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Sensational Sicily - An Overview
Presented by Alessandro Sorbello http://www.alessandrosorbello Sensational Sicily http://www.sensationalsicily.com
SICILY
Provinces: Palermo, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zASbi4_L4rM
Agrigento,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZr3PHeapSc
Caltanissetta,
Catania,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkG6Xq-9v00
Enna, Messina, Ragusa,
Siracusa,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ_w6m31QY8
Trapani,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut97_ZrRp04
This is the biggest island in the Mediterranean, separated from the Italian peninsula by the strait of Messina. It has important mountain groups: Peloritani, Nebrodi, Madonie, Iblei. The coasts offers a landscape of beauty almost everywhere; groups of smaller islands are scattered round the coast (the Eolie or Lipari, Ustica, the Egadi. the isle of Pantelleria and the Pelagie). The Etna, rising in the center of a volcanic area of Sicily, is the highest active volcano in Europe (3,323 mt). The isles of Stromboli and Vulcano also are active volcanoes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WQk-YQjl9g
PALERMO
Historical Palermo sits compactly around one central crossroads, the Quattro Canti, which is at the core of four distinct quarters. The Albergheria and the Capo quarter, the latter beyond the cathedral, lie roughly west of Via Maqueda; the Vucciria and old harbour of La Cala and the La Kalsa, lie to the east, closest to the water. In these areas you'll find virtually all the surviving ancient monuments and buildings of the city: the hybrid Norman-Arab-Baroque Cattedrale Sannta Maria Assunta and nearby Palazzo dei Normanni (Royal Palace), with its superb, mosaic-decorated chapel, the Cappella Palatina; the
glorious Norman churches of La Martorana and San Giovanni degli Eremeti; the Baroque opulence of San Giuseppe dei Teatini.
Located in the center of Palermo, near Via Libertà .and Piazza Croci, Villa Trabia is one of the few aristocratic homes open to the public.
This estate, which is now owned by the City of Palermo, houses civic offices and a public library. The palace is set in a beautiful wooded park open to the public most days. Built for the Prince of Trabia (Lanza family) in the eighteenth century,
Villa Trabia provides a glimpse of the lifestyle of the Palermitan aristocracy of that era. Just outside Palermo you may
visit the La Favorita and La Zisa villas and the Capuchin Convent, with its catacombs. http://www.sensationalsicily.com/palermo.html
Castelbuono: visit the church Matrice Vecchia and the Ventimiglia castle.
Cefalù with its many beaches is an ideal place for a holiday. In town visit the Cathedral, richly decorated with mosaics, the
Museum Mandralisca and the Sanctuary of Gibilmanna.
Monreale: this town overlooks the "Conca d'Oro," the beautiful valley beyond Palermo and is is world-renowned for its
cathedral - S.Maria la Nuova, a dazzling mixture of Arab, Byzantine and Norman artistic styles framed by traditional
Romanesque architecture. The beautiful mosaics in the cathedral are said to be one of the world's largest displays of this art and take 6,340 sqm of the duomo's interior surface, covering practically every inch. The masterpiece and key representation is the domineeringly majestic Christ Pantocrator located on the central apse over the main altar. The entire image is 13 meters across and seven meters high.The splendid cloister of the Benedictine abbey alone would make Monreale famous. Located next to the cathedral, these 228 columns, some with mosaic inlay, each with a meticulously stone carved capital, enclose the gardens of the abbey and are really worth a visit.
Mondello is a most renowned seaside resort, few kilometres from Palermo with crystal clear water and rich underwater vegetation and caves.
Ustica: This is a solitary island (36 miles from Palermo), which has recovered its nature resources thanks to the Marine
Reserve that protects its extraordinary seabeds. The under-water flora and fauna are multiplying their species and they can
all be visited with guided tours.
AGRIGENTO - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZr3PHeapSc
Located on a plateau overlooking Sicily's southern coast, Agrigento was founded as Akragas around 582 BC by a group of
colonists from Gela, who themselves were the immediate descendants of Greeks from Rhodes and Crete. Akragas was renamed
Agrigentum by the Romans, and Girgenti by the Saracens, only to be christened Agrigento in 1927. At the southern limit of the
ancient city, in the so-called "Valley of the Temples", the city architects erected their sacred buildings during the fifth
century BC. The oldest of Akragas's temples is the Tempio di Ercole, the other ones are the Tempio della Concordia, dated to
around 430 BC and perfectly preserved, Tempio di Giunone, Tempio di Giove and the so-called Tempio dei Dioscuri. The medieval
city of Agrigento is not without a certain charm. High in the historical center of the city, the Romanesque Gothic cathedral,
built during the fourteenth century, still displays some of its medieval character, as does the thirteenth-century Church of
San Nicola. Also visit the S.Spirito Abbey and the Museo Archeologico Regionale. http://www.sensationalsicily.com/agrigento.html
Canicattì: From Agrigento you may easily reach this town, famous for its grape variety Italia. Visit the church of S. Diego,
the Chiesa del Purgatorio, typical of the 18th century, and the richly decorated Chiesa di S. Francesco. Amongst the many
beautiful monuments in Canicattì, there is the Mother Church of S.Pancrazio, home to precious pieces of art, like a marble
statue representing the Ecce Homo and a painting of the Holy Family with S. Anna and S. Gioacchino. Also the Castello
Bonanno, the Torre dell'Orologio (clock tower), the Palazzo of Baron La Lomia and Palazzo Bartocelli.
Palma di Montechiaro: founded in 1637 by Prince of Lampedusa Carlo Tomasi. One of his descendants, namely Giuseppe Tomasi of
Lampedusa, was the author (1958) of the celebrated novel The Leopard, successively adapted into a film by director Luchino
Visconti, about the decline of an aristocratic family of Palermo between 1860, year of Garibaldi's Exploit, and 1910. You can
still visit the Castle of Montechiaro at the top of a rocky cliff.
Porto Empedocle: in the Località Caos you may visit the home of Luigi Pirandello.
Naro has many baroque churches and the Chiaromonte castle.
Sciacca: a thermal town where you can visit the Cathedral, S.Margherita and the Steripinto, a particular building of the xv
century.
Caltabellotta: in this old town have a look at the churches of S.Agostino, S.Salvatore and the Chiesa Madre.
Lampedusa: This small (20 km2 ) calcareous island, scorched by the hot sun all year round and characterised by its
African-type landscapes and by the "dammusi" (stone houses), is surrounded by the most transparent Mediterranean waters. The
main attraction of Lampedusa is the great solitude of this island and the strong contrast between the aridity of its land,
covered with Indian figs, agaves, carobs and low bushy scrub on one hand, and the sharp colours of an extremely crystal-clear
sea on the other. Also Linosa, another island, but of vulcanic origin, is worth a visit; its populated area is represented by
a little village dominated by the typically "dammusi". Lampione - uninhabited crag with a lighthouse, it lies 20 miles from
Lampedusa, can be reached only from there.
CATANIA
A splendid Baroque City at the slopes of the Etna, from the eighteenth century on, Catania has been considered the second
most important city of Sicily. Subjected to the Etna Vulcan, this town has been damaged by lava flows and earthquakes on
several occasions. The city has two Roman amphitheatres, one which was built on a pre-existent Greek one and the other which
is a completely Roman structure.
Visit the Ursino Castle, built on the orders of Emperor Frederick II von Hohenstaufen in the first half of the thirteenth
century, and now a museum open to the public. The oldest part of the Duomo (Cathedral) dates back to 1092; it hosts the tombs
of Frederick III of Aragona, who ruled from 1296-1337, and the one of Constance, wife of Frederick IV of Aragona. Most of
Catania's wide streets and palazzi were built during the eighteenth century, a characteristic is the gray, volcanic stone
used in the buildings. This was the period in which noble families from across eastern Sicily, used to build palazzo in
Catania, beginning a subtle social and economical rivalry with Palermo. The two most famous citizens are S.Agata, the martyr
patroness of the city and Vincenzo Bellini, the opera composer. Stroll through Via dei Cruciferi and visit the churches of
S.Benedetto, S.Giuliano and S.Niccolò. http://www.sensationalsicily.com/catania.html
Caltagirone: Once the location of a Saracen fortress, this charming mountain town is famous for its hand made, traditional
ceramics. There are many cultural bodies who promote this aspect of the city like the Ceramic School and the Ceramic Museum.
Since the earthquake of 1693 the night dedicated to S.Giacomo(24/25 July) has been celebrated with huge images made up of
colored lights or 'luminarie' which have to illuminate a staircase. The 'Scala' itself has been used since 1785 and just like
ancient times over 4000 sand weighted papers cartons 'coppi' containing terracotta lanterns and the finest of oil are used
for the illumination.
