkable: Centuripe appeared to be shaped like a human being. The resulting aerial images eventually brought new attention to the ancient town, as per a report by My Modern Met.

How did Centuripe get its human shape?

Centuripe sits on a hill, a position that once gave the town an important strategic advantage. Its geography is made up of a central mass with five points extending outward, creating the outline that resembles a person when viewed from above.


Peri had already noticed the unusual pattern on Google Earth, but he wanted to see it for himself. He sent his drone as high as it could go and confirmed that the strange human-shaped outline was really there. Because the drone could not capture the entire village in a single photograph, Peri stitched several images together to show the complete shape.

When the finished image appeared online, the reaction was immediate. The photograph went viral, and Centuripe became known as the Sicilian town that looks like a human.

Why did the photograph attract so much attention?

The image was so unusual that some people questioned whether it had been digitally altered. But Google Earth offered a simple way to check the claim. The shape was already present in the town's geography.

The photograph did something aerial photography often does particularly well: it showed a familiar place from an entirely different perspective.

Centuripe was already known for its Roman ruins and rare ancient sculptures. Peri's drone images gave the town another distinction, this time based on its unusual geography.

What is Centuripe like today?

The town's present layout dates back to the 16th century. Centuripe had been left in ruins during the 13th century before being rebuilt. Today, its narrow, winding streets run down the hillside between terraced buildings, and around 5,000 people live there.

The village's history and unusual landscape now come together in an unexpected way. What had once been something residents could see only from maps or aerial views became an attraction after Peri's photographs spread online.

The viral image brought renewed interest to Centuripe, with people travelling to Sicily to see the human-shaped town for themselves.

FAQs

Where is the human-shaped town?
Centuripe is in Sicily, Italy.

How was its shape discovered?
Pio Andrea Peri spotted it on Google Earth and photographed it with a drone.