Fiumefreddo di Sicilia
Encyclopedia
Fiumefreddo di Sicilia is a comune
on the coast of the Ionian Sea
on the island of Sicily
. It shares its borders with the municipalities of Calatabiano
to the north, Mascali
to the south and Piedimonte Etneo
to the west.
The commune gets its name from the Fiumefreddo River which runs alongside the territory of the comune. The word "fiumefreddo" means literally "cold river", a reference to the fact that the river is fed by snow melts from Mount Etna
. Fiumefreddo di Sicilia is near the major Etna tourist centres. The SS120 to Mt Etna and Randazzo
start from there.
Il Castello degli Schiavi in Fiumefreddo di Sicilia is known for being in the Godfather trilogy as the house where many scenes were shot, one of the most famous being in The Godfather Part I
when Apollonia was murdered.
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Fiumefreddo di Sicilia is situated in the Province of Catania and it was so named to distinguish it from Fiumefreddo Bruzio
, in the Province of Cosenza
. Currently the town has almost 10,000 inhabitants.
Fiumefreddo stands along the SS 114 and A18, both roads run from Catania to Messina. Fiumefreddo di Sicilia is in the heart of an important road and railway network, near Taormina
and Acireale
and not far from Catania
and Messina. Its strategical position, has been enhanced by the opening of the motorway junction. This has reemphasised Fiumefreddo's role in the area.
The most important part of Fiumefreddo stands along the SS 114, where, in the 1700s, the old shops of the Prince of Palagonia stood. Therefore this area maintains the name of Botteghelle, while other areas, such as Castello, Diana, Liberto, Torrerossa, Ponte Borea, Feudogrande, Vignagrande, Gona and Civì, were built at different periods.
Together with other towns, such as Giarre
, Riposto
, Piedimonte Etneo
, Linguaglossa
, Castiglione di Sicilia
, Mascali
and Calatabiano
, Fiumefreddo forms the electorate of Giarre.
Fiumefreddo is bounded by the Ionian Sea
to the East, by Calatabiano to the North, by Piedimonte Etneo to the West and by Mascali to the South. Its municipal territory is mainly flat, especially along the coast, where there is the Marina di Cottone beach, which is subject to very intense summer tourism.
Fiumefreddo is so named after the river that runs through it, whose natural habitat, with its exceptionally cold water, has allowed the development of typical river flora and fauna. In order to protect this particular natural environment, the Sicilian Region, through a law D.A. n. 205185, has instituted a protected area, The Natural Oriented Reserve of The River Fiumefreddo.
, where the extremities of the slopes of Mount Etna
spread out in plains and small hills, a little river rises from lava rocks, it flows towards the sea and for the exceptional coldness of its water is named Fiumefreddo, ("Cold River"). This river runs across a plain. Here Cluverio said Greeks founded Nasso. Although some historians had placed Naxos on Cape Schisò, ancient writers described the new town as set up between two rivers: the Onobola on the North and the Akesine on the South.
By identifying the first river with the Alcantara
, the second is most likely Fiumefreddo. This theory has been borne out by Bochard, who found an etymological correspondence of the name Akesine to that of Fiumefreddo. The name of the ancient river may have been born indeed as a corruption of the word Akesine that probably derived from a Syriac word, "hassim', which means "cold river". This theory was so repeated that someone managed to see even the ancient Nasso and to describe its ruins next to the Torre Rossa (Red Tower).
Holm succeeded in discrediting this theory. He proved that Onobola is the torrent Sìrina; it flows down to the sea near Giardini railway station. He also established that the Akesine is Alcantara
. Therefore the ancient Nasso was set again on Cape Schisò. But some historians did not give up on the idea of describing an old town next to the mouth of Fiumefreddo, so Carrera placed Callipoli, Nasso's colony. More accurate studies have placed this colony near Mascali, on the left side of the torrent Macchia.
It is likely that in 135 BCE, slaves led by Euno passed through this territory when, having revolting against the Romans
, they were besieged by Rupilio consul at Taormina's Acropolis
, and when, in 63 BCE, stirred up by Atenione, they were surrounded at Macella.