Acireale - The Duomo, S.Sebastiano, walk to S.Maria della Scala - a picturesque fishing village.
Pantelleria: The largest of Sicily's islands and just thirty miles from the African coast. An ideal spot for your holiday,
with its beautiful beaches, caves and the volcanic Lago di Venere with thermal spring water. The Montagna Grande mountain is
surrounded by 24 "cuddle" (small craters that recall the volcanic origins of this islands), lava flows, residues of
pumice-stone, basalts, fumaroles and thermal sources (Gadir, Nicà , Satana). There are many grottos where it is possible to
take healthy steam baths; one of the most famous ones is the 'Stufa' (stove) del Bagno di Arturo near Sibà .
SIRACUSA
Until Roman times, this was the most powerful and magnificent city in all Sicily. Today, it is an impressive and intriguing
sight, with a mixture of late Baroque architecture - vivid yet damaged by the passage of time, and the reconstruction of the
city following the terrible earthquake of 1693 - and ancient classical architecture. It is situated in an exquisite landscape
of sea, rocks and Mediterranean vegetation. Siracusa may be divided in several areas.
The most ancient part of town is the island of Ortigia, linked to the mainland by the Ponte Nuovo. Have a stroll and look at
the Fonte Aretusa, related to the myth of the goddess Diana's nymph. Don't miss the beautiful Baroque Duomo with its ornate
chapels, carved Doric columns, frescoes and statues. The other Baroque buildings, on the same square, include the striking
Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco whith a lovely courtyard, the Palazzo del Senato and the Church of Santa Lucia alla Badia
(S.Lucy is the patron saint of this town). Visit the Linear Theatre and the churches of S. Maria delle Colonne, S.Giovanni,
S.Pietro, Palazzo Mergulese-Montalto. Palazzo Bellomo hosts an Art gallery ( Entombment of St. Lucy by Caravaggio,
Annunciation by Antonello da Messina), and the imposing Maniace Castle with its Swabian architecture don't has to be missed.
Via della Maestranza is one of the oldest and interesting streets of Ortigia, literally stuffed with Baroque buildings: look
out for Palazzo Interland Pizzuti, Palazzo Impellizzeri, Palazzo Bonanno, Palazzo Romeo Bufardeci, S.Francesco
all'Immacolata. We also recommend a walk through Mastrarua, another old street, Via Mirabella and Corso Matteotti, full of
shops. Also interesting: the Church of S.Spirito and the Belvedere S.Giacomo which offers a spectacular view.
In the archaeological area on the mainland part of town, called Parco Archeologico della Neapolis, you may visit the Ear of
Dionysius (situated in the Latomia del Paradiso, a garden with orange and palm trees), the ancient Greek theatre, the Roman
amphitheatre and the Tomb of Archimedes. In the Regional Archaeological Museum Paolo Orsi you may view many interesting finds
dating back to Sicilian prehistory.
In the areas of Tyche and Akradina: visit the Papyrus Museum, the S.Giovanni Catacombs, the Crypt of S.Marciano, the Basilica
of S.Giovanni Evangelista and S.Lucia extra moenia. Also worth: a walk to the Eurialo Castle, on the north side ot town.
A favourite excursion is a boat trip starting at the Fonte Ciane, at about 8 km out of town; it will get you to the spot,
where, according to Ovid, the Rape of Proserpina took place.
Noto: Defined as "Stone garden", Noto was entirely built with a soft stone that, owing to the effect of sun rays, has
gradually acquired a beautiful honey shade.
Noto: Is the capital of the 18th century Sicilian and European baroque, and its religious and civil monuments are the most
valuable examples of talented artists of the time: Gagliardi, Sinatra, Labisi along with local skilled workers. Have a tour,
starting with the Cathedral, Palazzo Ducezio, the Holy Crucifix, the Monastery of "SS. Salvatore", "S. Francesco", S.
Domenico, Santa Chiara. Palazzo Nicolaci di Villadorata has incredible grotesque sculptures; Via Nicolaci", is called the
street of balconies. But Noto is not only Baroque; its whole territory offers the necropolis of "Noto Antica" and of
"Castelluccio", the archaeological finds of the Greek town of Eloro, the sanctuaries of "S. Corrado Fuori le Mura" and of "S.
Maria della Scala", the rupestrian and Byzantine oratories, the beautiful sea and the naturalistic reserves of "Vendicari"
and "Cava Grande".
RAGUSA
Set on a wide limestone hill between two deep valleys it is divided into two distinct areas: Ragusa Ibla the old town with
its lovely baroque architecture, and Ragusa (the upper side). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragusa,_Italy
Ragusa Ibla's best-known church is the Basilica di San Giorgio, whose entrance is reached by climbing a spacious set of
elegantly decorated curving stairs. The majestic dome of the church towers above the town and dominates the Piazza del Duomo
and its neat rows of palm trees beneath it. The basilica was built in 1738 by the famous architect Rosario Gagliardo and is
considered Gagliardo's baroque masterpiece. The beautiful piazza before the church is surrounded by striking aristocratic
buildings like Palazzo Arezzi and Palazzo Donnafugata.
The splendid Villa Comunale (public gardens) is situated at the far end of Ragusa Ibla. Very well-mantained, it offers
beautiful sights of the mountain ranges and down over the Irminio valley. The Church of San Giorgio il Vecchio has an amazing
Gothic-Norman doorway. Chiesa di Santa Maria dell'Idria, dated 1639 has a decorated bell-tower with lovely floral panels of
majolica from Caltagirone. Palazzo Cosentini is the most typical of all the 18th century buildings in town, with elegant
balconies supported by ornamented corbels and sculptured animals and masks typical of the Baroque Art.
Castello di Donnafugata: this castle, situated in proximity to Santa Croce Camerina, about 20km from Ragusa is a major
attraction for tourists. Thanks to its scenery, it was the setting of many films.
Comiso - The church of S.Francesco, the Mother Church, Palazzo Iacono-Ciarcià and the Palazzo Occhipinti, one of the most
beautiful buildings in town, with its elegant baroque façade attributed to Gagliardi.
Modica - The stately Cathedral of San Giorgio is one of the most important and impressing religious monuments in all Sicily.
It has an impressive flight of 250 steps, that starts down from Corso Garibaldi. The façade rises through three levels to a
single bell-tower; its aisles richly decorated with stuccoes and paintings. Palazzo Polara stands right of the Cathedral -a
splendid baroque building also with an elegant flight of steps. Don't miss S.Pietro, the Chiesa del Carmine and Palazzo
Tomasi-Rossi with an impressive stone portal and beautiful balconies at the top floor.
Scicli - known as the Baroque Jewel. It boasts many lovely churches as the Madonna delle Milizie and Sant'Ignazio, both with
precious stuccoes and paintings. The 15th century Chiesa di San Bartolomeo houses a wooden nativity. Palazzo Beneventano, one
of the most impressive baroque monuments in the entire province. Other interesting monuments are the 1386's Monastery of the
Carmelite Fathers, San Matteo and Santa Croce. The Via Mormino Penna, lined with amazing palazzi, churches and monuments,
provides an unforgettable baroque atmosphere. Here stand the Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall), the Palazzo Spadaro and the
churches of San Giovanni, San Michele and Santa Teresa. The Santuario della Madonna delle Milizie near the coast is also
worth a visit.
TRAPANI
Walking in Corso Vittorio Emanuele, the old Loggia, Via Torrearsa, Via Garibaldi, you'll notice lots of historical palazzi
and churches of notable artistic worth: Palazzo Cavarretta, the Cathedral, Palazzo Riccio di Morana, Palazzo San Rocco,
Palazzo Riccio di San Gioacchino, Palazzo Lucatelli, the Chiesa del Collegio. In the Chiesa del Purgatorio, the sacred
statues of the Misteri of Trapani are kept. The Chiesa di San Pietro treasures the precious organ built by Francesco La
Grassa from Palermo. The Corso then leads into the so-called Ghetto, Via Della Giudecca and Via degli Ebrei, which was
inhabited by the Jewish community up to the XV century. The Northern part of the town is characterised by the Litoranea
(seafront) with the picturesque Piazza del Mercato del Pesce (Fish Market Square). Villa Margherita, the "lung" or outdoor
space of the town has giant ficus trees and is ideal for a relaxing walk.
EGADI ISLANDS
Favignana: this island is the largest of the archipelago of the Egadi and a popular tourist destination because of its
wonderful sea characterised by numerous coves. It is an island rich in history, the famous naval battle between the Romans
and the Carthaginians was fought here. Favignana is also famous all over the world for its "mattanza" (slaughter of tuna
fish) tradition. Levanzo - The smallest of the Egadi Islands, is an ideal place for trekking. Marettimo is the furthest from
Trapani and therefore this island still is a real natural paradise, with rugged and enchanting landscape and crystal clear
water.
