Cassaro
Encyclopedia
Cassaro is a town and comune
(municipality) in the Province of Syracuse
, Sicily
(Italy
). The name is originally from the Arabic
word القصر (al-QaSru) meaning "the castle." Cassaro is 52 kilometers from Ragusa
and 35 kilometers west from the city of Siracusa. Cassaro has 859 inhabitants.|
, in the Middle Ages
the town belonged to the Spadafora family. Margherita Moleti Spadafora married the Baron Pietro Siracusa, who belonged to one of the oldest families in the town of Noto
and was also Baron of Monastero and Xiridia. The Siracusa dynasty
(formerly known as "Zaragoza") is of Spanish
origin, documented in Sicily since 1283. Members of this Family has been also the lords of [Collesano], counts of Villalta and duque of Casteldimirto. Records are in the State Archiv of Palermo (Fondo Protonotaro). Beatrice Siracusa, the only daughter of the above mentioned Pietro and Margherita Siracusa (who are also ancestor of the Queen Paola of Belgium) married Pietro Gaetani Baron of Sortino. Beatrice died with her son Guido during the earthquake of 1452. Their possessions passed to her son Cesare, ancestor of the actual Princes of Cassaro.
Amongst the primary monuments in Cassaro is the Mother Church dedicated to Saint Peter
(started in the 17th century and ended in 1730) and the Church of Saint Anthony
the Abbot (17th-18th century).
People from Cassaro are mocked by the people from the nearby Ferla
with the Italian
saying: I pà, ghi vini a Costa 'i Tavà, a cogghiri i fia e fiapà, which means: "Father, come to the Tavà Coast and pick the fruits of the prickly pears".
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
(municipality) in the Province of Syracuse
Province of Syracuse
The Province of Syracuse is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily in Italy. Its capital is the city of Syracuse.It has an area of 2,109 km², and a total population of 396,167 ....
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
(Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
). The name is originally from the Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
word القصر (al-QaSru) meaning "the castle." Cassaro is 52 kilometers from Ragusa
Ragusa, Italy
Ragusa is a city and comune in southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Ragusa, on the island of Sicily, with around 75,000 inhabitants. It is built on a wide limestone hill between two deep valleys, Cava San Leonardo and Cava Santa Domenica...
and 35 kilometers west from the city of Siracusa. Cassaro has 859 inhabitants.|
History
According to the Capibreve of SilvestriSilvestri
Silvestri is a surname of Italian origin. Noted people with this last name include:* Alan Silvestri, a composer* Alessandra Silvestri-Levy, a curator, writer and humanitarian activist* Constantin Silvestri, a conductor...
, in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
the town belonged to the Spadafora family. Margherita Moleti Spadafora married the Baron Pietro Siracusa, who belonged to one of the oldest families in the town of Noto
Noto
Noto is a city and comune in the Province of Syracuse, Sicily . Its located 32 km southwest of the city of Syracuse at the foot of the Iblean Mountains and gives its name to the surrounding valley, Val di Noto...
and was also Baron of Monastero and Xiridia. The Siracusa dynasty
Siracusa Family
The House of Siracusa was a noble Sicilian family.-Zaragoza:The origin of the Siracusa family is documented in the year AD 1018 by Jeronimo Zurita, as a branch of the House Béarn...
(formerly known as "Zaragoza") is of Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
origin, documented in Sicily since 1283. Members of this Family has been also the lords of [Collesano], counts of Villalta and duque of Casteldimirto. Records are in the State Archiv of Palermo (Fondo Protonotaro). Beatrice Siracusa, the only daughter of the above mentioned Pietro and Margherita Siracusa (who are also ancestor of the Queen Paola of Belgium) married Pietro Gaetani Baron of Sortino. Beatrice died with her son Guido during the earthquake of 1452. Their possessions passed to her son Cesare, ancestor of the actual Princes of Cassaro.
Amongst the primary monuments in Cassaro is the Mother Church dedicated to Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
(started in the 17th century and ended in 1730) and the Church of Saint Anthony
Anthony the Great
Anthony the Great or Antony the Great , , also known as Saint Anthony, Anthony the Abbot, Anthony of Egypt, Anthony of the Desert, Anthony the Anchorite, Abba Antonius , and Father of All Monks, was a Christian saint from Egypt, a prominent leader among the Desert Fathers...
the Abbot (17th-18th century).
People from Cassaro are mocked by the people from the nearby Ferla
Ferla
Ferla is a town and comune in the Province of Syracuse, Sicily . As of 2007 Ferla had an estimated population of 2,622....
with the Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
saying: I pà, ghi vini a Costa 'i Tavà, a cogghiri i fia e fiapà, which means: "Father, come to the Tavà Coast and pick the fruits of the prickly pears".