Later Sicily was conquered by the Normans
who instituted a feudal system of government. Count Roger
gave the enfeoffment of Fiumefireddo territory (with San Giovanni Church) to the Greek bishop Mannuges, who, after his death, gave it to Angeria, Bishop of Catania. This donation was confirmed by the bishop of Messina in 1106 and it is supported by documentary evidence in the Greek Diplomas contained in the Table that is kept in the Capitural Archives, in Catania’s main church.
During the twelfth century Catania's bishops succeeded Augerio in the Fiumefreddo Feud. After the Norman Kingdom of Sicily
passed to the Swabians (the House of Hohenstaufen) and following a long struggle between Church and Empire during the reign of Frederick II
(Fidiricu), the Bishop of Catania lost this territory. Immediately after the Sicilian Vespers
of 1282, the Feud belonged to the Admiral Ruggero di Lauria. When Count Ruggero was charged with treason, Symon Fimmetta received this Feud, as in the census of Frederick III
in 1296. It wasn't until the next century before Fiumefreddo Feud is mentioned again in Official Acts. In the census of Martin the younger
(1408) the Feud appears as a Property of Zaccaria de Parisio: maybe the feud previously belonged to his brother Adario, whose inheritance was also desired by the Balsamo Family from Messina. This caused a quarrel between Balsamo and Zaccaria families. Eventually Zaccaria gave them two thirds of the property sought. After Parisio had taken control of the estate, his son Nicolò, also known as Vayro, succeeded in obtaining the Investiture by the Archbishop of Palermo in 1493. He was obliged to respect the Curia Rights and the Military Service. At that time there were still no residences but only a small castle built to signal dangers from the sea and from the neighbouring areas. Parisios maintained the Feud until the first half of the seventeenth century, but in 1666, they lost it and Francesco Maria Arezzo became the Lord of Fiumefreddo. At that time a little village was built around the castle.
In 1674, during the Revolution in Messina, the Arezzos supported the Lighthouse Town, and after the rebels were defeated, they lost the seigniory over Fiumefreddo. Felice Mancuso was then enfeoffed and he also obtained the election of Fiumefreddo in Barony. In 1726 Francesco Ferdinando Gravina, Prince of Palagonia and Baron of Calatabiano received the Investiture of the Barony of Fiumefreddo. During the time of Gravina the Church of San Giuseppe was built, which became the centre of the new built up area and some shops that were run in the Prince's interest were opened along the road. A little village was built on the southern area of the Barony and another one on the north, in the Diana area, where also was built the Church of San Vincenzo.
In 1801, Fiumefreddo had a population of 500 inhabitants, and the territory was therefore elevated to a commune. In 1813, after the abolition of vassalage, Fiumefreddo did not depend anymore on the Baron, apart from census to be paid, so the village began to prosper reaching 700 inhabitants in 1831. In 1848 a revolution
against Spain
arose in Palermo
and it echoed even in Fiumefreddo where a certain Carrobello, backed up by other comrades blocked the coach of an Intendant who was passing through the village. He was threatening with the cry “Palermo and Santa Rosolia!". The unlucky person managed to run away only after he had denounced his rank and position.
In 1849, after the fall of Messina, Fiumefreddo was invaded by the King's troops. The chaplain Domenico Biondo told the Bourbon soldiers that he was going to Catania but he was threatened with death by a soldier because a priest had killed his brother. During the night of the 24 October 1852, King Ferdinando II
passed through Fiumefreddo and stopped for few minutes at a fountain with a trough and near Morabito Palace. Here he received the delegation of the commune led by don Leonardo Puccio, who was the mayor at that time.
Shop workers found it convenient to build their houses near the places where they worked. Therefore Botteghelle originated from a group of stores but quickly the village expanded finding itself in the confluence of the two roads, fertile ground to establish trade and so attracting some immigration
from the neighbouring villages. An immigration that in the following century noticeably increased when, as a result of thriving citrus
plantations, the village offered jobs in the commercial work of lemon
s and in the manufacturing of citrus byproducts. Besides, many of these workers chose to move to the new centre so the village grew quite quickly. Botteghelle thus became the most important settlement in Fiumefreddo territory and the centre of the economic and cultural life. Putieddi (in Sicilian
) became the name of the entire commune.
that the Jury, the town councillors of the period had built to hear Mass. The name of this quarter comes from the tower or little castle built in 1500 to control the coast, The Gravinas made it a civil house but nowadays it is in ruins. Not very far from the old tower, on the east side, rises a baronial palace which dates back to 1700, a country residence for the Lords. The statues of two Moors appear at the windows of the loggia; a legend tells that the castle is named “The Castle of the Slaves" after these two Moors.