Mozia - One of the largest Phoenician centres in Sicily. The archaeological excavations have revealed precious finds such as
the necropolis, a house of mosaics, and a paved road. One should not miss a visit to the Whitaker Museum that conserves
archaeological finds of great importance such as the Giovane (a young man) dressed in a tunic, a statue of Greek origin from
the second half of the V century BC.
San Vito Lo Capo - An ideal holiday destination thanks to its deep blue sea and its fine white sandy beach. Close to the
Natural Reserve Lo Zingaro.
Salemi - Interesting Norman Castle and ruins of the Byzantine Basilica of San Miceli.
Erice - A charming hill town which overlooks the sea.
Marsala, famous for its wine and with many sandy beaches.
Alcamo - Basilica of S.Maria Assunta, Castel of the Counts of Modica, Annunziata Church and the typical Baroque Sanctuary of
the Madonna dei Miracoli.
Selinunte and Segesta, two famous ancient greek towns where you can still walk through the temples and old theatre.
MESSINA
Two great earthquakes hit this city, in 1783 and 1908, and during WWII it was heavily bombed.
Visit the Museo Regionale with Byzantine and Norman works as well as works by Messina's famous artists, Antonello da Messina
and Girolamo Aliprandi. Also interesting the Mannerist building - Monte di Pietà and the church Santissima Annunziata dei
Catalani. A short way from the Duomo, this church was built in the 12th century during the Norman rule and remodelled later
on by the Catalans. The apse is a fine specimen of the Norman composite style, that combines Roman, Moorish and Byzantine
features. The Duomo has been rebuilt in Norman style, after the earthquake of 1908. From the inside you may access the
Treasury, which displays a fine collection of religious objects and vestments, reliquaries, candlesticks, chalices and a fine
1600's monstrance, containing a host.
The astronomical clock on the bell-tower to the left of the cathedral has a mechanism dating from 1933.Don't miss a look at
it on midday! It consists of several layers, each with a different display endowed with a separate movement. At the bottom, a
two-horse chariot sets the day of the week; above, the central figure of Death looks at the four ages of man that pass before
him. At the third stage, the Sanctuary of Montalto sets the scene for a group of figures which, according to the time of
year, represent the Nativity, Epiphany, Resurrection and Pentecost. At the top, the tableau enacts a scene relating to a
local legend whereby the Madonna delivers a letter to the ambassodors of Messina in which she thanks and agrees to protect
the inhabitants of the town who were converted to Christianity by St. Paul the Apostle.
The female bell-strikers are the local heroines Dina and Clarenza, during the period of resistance against the Angevins
(1282).. The southern side of the bell-tower shows a perpetual calendar, the astronomical cycle marked by the signs of the
zodiac, and the different phases of the moon. When the clock strikes midday, all the mechanical figures come to life. On the
Piazza del Duomo you may admire the Fontana di Orione with allegoric statues of four rivers.
For excursions in the area:
Ganzirri and Torre Faro, two characteristic, pictoresque fishing villages full of life. Or the medieval hill village of
Savoca which boasts interesting churches like the Convento dei Capuccini, the 15th century Chiesa di San Michele with fine
Gothic-Renaissance portals, and the Chiesa Madre. From Casalvecchio you'll have a panoramic view over the Ionian coastline
and may visit the Chiesa Madre, decorated with Taormina marble.
Tindari: Piazzale Belvedere, Greek theatre and Basilica at the archaeological site.
AEOLIAN ISLANDS
A volcanic archipelago on Sicily's North-Eastern Tyrrhenian coast with the islands of Lipari ( the largest one), Salina (a
green island with many wineyards), Filicudi, Alicudi, Stromboli (with an active volcano), Panarea (a jet-set island) and
Vulcano (famous for its fango baths). The Greeks who colonized the islands around 580BC named them after the god of the winds
Aeolus. These beautiful spots offer an enchanting landscape, great beaches with white sand, castles, thermal resorts and
medieval structures and are a main tourist resort in Summer.
On Lipari the volcanic phenomenon can be observed in the island's thermal springs (up to 600), in its solfataras and in its
12 volcanic systems converging towards the 602 metres of Monte Chirica. This elevated and craggy island has spectacular
beaches and breathtaking ragged coasts.
Panarea - The main village, Contrada San Pietro, consists of a group of white houses clustered along the eastern side of the
island. The built-up area is crowned with olive trees and protected by huge walls. The other two villages north and south of
San Pietro are Dittella and Drauto.We recommend a boat tour to the nearby small islands of Basiluzzo, Dattilo and Lisca
Bianca, to the Scoglio Bottaro (with its underwater "fumaroles").
Salina - More than 400 different types of plants grow here. It is also the island with the highest peaks such as the three
volcanoes that originated e.g Monte Fossa delle Felci (962 m), which is partially covered by one of the most beautiful
strawberry tree woods of the entire Mediterranean.
Vulcano - famous for the baths in the warm waters of its submarine springs. This 21 km2, 500 metre high (Monte Aria) isle is
the Aeolian island closest to the Sicilian coast. Its name is a clear description of its geography: a land of lava and
fumarole, yellow sulphur rocks and black sands all worth a visit.
Stromboli - This 924 metre high lava mountain (Serra Vancori) which drops abruptly down to 2000 metres below sea-level is
Europe's biggest active volcano after Etna. During the night, the glittering "sciara" of fire (the red-hot flow descending
towards the sea) can be seen from the boats and from Panarea. During the day, the smoke of the peak joins the steam raising
up from the water that cools down the red-hot lava detritus which have plunged into the water after sliding down the slope of
the coast. The white houses of the little village create a unique contrast with the black lava background dotted with
dark-green bushes. http://www.sensationalsicily.com/aeolianislands.html
TAORMINA
A 19th century haunt of the English aristocracy, it has long been Sicily's most famous resort town and it was here that D.H.
Lawrence was inspired to write Lady Chatterly's Lover. Taormina has endlessly winding medieval streets and tiny passages. The
most famous view you can get on your strolls is the one overlooking the Greco-Roman amphitheatre, one of Sicily's largest,
with Mount Etna and the sea in the background. The Teatro Greco was founded by Greeks in the third century BC but the visible
remains are almost entirely Roman. Between July and August the theatre hosts an international arts festival including film,
theatre and music.
CALTANISSETTA
Located in the very heart of Sicily: It boasts a baroque Cathedral with frescoes by the Flemish artist Guglielmo Borremans,
17th century Palazzo Moncada, the remnants of the Saracen Pietrarossa Castle, the church of S.Sebastiano as well as many
other Baroque churches. A little out of town you'll reach the Romanesque Abbey of S. Spirito -- founded by Roger I in the 11th
century. It hosts a beautiful wooden crucifix of the 15th century.
Gela: Regional Archaeological Museum, the Greek Acropolis and excursion to the Castle of Falconara.
Licata: worth a visit, offering many 18th century buildings, the Church of S.Domenico with a beautiful cloister and the
Carmine Church.
ENNA
Also called "Belvedere della Sicilia", as it occupies a magnificent position on a plateau 948m above sea level. It's rather
unknown as a touristic destination, yet it hosts many interesting churches and museums. Duomo: although largely rebuilt in
the Baroque style in the 16th and 17th centuries, the cathedral with its coffered ceilinghas maintained its Gothic apses.
Alessi Museum: houses the collections of Canon Alessi.17th and 18th century sacred vestments embroidered with gold thread and
coral; selection of paintings, Greek, Roman and Byzantine coins; an assortment of archaeological finds ranging from
prehistoric times to the Late Middle Ages. Lombardia Castle which looks out over the valley; S.Michele Arcangelo, S.Marco,
erected on the site of an old synagogue. Don't miss a stroll in the Quartiere Fundrisi with its typical single-storey houses.
Length: 115
Rating: 4.40 (45 ratings)
Tags: palermo sicilia taormina catania aeolian islands siracusa noto monreale trapani
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Sensational Sicily
Sicily is directly adjacent to the region of Calabria via the Strait of Messina to the east. The early Roman name for Sicily was Trinacria, alluding to its triangular shape. The Sensational Sicily Project http://www.SensationalSicily.com is a collaboration with the Region of Sicily, The Italian Chamber of Commerce, Alessandro Sorbello Productions http://www.alessandrosorbello.com and New Realm Media http://www.newrealm.com.au
The volcano Etna, situated close to Catania, is 3,320 m (10,900 ft) high, making it the tallest active volcano in Europe. It is also one of the world's most active volcanoes.
The Aeolian islands to the north are administratively a part of Sicily, as are the Aegadian Islands and Pantelleria Island to the west, Ustica Island to the north-west, and the Pelagian Islands to the south-west.
