The main patron saint of Partanna is Saint Vitus, celebrated on 15 June. The town's history, from the 11th century, has been inseparably linked to the Grifeo family, whose castle, now home to the civic museum of Lower Belice prehistory, still dominates part of the town and the surrounding valley: a fresco in the main hall tells how Giovanni I Grifeo saved the Great Count during a duel against the Arab commander Mogat, an episode also depicted on the façade of Mazara del Vallo's cathedral.
In January 1968 Partanna was hard hit by the Belice earthquake: many historic buildings were damaged, including the mother church itself, while others, such as the church of San Nicola, were completely destroyed. After the quake a new district arose in Contrada Camarro, at a lower level than the historic town, which instead stands on a hill.