Recent archaeological excavations, carried out by the Superintendence to BB.CC. of Catania, have shown the Thermae
of an ancient Roman Villa
of the same age of the more famous one in Piazza Armerina
.
start, and which are rich in vineyards.
The old quarter sits around a square and the recent Church of the Holy Child from Prague, is renowned for its wells of "Bufardo Torrerossa" water, whose springs were discovered by Francesco De Maria in 1875, as it is remembered in a memorial tablet. A rustic building was the place where the Town Hall was.
, along the provincial road, to the east of Botteghelle is Gona. The name is a corruption of the Greek “Icona” which probably referring to a small chapel that was nearby.
One of the shops that the Prince of Palagonia had built was in Gona and the village grew from it. It was also named "Porta Sicura” (safety door) because people who were persecuted by the Justice could not be bothered there.
The quarter is expanding close to the small square next to the Church of “Our Lady of the Grace", (where there is a valuable painting Our Lady of the Grace of Maratta) and until the motorway junction, on the bounder line to the comune of Piedimonte Etneo and Calatabiano. In Ponte Borea there are some typical Etnean country buildings.
Coming from Giardini-Naxos
and Calatabiano along the provincial road that leads from Messina to Catania, there is the quarter of Diana. In the square, recently restored by the Town Authority, there is the statue of Filippo Torrisi, a philanthropic doctor who lived between the seventeenth and the eighteenth century.
A small church dedicated to St. Vincenzo Ferreri and, on the west side, the Corvaja Palace, open on the square: they are significant samples of the rural island architecture, built at the end of the eighteenth century over previous buildings. It consists of the lord's residence, the chapel, the stores, a large yard and the servants' area, over which stands an old battlement tower. It probably dates back to Federick II, who gave it a farm fortress aspect.
The church of St. Vincenzo was built to do the Family Diana's wishes at the end of the seventeenth century and it has over the gate the Family's emblem. Inside the church there is the tomb
of a boy belonging to the same family.
in the seventeenth century: Il Castello degli Schiavi (the Castle of the Slaves).
The entrance to the castle
is an iron
gate, mounted in an arch of lava
stone closed by a mascaron that is surmounted by a shell, a common element in the best Catanese Baroque of that period. The arch rests on two false brackets that seem to support two lavic sides of the portal which alternates plain rectangles to others having an atypical pyramid on the vertex. The side walls rest on false bases. The large open space has a well in the centre and citruses, bougainvilleas and palm trees by the sides. By the side of this court there are storehouses and old stables. On the west side, after the entrance gate, there is the guardian's house.
On the top of the building there is a large arcade. It is possible to see it from the countryside, placed on point of junction of the facets of the sloping roof. On the opening of the arcade there are two Moors. The façade of the parade is slight oblique in comparison to the road. The castle has two floors: the ground floor is a store while the first floor is the owner's residence. The ground floor has a large central door, bordered with lava stone and with an oil lamp. By the sides of the entrance there are two dark windows also edged with lava stone.
The first floor has a central balcony with a half bulging rail and three lamps Four double brackets prop up the balcony whose door is surmounted by a lava stone frame with mascarones. By the sides, symmetrically to the small windows of the ground floor there are two large windows. Above the openings of the first floor the white of a theory of the raised pinnacles which reproduce hangings of noble tapestries. From every corner of the ground floor some small towers come out; every tower is faced in four parts and closed, from top to bottom, in volumes with gracious lines. Over every facing there is a slit and on every slit eyes and ears are carved in order to remind to the farmers that the master controls them even when they believe not to be controlled.
The southern façade of the palace has got three windows as the eastern façade. It also has an external stair that goes to the rooms of the upper floor. At the beginning it goes dressed to the façade and after it turns in the direction of the door, where it extends in a harmonious small terrace. The narrow stairs, with a lava stone handrail has got a small arch at the beginning. It goes before of a flower bed with green climbing plants adjoining to the castle. The interior of the ground floor, with barrel vault
s, it is the basement. It is a cold store room to save food and wine. The upper floor has got eight rooms with an ancient furniture and object such as pictures, Gravina' s court of arms in golden "teson" of Spain; the flag with Savoia's court of arms, valuable books, ancient furniture and a piano.