Sicily has been noted for two millennia as a grain-producing territory. Oranges, lemons, olives, olive oil, almonds, and wine are among its other agricultural products. The mines of the Enna and Caltanissetta district became a leading sulfur-producing area in the 19th century but have declined since the 1950s. http://youtube.com/watch?v=NJAalPqBuFo&mode=related&search=
Sicily is divided into nine provinces: Agrigento, Caltanissetta, Catania, Enna, Messina, Palermo, Ragusa, Syracuse (Siracusa), Trapani
History
The original inhabitants of Sicily, long absorbed into the population, were tribes known to Greek writers as the Elymians, the Sicani and the Siculi or Sicels. Of these, the last were clearly the latest to arrive on this land and were related to other Italic peoples of southern Italy, such as the Italoi of Calabria, the Oenotrians, Chones, and Leuterni (or Leutarni), the Opicans, and the Ausones. It's possible, however, that the Sicani were originally an Iberian tribe. The Elymi, too, may have distant origins outside of Italy, in the Aegean Sea area.
Phoenicians/Carthaginians, Greeks & Romans
Sicily was colonized by Phoenicians, Punic settlers from Carthage, and by Greeks, starting in the 8th Century BC. The most important colony was established at Syracuse in 734 BC. Other important Greek colonies were Gela, Acragas, Selinunte, Himera, and Zancle or Messene (modern-day Messina, not to be confused with the ancient city of Messene in Messenia, Greece). These city states were an important part of classical Greek civilization, which included Sicily as part of Magna Graecia - both Empedocles and Archimedes were from Sicily. Sicilian politics was intertwined with politics in Greece itself, leading Athens, for example, to mount the disastrous Sicilian Expedition during the Peloponnesian War.
The Greeks came into conflict with the Punic trading communities with ties to Carthage, which was on the African mainland, not far from the southwest corner of the region, and had its own colonies on Sicily. Palermo was a Carthaginian city, founded in the 8th century BC, named Zis or Sis ("Panormos" to the Greeks). Hundreds of Phoenician and Carthaginian grave sites have been found in necropoli over a large area of Palermo, now built over, south of the Norman palace, where the Norman kings had a vast park. In the far west, Lilybaeum (now Marsala) never was thoroughly Hellenized. In the First and Second Sicilian Wars, Carthage was in control of all but the eastern part of Sicily, which was dominated by Syracuse. In 415 BC, Syracuse became an object of Athenian imperialism as exemplified in the disastrous events of the Sicilian Expedition, which reignited the cooling Peloponnesian War.
In the 3rd century BC the Messanan Crisis motivated the intervention of the Roman Republic into Sicilian affairs, and led to the First Punic War between Rome and Carthage. By the end of war (242 BC) all Sicily was in Roman hands, becoming Rome's first province outside of the Italian peninsula.
The initial success of the Carthaginians during the Second Punic War encouraged many of the Sicilian cities to revolt against Roman rule. Rome sent troops to put down the rebellions (it was during the siege of Syracuse that Archimedes was killed). Carthage briefly took control of parts of Sicily, but in the end was driven off. Many Carthaginian sympathizers were killed— in 210 BC the Roman consul M. Valerian told the Roman Senate that "no Carthaginian remains in Sicily".
For the next 6 centuries, Sicily was a province of the Roman Empire. It was something of a rural backwater, important chiefly for its grainfields, which were a mainstay of the food supply of the city of Rome. The empire did not make much effort to Romanize the region, which remained largely Greek. The most notable event of this period was the notorious misgovernment of Verres, as recorded by Cicero in 70 BC, in his oration, In Verrem.
Byzantines
In 440 AD Sicily fell to the Vandal king Geiseric. A few decades later, it came into Ostrogothic hands, where it remained until it was conquered by the Byzantine general Belisarius in 535. But a new Ostrogothic king, Totila, drove down the Italian peninsula and then plundered and conquered Sicily in 550. Totila, in turn, was defeated and killed by the Byzantine general, Narses, in 552. For a brief period (662-668), during Byzantine rule, Syracuse was the imperial capital, until Constans II was assassinated. Sicily was then ruled by the Byzantine Empire until the Arab conquest of 827-902. It is reported in contemporary accounts that Sicilians spoke Greek or Italo-Greek dialects until at least the 10th century, and in some regions for several more centuries.
First Arab invasion of Sicily
In 535, Emperor Justinian I made Sicily a Byzantine province, and for the second time in Sicilian history, the Greek language became a familiar sound across the island. As the power of the Byzantine Empire waned, Sicily was invaded by the Arabs in 652 AD. However, this was a short lived invasion and the Arabs left soon after.
Arab control from Tunisia and Egypt
In around 700, the island of Pantelleria was captured by the Arabs, and it was only discord among the Arabs that prevented Sicily being next. Instead, trading arrangements were agreed and Arab merchants established themselves in Sicilian ports. Then, in 827 a failed Sicilian coup against an unpopular Byzantine governor. Euphemius, a wealthy landowner, who overcame the imperial garrison in Siracusa, declared himself Emperor and invited the Aghlabid Emir of Tunisia to help him. The response was a fleet of 100 ships and 10,000 troops under the command of Asad ibn al-Furat, which consisted largely of Arab Berbers from North Africa and Spain. After resistance at Siracusa, the Arabs gained a foothold in Mazara del Vallo. Palermo fell after a long siege in 831, but Siracusa held out until 878. From 842 to 859 the Arabs captured Messina, Modica, Ragusa and Enna. In 902 Taormina, the last Byzantine stronghold also fell to Arabs and by 965 all of Sicily was under Arab control and Palermo became one of the largest cities in the world.
Emirate of Sicily
Sicily was ruled by the Sunni Aghlabid dynasty in Tunisia and the Shiite Fatimids in Egypt. The Byzantines took advantage of temporary discord to occupy the eastern end of the island for several years. After suppressing a revolt the Fatimid caliph appointed Hassan al-Kalbi (948-964) as Emir of Sicily. He successfully managed to control the Byzantines and founded the Kalbid dynasty. Raids into southern Italy continued under the Kalbids into the 11th century, and in 982 a German army under Otto II was defeated near Crotone in Calabria. With Emir Yusuf al-Kalbi (990-998) a period of steady decline began. Under al-Akhal (1017-1037) the dynastic conflict intensified, with factions within the ruling family allying themselves variously with Byzantium and the Zirids. By the time of Emir Hasan as-Samsam (1040-1053) the island had fragmented into several small fiefdoms. As a virtually an independent emirate, Sicily played a privileged role as bridge between Africa and Europe. Trade flourished and taxes were low. The tolerant regime allowed subjects to abide by their own laws. Despite freedom of worship, Christians freely converted to Islam and there were soon hundreds of mosques in Palermo alone.
The Arabs initiated land reforms which in turn, increased productivity and encouraged the growth of smallholdings, a dent to the dominance of the landed estates. The Arabs further improved irrigation systems. A description of Palermo was given by Ibn Hawqual, a Baghdad merchant who visited Sicily in 950. A walled suburb called the Kasr (the palace) is the center of Palermo until today, with the great Friday mosque on the site of the later Roman cathedral. The suburb of Al-Khalisa (Kalsa) contained the Sultan's palace, baths, a mosque, government offices and a private prison. Ibn Hawqual reckoned 7,000 individual butchers trading in 150 shops.
The Cathedral of Palermo.In addition to Andalusian Arabs and other Arabs, there were Berbers, Persians, Greeks, Jews, Slavs and Lombards. Western Sicily particularly prospered with Berbers settling in the Agrigento area coupled with Bedouin, Syrians and Egyptian Arabs in Palermo.
Muslim rule in Sicily slowly came to an end following an invitation by the Emirs of Catania and Siracusa for a Norman invasion. The Normans, under Count Roger de Hauteville (Altavilla) attacked Sicily in 1061, beginning a thirty year struggle against the Arabs. In 1068, Roger and his men defeated the Arabs at Misilmeri but the most crucial battle was the siege of Palermo in 1072, and the conquest of Sicily was completed by 1091 with the defeat of the last Emir in Noto.
Arab-Norman period (1091-1224)
Following the Norman conquest, Arab influence continued to persist creating a hybrid culture on the island that has contributed much to the character of modern Sicily. The cultural diversity and religious tolerance of the period of Muslim rule under the Kalbid dynasty made Palermo the capital city of the Emirate of Sicily. This continued under the Normans who conquered Sicily in 1060-1090 (raising its status to that of a kingdom in 1130). During this period, Sicily became one of the wealthiest states in Europe, and according to historian John Julius Norwich, Palermo under the Normans became wealthier than the England of its day. After only a century, however, the Norman Hauteville dynasty died out and the south German (Swabian) Hohenstaufen dynasty ruled starting in 1194, adopting Palermo as its principal seat from 1220. But local Christian-Muslim conflicts fueled by the Crusades were escalating during this later period, and in 1224, Frederick II, grandson of Roger II, expelled the last remaining Muslims from Sicily, temporarily relocating many to a colony in Lucera on the southern mainland, while the rest fled to North Africa.
Conflict between the Hohenstaufen house and the Papacy led in 1266 to Sicily's conquest by Charles I, duke of Anjou: opposition to French officialdom and taxation led in 1282 to insurrection (the Sicilian Vespers) and successful invasion by king Peter III of Aragón. The resulting War of the Sicilian Vespers lasted until the peace of Caltabellotta in 1302. Sicily was ruled as an independent kingdom by relatives of the kings of Aragon until 1409 and then as part of the Crown of Aragon.
Spanish control
Ruled from 1479 by the kings of Spain, Sicily suffered a ferocious outbreak of plague (1656), followed by a damaging earthquake in the east of the region (1693). Sicily was frequently attacked by Barbary pirates from North Africa. Bad periods of rule by the crown of Savoy (1713-1720) and then the Austrian Habsburgs gave way to union (1734) with the Bourbon-ruled kingdom of Naples, first as independent kingdom under personal union, then (1816) as part of the kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
Sicily was the scene of major revolutionary movements in 1820 and 1848 against Bourbon denial of constitutional government, even though the main request was recognition of an independent status from Naples. The 1848 revolution resulted in a sixteen month period of independence from the Bourbons before its armed forces took back control of the island on 15 May 1849.
In late 1852, Prince Emanuele Realmuto had set up power in North Central Sicily. Highly educated, the prince established a political system set to bring Sicily's economy to the highest levels in all of Italy. The Prince's life however was shortened by an assassination in 1857. To this day some of his work is still present in the Italian parliament.
Italian unification
Sicily was joined with the other Italian regions in 1860 following the invasion of irregular troops led by Giuseppe Garibaldi and the resultant so-called Risorgimento. http://www.greatitalians.com/garibaldi.htm
The new Italian state was a strongly centralized nation, and it did not take long before, in 1866, Palermo revolted against Italy. The city was soon bombed by the Italian navy, which disembarked on September 22 under the command of Raffaele Cadorna. Italian soldiers summarily executed the civilian insurgents, and took possession once again of the island.
A long extensive guerrilla campaign against the unionists (1861-1871) took place throughout southern Italy, and in Sicily, inducing the Italian governments to a ferocious military repression. Ruled under martial law for many years Sicily (and southern Italy) was ravaged by the Italian army that summarily executed thousands of people, made tens of thousands prisoners, destroyed villages, and deported people. The Sicilian economy collapsed, leading to an unprecedented wave of emigration. In 1894 labour agitation through the radical Fasci Siciliani led again to the imposition of martial law.
Map of the Allied landings in Sicily on 10 July 1943.The organised crime networks commonly known as the mafia extended their influence in the late 19th century (and many of its operatives also emigrated to other countries, particularly the United States); partly suppressed under the Fascist regime beginning in the 1920s, they recovered as a side effect of the massive World War II Allied invasion of Sicily on the night of July 10, 1943 when an allied armada of 2,590 vessels freed the then-Fascist Sicily. Mafia was the only organization present in Sicily to be a proved enemy of the Fascist regime and able to offer the Allied occupants a steady grip on the island. The invasion of Sicily was one of the causes of the July 25 crisis.
An autonomous region from 1946, Sicily benefited to some extent from the partial Italian land reform of 1950-1962 and special funding from the Cassa per il Mezzogiorno, the Italian government's indemnification Fund for the South (1950-1984). Sicily returned to the headlines in 1992, however, when the assassination of two anti-mafia magistrates, Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino triggered a general upheaval in Italian political life.
Transport
Main article: Transport in Sicily
Automobile Most of Sicily's motorways (autostrade) run through the northern portion of the island. The most important ones are A19 Palermo-Catania, A20 Palermo-Messina, A29 Palermo-Mazara del Vallo and the toll road A18 Messina-Catania. Much of the motorway network is elevated by columns due to the mountainous terrain. http://youtube.com/watch?v=RcI8fadvwaY
The road network in the south of the country consists largely of well-maintained secondary roads.
Railways Sicily is connected to the Italian peninsula by the national railway company, Trenitalia, though trains are loaded onto ferries for the crossing from the mainland. Officially, the Stretto di Messina, S.p. A. was scheduled to commence construction of the world's longest suspension bridge, the Strait of Messina Bridge, in the second half of 2006. When completed, it would have marked the first time in human history that Sicily was connected by a land link to Italy. In October of 2006 the Italian Parliament scrapped the plan due to lack of popular support, particularly amongst Sicilians.[2].
Air Sicily is served by national and international flights, mostly to European locations, to and from Palermo International Airport and the substantially busier Catania-Fontanarossa Airport. There are also minor national airports in Trapani and on the small islands of Pantelleria and Lampedusa.
Metro The city of Palermo has an urban metropolitan service, handled by Trenitalia, with eleven stations, including an airport stop. Catania also has an underground rail system, which completes the circuit on the circumetnea narrow gauge railway.
Towns and cities
Sicily's principal cities include the regional capital Palermo, together with the other provincial capitals Catania, Messina, Syracuse (Siracusa in Italian), Trapani, Enna, Caltanissetta, Agrigento, Ragusa. Other Sicilian towns include Acireale, Taormina, Giardini Naxos, Piazza Armerina, Bagheria, Partinico, Carini, Alcamo, Vittoria, Caltagirone, Cefalù, Bronte, Adrano, Marsala, Corleone, Castellammare del Golfo, Calatafimi, Gela, Termini Imerese, Francavilla di Sicilia, Ferla, Sciacca, and Abacaenum (now Tripi).
The regional flag of Sicily, recognized since January 2000[3], is also the historical one of the island since 1282. It is divided diagonally yellow over red, with the trinacria symbol in the center. "Trinacria" literally means "3 points" and it most probably is a solar symbol even though lately, it has been considered representative of the three points of the island. The head shown on the Sicilian trinacria is the face of Medusa. The trinacria symbol is used also by other regions like the Isle of Man.
Arts
Palermo is the regional capital of Sicily. Landscape with temple ruins on Sicily, Jacob Philipp Hackert, 1778Sicily is well known as a region of art: many poets and writers were born here, starting from the Sicilian School in the early 13th century, which inspired much subsequent Italian poetry and created the first Italian standard. The most famous, however, are Luigi Pirandello, Giovanni Verga, Salvatore Quasimodo, Gesualdo Bufalino. Other Sicilian artists include the composers Sigismondo d'India, Girolamo Arrigo, Salvatore Sciarrino, Giovanni Sollima (from Palermo), Alessandro Scarlatti (from Trapani or Palermo), Vincenzo Bellini, Giovanni Pacini, Francesco Paolo Frontini, Alfredo Sangiorgi, Aldo Clementi, Roberto Carnevale (from Catania).
Noto, Ragusa and particularly Acireale contain some of Italy's best examples of Baroque architecture, carved in the local red sandstone. Caltagirone is renowned for its decorative ceramics. Palermo is also a major center of Italian opera. Its Teatro Massimo is the largest opera house in Italy and the third largest in the world, seating 1,400.
Sicily is also home to two prominent folk art traditions, both of which draw heavily on the island's Norman influence. A Sicilian wood cart, or Carretto Siciliano, is painted with intricate decorations of scenes from the Norman romantic poems, such as The Song of Roland. The same tales are told in traditional puppet theatres which feature hand-made wooden marionettes, especially in Acireale, the capital of Sicilian puppets.
Sicily is the setting for many classic Italian films such as Visconti's La Terra Trema (1948)and Il Gattopardo (1963), Rosi's Salvatore Giuliano(1962) and Antonioni's L'avventura (1960).
The 1988 movie Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, was about life in a Sicilian town following the Second World War. It is also the setting for Michael Radford's Il Postino (1994) starring Massimo Troisi.
People
The position of Sicily as a stepping stone of sorts in the center of the Mediterranean Basin has lent it strategic importance throughout history, resulting in an endless procession of settlers and conquerors. Modern methods of genetic testing enable us to see which have had the greatest demographic impact. Several studies show strong ties between Sicily, mainland southern Italy and Greece, suggesting that the Siculi, Elymi and Greek colonizations were the most important.