At the bottom in the large courtyard, in the south east side of the palace, there is a small church dedicated to St. John cult, whose first construction dates back to 1544. It is presently consecrated to Our Lady of the Letter. In the interior there are two small lateral altars and the bigger central one, where, upon it there is the icon of the Our Lady of the Letter. The small church, which is totally in the noble area of the castle, must be excluded by the cult of people different from the owners.
There is a legend about the name of the palace. It tells about a doctor from Palermo, called Palmieri, who saved the Prince of Palagonia's young son affected by a very dangerous illness. The Prince gave him a part of his feud next to the fresh spring of the river because he was very grateful to him. Palmieri built a beautiful palace, he wanted to spend a long resting period with his young and charming lady. But the quiet family life was disturbed by the arrival of “Moreschi" pirates who arrived at the castle from the near beach. They stole everything and imprisoned the owners in order to sell them as slaves. When they came back to the ship riding and anchor in the river, the Moors were attacked by a group of young people from Taormina
. They were led by Nello Corvaja who was in the lady's good graces. From the heights of Taormina he noticed the Moor's vessel; he hastened to reach the river, being afraid of the sort of the lady.
The Castle of the Slaves has been the setting for many cinematography works. It was discovered by Pier Paolo Pasolini in 1968. He filmed some scenes of "Orgia" but the castle became famous with Il Padrino (The Godfather
). Francis Ford Coppola filmed some immortal scenes both from the first part (1971) and the second part (1974).
Going up towards Castello and after Via Della Chiesa and a square dedicated to Mother Teresa of Calcutta, until fifty years ago it was possible to see the ruins of the small Church of Saint Joseph
, built by the Prince of Palagonia in 1612, and the ruins of the tribune put up by the first town councillors.
During World War II
bombardments the church was completely destroyed, miraculously the statues that were in the church were not destroyed. During the period that there was no church the statues were kept in several parishioners houses:
During the 60’s the church was rebuilt and finished. It was consecrated the 6 September 1969 but it hasn't yet been dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary for several difficulties.
Beyond Diana, on the west, between Feudogrande and Ponteborea, among the green citrus plantations, there is another tower which is named Torrerossa (the red tower) because it was built with red bricks. Originally it was a Roman sepulchral monument; it has been restored several times and now it is the symbol of the Commune.
The right aisle -on the southern side- was built in 1910-1920 together with the chapel dedicated to the Immaculate and it was distempered by the painter Primo Panciroli(1944) from Rome. The statue of the Immaculate Conception
, which is very worshipped by the inhabitants of the town, is a valuable sculpture made of Sicilian poplar
wood by a sculptor from Messina and donated to the church by Francesco De Maria(1888) for favours received. The left aisle -on the northern side- together with the tower bell and the northern façade in white stone of Syracuse have been completed in the 50s and 60s thanks to the Archpriest Antonino Catalano (priest 1937-1990). The glass resin
statue
of the Immaculate was placed on the tower bell in July 1977 on the occasion of the centenary of the church.
The main entrance of the Reserve is situated in Cottone, far about 200 m. from the sea and 1,500 m. from Diana, after the Castle of the Slaves that is in the territory of the pre Reserve. Some members of this association act as guides during the visits and give information and leaflets. After an agreement with the Province Authority, the local W.W.F is, in fact, entrusted with the management of the reserve. Because of plenty of water visits are recommended during the winter time. Spring and Autumn are fit for bird watching of the migratory bird life. The summer season is ideal to go to the sea, especially next to the mouth, and is pleasant resting in the surrounding wood.
It is possible to go along "sentiero natura”, which is long about three kilometres. The way is in concrete pavement and it is a level road with grassy stretches. The excursion takes about 90 minutes including a rest and the observation time. During the winter it is useful to dress properly with trekking suit and shoes. It is also useful to take binoculars to see things from a distance.
The Reserve is of interest because it is a remnant of a large marshy area that used to spread out along the coast from Riposto to Fiumefreddo.
. They represent a unique survey station for all of southern Italy.