It has been proposed that a genetic boundary divides Sicily into two regions, reflecting the distribution of Siculi and Greek settlements in the east, and Sicani/Elymi, Phoenician/Arab and Norman settlements in the west.[10][11][12] However, other research has failed to detect any such division.[13][7] No data exists on the contribution of Normans, but a number of studies hint that North African and Middle Eastern gene flow was limited by the physical barrier of the Mediterranean Sea and resulting cultural differentiation.[6][14][15][16][17][18]
Sicily's population is approximately 5 million, and there are an additional 10 million people of Sicilian descent around the world, mostly in the United States, Argentina, Canada, Australia and the EU countries. The island today, like all of western Europe, is home to growing communities of immigrants, including Tunisians, Moroccans, Nigerians, Indians, Romanians, Russians, Chinese and Gypsies from the Balkans.
Language
Main article: Sicilian language,. Many Sicilians are bilingual in both Italian and Sicilian, a separate Romance language, with Greek, Arabic, Catalan and Spanish influence. It is important to note that Sicilian is not a derivative of Italian. Although thought by some to be a dialect, Sicilianu is a distinct language, with a rich history and a sizeable vocabulary (at least 250,000 words), due to the influence of the different conquerors of, and settlers to, this land.
The Sicilian language was an early influence in the development of the first Italian standard, although its use remained confined to an intellectual élite. This was a literary language in Sicily created under the auspices of Frederick II and his court of notaries, or Magna Curia, which, headed by Giacomo da Lentini also gave birth to the Scuola Siciliana, widely inspired by troubadour literature. Its linguistic and poetic heritage was later assimilated into the Florentine by Dante Alighieri, the father of modern Italian who, in his De Vulgari Eloquentia (DVE claims that "In effect this vernacular seems to deserve a higher praise than the others, since all the poetry written by Italians can be called Sicilian" (DVE, I, xii). It is in this language that appeared the first sonnet, whose invention is attributed to Giacomo da Lentini himself.
Sicilian dialects are also spoken in the southern and central sections of the Italian regions Calabria (Calabrese) and Puglia (Salentino); and had a significant influence on the Maltese Language. Malta was a part of the Kingdom of Sicily (in its various forms) until the late 18th century. With the predominance of Italian in Italian schools, the media, etc., Sicilian is no longer the first language of many Sicilians. Indeed, in urban centers in particular, one is more likely to hear standard Italian spoken rather than Sicilian, especially among the young.
Sicilian generally uses the word ending [u] for singular masculine nouns and adjectives, and [a] for feminine. The plural is usually [i] for both masculine and feminine. By contrast, in Italian masculine nouns and adjectives that end in [o] in the singular pass to [i] in the plural, while the feminine counterparts pass from [a] to [e].
The "-LL-" sound (in words of Latin origin, for example) manifests itself in Sicilian as a voiced retroflex plosive with the tip of the tongue curled up and back, a sound which is not part of Standard Italian. In Sicilian, this sound is written simply as "-dd-" although the sound itself is not [d] but rather [É–]. For example, the Italian word bello is beddu in Sicilian.
In numerous villages, the Arbëreshë dialect of the Albanian language has been spoken since a wave of refugees settled there in the 15th century. While it is spoken within the household, Italian is the official language and modern Greek is chanted in the local Byzantine liturgy. There are also several areas where dialects of the Lombard language of the Gallo-Italic family are spoken. Much of this population is also tri-lingual, being able to also speak one of the Sicilian dialects as well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicily
Length: 85
Rating: 4.40 (66 ratings)
Tags: Tourism sicily taormina siracusa castelmola catania messina
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PINO DANIELE SICILY
Sicily
Un posto ci sarÃ
per questa solitudine
perché mi sento così inutile
davanti alla realtÃ
Un posto ci sarÃ
fatto di lava e sole
dove la gente sa che è ora di cambiare
Un posto ci sarÃ
dove puoi alzarti presto
il giorno finisce per dispetto
e haje voglia di alluccÃ
Che un posto ci sarÃ
dove si pesca ancora
e il mare porterÃ
una storia nuova
io son pazzo di te
'e chesta furtuna
Sicily terra e nisciuno
Un posto ci sarÃ
per essere felici
cantare a squarciagola
e dici tutt' chell' ca vuo' tu
Un posto ci sarÃ
dove si spera ancora
la gente porterÃ
una storia nova
io son pazzo di te
'e chesta furtuna
Sicily
terra 'e nisciuno
LIVE 1993 antonio annona alle tastiere
Length: 300
Rating: 4.90 (126 ratings)
Tags: PREMIO TENCO 1993
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Segesta Sicily
Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean basin. The channel between the italian mainland and the sicilian Island is only 2 miles wide. From the west coast of Sicily to the coast of north africa (Tunesia) it's about 100 miles. The Island of Sicily has a 620 mile long coastline on offer, however it is mostly rocky beach in the northand only sandy in the south.
Sicily, may be just a short hop from the Italian mainland, across the narrow strait of Messina, but it is a world apart in atmosphere and attitude. Everything Italian seems a little more appetising here, not only the food but the history and culture as well..
Visitors discover that the Sicilian people are gracious, noble and welcoming and that the island itself offers natural and historic attractions of great beauty and enormous interest.
The main cities of Palermo and Catania feature some of the most exquisite architecture in the world, a legacy of the many great civilisations that have vied for control of this strategically situated island over the centuries, from the Greeks and Romans, Arabs and Normans to more recently the French, Spanish and Italians.
There are massive Romanesque cathedrals, the best-preserved Greek temples in the world, Roman amphitheatres and magnificent Baroque palaces. The continuous blue skies and temperate climate, lush vegetation and rich marine life all add to the island's appeal. Nature has given Sicily Mount Etna, Europe's tallest active volcano, a dramatic coastline and a fertile soil that gives forth much of the bounty on which the island's unique and delicious cuisine is based.
Length: 127
Rating: 4.40 (14 ratings)
Tags: Sicily Segesta Italy holiday
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Noto in Sicily
Noto in Sicily is presented by Alessandro Sorbello Sorbello Productions http://www.alessandrosorbello.com as part of the Sensational Sicily Project http://www.sensationalsicily.com. See the channel here http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=C499575AA6A898A8
Noto, Comune di Noto
Noto is "a living book". It is a stone garden, on every corner of which capitals, baroque friezes, churches and noble palaces will be found. There are cities and countries exist which, by their names, recall the purity and the harmony of art. Noto, is one of them; with its architectural and cultural beauties, it arouses in the visitors the greatest idea of what the men of talent created in this temple of live stones.
The city, honoured recently by UNESCO with the title of "cultural patrimony of humanity", represents the emblem of wealth and luxury in the Baroque age in Sicily. Palaces of yellowish stone to the tourists, so similar to the colour of the flesh, and unexpected treasures, scattered in the territory, containing stories of ancient civilizations are offered.
Searching for Accommodation in Noto? http://www.accommodationsicily.com/Italy/Sicily/Siracusa/Noto/Accommodation.htm
Scattered like valuables in a vast territory, sanctuaries and ruins of ancient cities such as Eloro, Ancient Noto can be found. Wonderful beaches and the Oasis of Vendicari, a natural reserve, a mild climate, mountain paths, ancient villages, castles, caves, churches and convents are wonders without equal, in Noto.
It is a suggestion difficult to forget, when from the top of its bell towers or from above a palace, the city and the valley, licked up by the sea, can be admired.
Be amazed by the art, the culture, the traditions, the sea and the sun of the most beautiful city of Sicily.
Country Italy, Region, Sicily, Province Syracuse (SR), Elevation 152 m, Area 550.86 km², Population Total (as of December 31, 2004), 23,346 Density 42/km²
Time zone CET, UTC+1, Gentilic Notinesi or Netini, Dialing code 0931, Postal code 96017, Frazioni, Marina di Noto, Testa dell'Acqua
Patron San Corrado Confalonieri, Day February 19 Website: http://www.comune.noto.sr.it
Noto is a city in Sicily, Italy, in the Province of Syracuse, 32 km southwest of the city of Syracuse, at the feet of the Iblei Mountains. The city gives its name to the surrounding valley, Val di Noto. In 2002 Noto and its church were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
History
The older town, Noto Antica, lies 8 km directly north on Mount Alveria. It was ancient Netum, a city of Sicel origin, left to Hiero II by the Romans by the treaty of 263 BCE and mentioned by Cicero as a foederala citilas (Verr. v. 51, 133), and by Pliny as Latinae conditionis (Hist. Nat. iii. 8. 14). According to legend, Dedalus stopped here after his flight over the Ionian Sea, as well as Hercules, after his seventh task.
In the Roman era, it opposed praetor Verres. In 866 it was conquered by the Arabs, who elevated to a capital city of one of three districts of the island (the Val di Noto). Later it was a rich Norman city.
In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the city brought forth several notable intellectual figures, including Giovanni Aurispa, jurists Andrea Barbazio and Antonio Corsetto, as well as the architect Matteo Carnelivari: in 1503 king Ferdinand III gave it the title of civitas ingeniosa ("ingenious city"). In the following centuries, the city expanded enlarging its medieval limits; and new buildings, churches and convents were built. These, however, were all totally destroyed by the earthquake of January 11, 1693. The devastation of the city on Mount Alveria was accompanied by its economy, which relied mainly on agricultural products -- vine, oil, cereals, rice, cotton -- and its renowned handicrafts.
The current town, rebuilt after the earthquake on the left bank of River Asinaro, was planned on a grid system by Giovanni Battista Landolina. This new city occupied a position nearer to the Ionian Sea. The presence of architects like Rosario Gagliardi, Francesco Sortino and others, made the new Noto a masterpiece of Sicilian Baroque, dubbed the "Stone Garden" by Cesare Brandi and is currently listed among UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. The new structures are characterized by a soft tufa stone, which under sunlight assumes a typical honey tonality.
The city, which had lost its provincial capital status in 1817, rebelled against the House of Bourbon on May 16, 1860, leaving its gates open to Giuseppe Garibaldi and his expedition. Five months later, on October 21, a plebiscite sealed the annexation of Noto to Piedmont.
In 1844, Noto was named a bishopric seat, but in 1866 suffered the abolition of the religious guilds, which were deeply linked to the city's structures and buildings.
Noto was freed from fascist dictatorship in July 1943. At the referendum of 1946, the Notinesi people voted in favour of the monarchy.
The church of St. Charles Borromeo.
A balcony of the Villadorata palace, Immacolata Square.
Accommodation Sicily - Accommodation Noto, Siracusa, Sicily, Italy
In Noto we have holiday accommodation properties: 2 Star Hotels, 3 Star Hotels, Agritourisms and Bed and Breakfasts. Some of our popular destinations for ...
http://www.accommodationsicily.com/Italy/Sicily/Siracusa/Noto/Accommodation.htm
The church of San Domenico.
Main sights
Noto is famous for its fine buildings of the early eighteenth century, considered among the main masterpieces in the Sicilian baroque style.
Palaces and other buildings
Ducezio Palace, the current Town Hall. Designed by Vincenzo Sinatra, it houses neo-classical style frescoes by Antonio Mazza.
Astuto Palace.
Villadorata palace on Via Nicolaci which was built by P. Labisi in 1733.
Religious buildings
Cathedral of San Nicolò di Mira (finished 1776).
Church of Santa Caterina.
Church of San Corrado.
Church of the Collegio di San Carlo.
Church of the Jesus Name.
Monastery of Santa Chiara (1735), designed by Gagliardi. It has an oval plant, the interior divided by twelve columns housing a Madonna with Child from the sixteenth century.
Church of San Michele Arcangelo.
Church of Santa Maria della Scala.
Church of Santissimo Salvatore.
Town Library.
Church of San Nicola di Mira.
Church of Santa Chiara, with a precious Madonna by Antonello Gagini.
Church of San Francesco D'Assisi (Immacolata).
Church of the Spirito Santo.
Church of Ecce Homo.
Church of Santa Maria dell'Arco.
Church of the Anime Sante del Purgatorio ("Holy Souls of the Purgatory").
Church of Santa Maria della Rotonda.
Church of the Santissima Trinità .
Church of San Carlo al Corso (by Rosario Gagliardi).
Church of Santa Maria del Carmelo.
Church of San Pietro Martire.
Church of San Michele Arcangelo.
Church of San Domenico (by Rosario Gagliardi).
Church of Sant'Antonio Abate.
Church of Santa Caterina.
Church of the Crociferio di San Camillo.
Church of Montevergine (San Girolamo).
Church of Santissimo Salvatore.
Church of San Andrea Apostolo.
Church of San Pietro delle Rose (Saints Peter and Paul).
Church of the SS. Crucifix.
Church of Sant'Egidio Vescovo.
Church of Santa Maria del Gesù.
Church of Annunziata.
Church of Santa Agata.
Archaeological finds
The remains of Noto's early inhabitants are almost entirely hidden beneath the ruins of the mediaeval town, except for three chambers cut into the rock. One is noted by an inscription in the library at Noto to have belonged to the gymnasium, while the other two were heroa (shrines of heroes). But explorations have brought to light four cemeteries of the third Sicel period, and one of the Greek period, of the third and second centuries BC. There are also catacombs of the Christian period and some Byzantine tombs.
Four miles to the south of Noto, on the left bank of the Tellaro (Helorus) stands a stone column about 10 metres high, which is believed to be a memorial of the surrender of Nicias. In the third century BC, a tomb was excavated in the rectangular area which surrounds it, destroying apparently a pre-existing tomb. The later burial belongs to the necropolis of the small town of Heloron, 750 m to the southeast, some remains of which have been discovered. It was a small advanced post of Syracuse, belonging probably to the sxith century BC.
Culture
In the Noto neighbourhood, a 32-m radiotelescope was installed by the Istituto di Radioastronomia di Bologna as part of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche. It works in collaboration with a similar instrument in Medicina, Bologna.
The city has held an annual flower festival, the Infiorata, every May since the 1980s, lining the streets with floral works of art.
Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto (South-Eastern Sicily)
Provinces of Catania, Ragusa, and Syracuse, Sicily
Brief Description
The eight towns in south-eastern Sicily: Caltagirone, Militello Val di Catania, Catania, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo, Ragusa and Scicli, were all rebuilt after 1693 on or beside towns existing at the time of the earthquake which took place in that year. They represent a considerable collective undertaking, successfully carried out at a high level of architectural and artistic achievement. Keeping within the late Baroque style of the day, they also depict distinctive innovations in town planning and urban building.
Justification for Inscription
Criterion i This group of towns in south-eastern Sicily provides outstanding testimony to the exuberant genius of late Baroque art and architecture. Criterion ii The towns of the Val di Noto represent the culmination and final flowering of Baroque art in Europe. Criterion iv The exceptional quality of the late Baroque art and architecture in the Val di Noto lies in its geographical and chronological homogeneity, as well as its quantity, the result of the 1693 earthquake in this region. Criterion v The eight towns of south-eastern Sicily that make up this nomination, which are characteristic of the settlement pattern and urban form of this region, are permanently at risk from earthquakes and eruptions of Mount Etna.
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1024
Length: 45
Rating: 3.70 (6 ratings)
Tags: Barrocco sicilia Archaeological mediaeval Sicilian Baroque World Heritage Sites
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Sicily Fishing
Fishing Industry in Sicily - http://www.sensationalsicily.com
Medieval Fishing off Sicily - The most important fishing industry of the medieval Mediterranean was, arguably, in Sicily, and even there fish played a modest albeit constant role in the food of the island. There were two kinds of fish caught in the fifteenth century, the so-called blue fish, mostly sardines and anchovies that had some limited economic importance in Sicily's export trade, and the white fish, such as John Dory, turbot, sea bass, grouper, comber, etc., which were secondary in economic importance. However, fish had no overall importance in either the diet or the economy of medieval Sicily and the total number of fishermen was few. But the fasting prescriptions of the church assured that fish would always be in demand. In data for the vice-regent from 1415 we see that fresh and dried fish were bought ten days out of the month. On Friday and Saturday, fresh fish, eel, salted little tuna, and eggs were eaten instead of meat.
Messina, Cefalù, Termini, Trapani, and Palermo were the five fishing centers of Sicily in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, all fishing sardines for the most part. Fish were in seasonal demand and especially during Lent, when church-mandated fasting requirements limited the amount of meat that could be eaten. During the winter, the fishing industry was involved in salting sardines and, especially, tonnina (little tuna, Euthynnus alletteratus).
The fishermen encircled the shoals of fish with their seine nets and unloaded their catch directly onto the beach. The fish were processed for salting, a small amount perhaps set aside for local cooks of these coastal villages, while the fishermen victualed their boats with bread and wine. Villages of the interior ate freshwater fish from local rivers and streams or eels from the Simeto River near Paterno. In the twelfth century eels were caught in a complicated device called a tarusi, consisting of a series of chambers whereby the eel is unable to turn around and get out.
Palermo was the most important of the five fishing towns in medieval Sicily, and in the fourteenth century the fishermen lived in an area of the city near the sea called the Kalsa. A fisherman's life was a poor and hard one. The Kalsa still exists and even today one finds fishermen, smugglers, and mafiosi (so they say) living there. It was in Palermo where the net- makers were and where most of the fishermen could be recruited.
Fishing zones were well demarcated and the fishing of sardines from Termini was the economically most important fishing activity. The zone off Trapani was rich in fish, and we know that agents for the royal kitchen of the Angevin King in Naples, Charles d'Anjou, came here in 1270 to buy dacteri (flying fish?) and cervige (amberjack?). The zone off Messina was known for its swordfish and it still is.