In the shallow zones of the river, interspersed with smaller streams, it is possible to find Water Celery, Cress, Water Speedwell and Bergamot Mint. Near the mouth there are some examples of "Sparganio", a rare species which is in Sicily only on the Nebrodi
at a height of one thousand meters. The riversides are full of Marsh Thin Reeds and some Serrate leaf Polygon.
In the mouth of the river there are plants of papyrus
whose quality is superior to that of the Ciane river in Syracuse and to the Egyptian
papyrus. The vegetation upon the cane brake with Sedges Bank Sedge and Foxy Sedge has an excellent marshy flora built from Water Iris, Dichotomous Zygome and other species.
Along the riversides there are Nettle, Angelica, White Bearbind, Water Hemp, Equisetum, Brambles and Reeds. This kind of nitrophilous vegetation (it grows in an environment full of nitrogen) is favoured by surrounding farming. Near the springs called “Quadare” it is possible to observe fragments of an old wood of White Willow.
; Titmouse
, Kestrel
, Barn Owl
, Kingfisher
. Among migratory species: Wild Duck
, Hoopoe
, Red Heron
, Egret
, Ash coloured Heron
, Crane
, Stork
, Kite
and Tit
.
Mammalian species, that live inside the reserve, are less numerous but not less interesting: wild rabbit
, fox
, weasel
, hedgehog
and little rodents such as the field mouse
. In this habitat reptiles find an ideal environment: the Coluber
, the Ring Snake and the Gecko
. Fish species are the Heel
and, more rarely, the Trout
.
Although there aren't detailed information about invertebrates living in the reserve, it is possible to observe many insects that are the food sources for the larger fauna; there are many species of Dragonfly
, Chafer, Cricket
, Balm cricket, Water flea, Bumble bee, Swallow tail
, Cabbage butterfly, Vanessa
, Earthworm
and river crab.
s, orange
s and tangerine
s) and on the manufacturing of citrus by-products. The first firms were built at the end of the nineteenth century and at the beginning of the last. This caused an increased demand for labour; so many workers moved to Fiumefreddo especially from the Province of Messina
. The lemon juice was processed, bottled up and exported to make several types of drinks. At the beginning of the 20th century the London market required almost the entire production. But from the 1950s the export trade began to meet difficulties because of the competition with America
and Mediterranean countries, such as Spain and Israel
.
The crisis of the citrus plantations caused a difficult time which was overcome when, in the 1960s, two factories were opened: the Siace and the Keyes, to manufacture the paper. This signalled an important economic change as agricultural workers became employed in manufacturing.
The opening of the Siace caused a widening of the tertiary sector and increased the quality of the local life, deeply linking the life in the town to the financial success of the factory. After a few years the first factory started its decline which ended with the closing of Siace. The critical time was the summer of 1969, when the factory was occupied by the workers. Later it passed to the Sicilian Region but this didn't save the factory, while Keyes, a Dutch
multinational company, continued the production of trays and containers made of biological paper until 2005 when it was closed.
Lately there has been a return to the country; a renewed agriculture
that makes optimum use of the land through farmers' co-operatives and innovation, such as the floriculture and the production of vegetables grown in greenhouses. It is important to underline the export of daisies, bouganvilleas (Fiumefreddo is in competition with Florida
), hibiscus, ornamental palms and citrus trees. Recently the cherry tomato (called "di Pachino”) industry is expanding; about 80 people work in one farm. The growing and manufacturing of papyrus, out of which a valuable paper is made (the Pharaoh's paper), is also increasing. There is also a production of exotic fruit, especially mango, that finds ideal weather conditions here.
Handicraft
is also developed, especially the manufacturing of building products and marbles, machine shops, the handwork of artistic handicrafts made of wrought iron, lamps, wooden and aluminium frames, joiner's shops and studios specialised in restoration works of old furniture. A big pasta factory specialising in organic pasta exports its products all over the world. It is very interesting visiting some craftsman's shops, especially those showing furniture of the Sicilian Eighteenth Century and old tools. In Via Umberto there is the studio of a very esteemed naive painter, Professor Marcello La Spina. Some private shops make gold and silk embroidery, following ancient techniques.
The local confectioner's shops, in via Umberto and in Feudogrande, Diana and Castello, make Cannoli
, almond paste (marzipan
), ice cream
and granita
.