Fish were also caught in more rudimentary ways using traditional techniques that go back to the Arab era and earlier. Usually this meant two men in a boat with a net. The Arab influence on Sicilian fishing and nautical affairs in general is attested to by the Sicilian fishing and nautical vocabulary which is thoroughly rooted in the Arabic language. Take, for instance, the Sicilian word xabica, the big fishing net that is attached to shore and moved seaward in a great sweeping swath by a bark, a small sailing ship. The word derives from the Arabic word shabaka, meaning "net." But as some scholars have pointed out, the interplay among Arabo-Berber, Italo-Siculo, Arab, and Turkish cultures was complex enough to find influence a constant two- and even three- way street in the Mediterranean Sea when it comes to nautical matters.
There were fishermen who used another kind of net called a spiruni which was very thin and expensive to purchase. The archdeacon of Cefalù bought three of these nets in 1431. They had eighteen stitchings and cost as much as a ton of fresh fish. Other kinds of nets were the rizza, a bit bigger and made of plaited grass cording, used for larger fish. The nassa was a complicated device used for catching eels or lobster and those fishermen who used them were called nassaroli.
The business of fishing in Sicily was already an ancient profession and well organized by the fifteenth century. But fishing comprised a whole ensemble of activities that went far beyond fishing. There were instrument makers, cordage makers, fishing zone administrators, packers, haulers, net makers, and salters, as well as the fishermen. Curiously, at the end of the fourteenth century and into the fifteenth century many fishermen came from the tiny island of Lipari off Sicily's north coast.
"Mattanza: Love and Death in the Sea of Sicily" by Theresa Maggio
A writer explores her obsession with an ancient Sicilian ritual steeped in the erotics of killing.
June 5, 2000 | "I had found my island, and I wanted to stay forever," Theresa Maggio writes in "Mattanza," her valentine to tiny Favignana, off the coast of Sicily, where each spring for several years she witnessed the tonnara, a ritualized tuna hunt dating from ancient times. She's riveted by the mattanza, the moment at which the giant bluefin tuna, having been herded into an elaborate netting system, are hauled one by one onto the fishing boats and killed. In the process of documenting the history and customs of the tonnaroti, the tuna fishermen, Maggio lays bare her own quest to become part of life on the stark, beautiful island. Her quixotic desire is to be more than a tourist, more than a journalist -- to become a member of Favignana's eccentric cast of characters herself.
Maggio finds the ritual hunt close to mythical, with its songs and invocations, its bloody celebration of "the wheel of life, death and rebirth." The traps are set to take advantage of the bluefin's yearly migration to the Mediterranean to spawn, and Maggio dwells lovingly on this fusion of sex and death:
It is possible that some of the captured tuna that swims into Favignana's trap began life there when their parents, in a last-ditch effort to procreate, ejected their sperm and eggs as they were being killed. Sex, death, and begetting mingle in this briny vessel of primordial juices.
She's obviously turned on by the erotics of hunting and killing.gustibus non est disputandum, I guess, but she lost me as she worked this theme. At one point, having gotten a strikingly masculine tonnaroto into her bed, she seizes the chance to ask the burning question: "How does it feel to kill a giant bluefin with your bare hands?" He's not impressed with the direction their pillow talk is taking, and she never gets an answer.
Scenes like that have an appealing element of self-deprecation; but in the end Maggio's self-exposure undermines the more serious aspects of her project. There's a neediness to the way she longs to be accepted by the tonnaroti, not to mention the women and older men in Favignana's piazza and cafes. In many ways she's butting her head against a wall, and she knows it. There's no easy social slot for her to fit into in Sicily, no place for an unmarried, independent woman in her late 30s who bicycles around town and crouches in boats, scribbling notes as the tonnaroti work. Again and again she's asked, "Why don't you get married and quit writing books?" The Favignani are warm and generous to her, and she does achieve her fondest hope when the rais -- the distant, autocratic leader of the tuna hunt -- tells her, "You are a tonnorota, a member of the crew." I'm sure it was a heartfelt moment, but she should know that Italians are prone to extravagance. The truth is, she'll always be a bit of a freak to them.
By not acknowledging the tension between the ways she feels accepted and the ways she'll never truly fit in, Maggio ends up sentimentalizing the Favignani and their vanishing way of life. Her account of the history of the Sicilian tuna fishing industry suffers from a similar tendency to gloss over ugly realities. She has done plenty of research, but the overall picture is so idyllic, with centuries of beloved, benevolent bosses and humble, satisfied workers, that it strains credulity. And while I'm as annoyed as the next Italian-American by knee-jerk references to the Mafia in discussions of anything Italian, come on -- there's not one mention of La Cosa Nostra in this book. Did this single corner of Sicily really remain pure?
Most disturbing, Maggio lets emotion color her treatment of complicated issues, notably the role of the Japanese in the tuna fishing industry. She casts them as wily, ruinous intruders whose interest in the time-honored rituals of the tonnara is not as pure as hers and whose taste for tuna meat is somehow deplorable. ("It was only the insatiable appetite of the Japanese for bluefin that kept the Favignana tonnara afloat in recent years ... The Japanese waited with sharp knives at Castiglione's slaughterhouse for the Chamber of Death to give up its fruit.") She's angry at a Japanese film crew for filming the mattanza and getting "the royal treatment" from the rais, "close to tears" when they're invited onto the boat one day and she's not. It's a tricky issue; I'd have liked less of Maggio's schoolgirlish resentment and more information on the politics of the tuna industry and the choices facing the tonnaroti.
Luckily, the Favignani resist Maggio's wish that they be either larger than life or less than complexly human. In the end, they emerge from "Mattanza" as people blessed to live in a naturally sumptuous place, hanging on to what they can in a world that's less and less under their control.
Mattanza
For hundreds of years, fishermen in Sicily and Sardinia have used dense nets to capture the Mediterranean bluefin tuna (thunnus thinnus) in a quasi-spiritual procedure known as the mattanza. This takes place in May and June, when the giant fish swim past the coasts. In Sicily, the few remaining mattanzas take place off the island's western point among the Egadi Islands. The term "mattanza" comes to us from an old Spanish word, matar, meaning "to kill." Many terms, such as rais (head fisherman of the mattanza), are actually Arabic in origin, introduced in the ninth century when, during the Arab domination of Sicily, the technique became popular. There are indications, however, that it is much older, possibly originating, in some form, in the Phoenician or Carthaginian era. Averaging over two hundred kilograms (over four hundred pounds), the fish are now popular in the Japanese market, where the delicious red meat is used in sashimi and sushi. It must be said that this fresh tasty meat is a breed apart from the bland whitish stuff sold in cans. Bluefin, many of which escape into the Atlantic, may also be consumed young.
The keys to a successful mattanza, apart from the obvious questions of supply (overfishing has reduced the number of larger tuna in recent years) and weather, are organisation and technique. A series of vast nets are lowered into the water. The tuna are captured in successive nets which are gradually restricted in size and raised toward the surface, where the fish are attacked with what might be described as large spears in a sophisticated trap system.
Reaching 4.3 meters (14 feet) in length and weighing as much as 800 kilograms (1800 pounds), the bluefin is the largest tuna, surpassing the skipjack, albacore, yellowfin and bigeye. Unlike these other worldwide species, the bluefin lives in the Atlantic and Mediterranean.
The network of net chambers is called an isola (island). One of the interesting things about the mattanza is the team effort of the numerous fishermen involved in each catch. From his boat, the rais directs the work of the men in the other small boats. Because a mattanza is the catch of an entire school of fish, dozens of tuna may be captured. The ambience of bloody water and particularly large fish, which may be compared to cattle or large game, leaves one with a singular impression. There's nothing like watching the fish struggle as they are herded into ever smaller, shallower net chambers (the final one is called the "chamber of death") and finally lifted onto the boats. Indeed, the term mattanza has found its way into the Italian vernacular as a synonym for "massacre."
Just how long the mattanza itself survives remains to be seen. As time passes, the tuna are diminishing in size and numbers, while demand increases in world markets. This has prompted legal restrictions. A hundred years ago, there were dozens of small "tonnare" (tuna canneries) along the Sicilian coasts, though the word "tonnara" originally referred to the complex series of nets used in tuna fishing during the mattanza. The occupation of tuna fishing was more widespread, with hundreds of tonnarotti (tuna fishermen) throughout Sicily. Tunny fishing has usually been a seasonal profession in Sicily, with the tonnarotti catching other fish during the autumn and winter.
Breaded fried tuna steaks are a traditional Sicilian specialty. Tuna steaks are also good simply grilled. For something different, try it "Japanese-Sicilian" style --raw sprinkled with varietal extra virgin olive oil and freshest lemon juice.
Length: 26
Rating: 3.70 (6 ratings)
Tags: fishing sicily mattanza palermo seafood fish industy
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