Another source of wealth for the town is the sea, more so from tourism than fishing. Fiumefreddo's beach seems to be the only bathing area from Catania to Messina, in fact it gained the Blue Flag of the European Community. Carlo Lizzani filmed some scenes of his documentary “A travel around Frederick the Second". In restaurants along Marina di Cottone beach there is fresh fish and other specialities of Sicilian cuisine, accompanied by Etnean wine
s.
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:...
on the coast of the Ionian Sea
Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...
on the island of 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,...
. It shares its borders with the municipalities of Calatabiano
Calatabiano
Calatabiano is a comune in the Province of Catania in the Italian region Sicily, located about 170 km east of Palermo and about 35 km northeast of Catania...
to the north, Mascali
Mascali
Mascali is a comune in the Province of Catania in the Italian region Sicily, located about 170 km east of Palermo and about 30 km northeast of Catania....
to the south and Piedimonte Etneo
Piedimonte Etneo
Piedimonte Etneo is a comune in the Province of Catania in the Italian region Sicily, located about 160 km east of Palermo and about 35 km northeast of Catania...
to the west.
The commune gets its name from the Fiumefreddo River which runs alongside the territory of the comune. The word "fiumefreddo" means literally "cold river", a reference to the fact that the river is fed by snow melts from Mount Etna
Mount Etna
Mount Etna is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, close to Messina and Catania. It is the tallest active volcano in Europe, currently standing high, though this varies with summit eruptions; the mountain is 21 m higher than it was in 1981.. It is the highest mountain in...
. Fiumefreddo di Sicilia is near the major Etna tourist centres. The SS120 to Mt Etna and Randazzo
Randazzo
Randazzo is a town and comune of Sicily, Italy, in the province of Catania. It is situated at the northern foot of Mount Etna, 70 km NW of Catania by rail. It is the nearest town to the summit of Etna, and is one of the points from which the ascent may be made.-History:In the 13th century the...
start from there.
Il Castello degli Schiavi in Fiumefreddo di Sicilia is known for being in the Godfather trilogy as the house where many scenes were shot, one of the most famous being in The Godfather Part I
The Godfather
The Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
when Apollonia was murdered.
The Comune
Fiumefreddo Bruzio
Fiumefreddo Bruzio is a town and comune in the province of Cosenza in the Calabria region of southern Italy....
, in the Province of Cosenza
Province of Cosenza
The Province of Cosenza is a province in the Calabria region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Cosenza.It has an area of 6,650 km², and a total population of 733,797 . It is the biggest Calabrian Province...
. Currently the town has almost 10,000 inhabitants.
Fiumefreddo stands along the SS 114 and A18, both roads run from Catania to Messina. Fiumefreddo di Sicilia is in the heart of an important road and railway network, near Taormina
Taormina
Taormina is a comune and small town on the east coast of the island of Sicily, Italy, in the Province of Messina, about midway between Messina and Catania. Taormina has been a very popular tourist destination since the 19th century...
and Acireale
Acireale
Acireale is a coastal city and commune in the north-east of the province of Catania, Sicily, Italy, at the foot of Mount Etna, on the coast facing the Ionian Sea. It is a diocese, famous for its churches, including the Neo-Gothic St. Peter's Basilica, St...
and not far from Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
and Messina. Its strategical position, has been enhanced by the opening of the motorway junction. This has reemphasised Fiumefreddo's role in the area.
The most important part of Fiumefreddo stands along the SS 114, where, in the 1700s, the old shops of the Prince of Palagonia stood. Therefore this area maintains the name of Botteghelle, while other areas, such as Castello, Diana, Liberto, Torrerossa, Ponte Borea, Feudogrande, Vignagrande, Gona and Civì, were built at different periods.
Together with other towns, such as Giarre
Giarre
Giarre is an Italian town and comune on the east coast of Sicily in the province of Catania. It is bounded by the comuni of Mascali, Riposto, Acireale, Santa Venerina, Milo and Sant'Alfio...
, Riposto
Riposto
Riposto is a comune in the Province of Catania in the Italian region Sicily, located about 170 km east of Palermo and about 25 km northeast of Catania.-External links:*...
, Piedimonte Etneo
Piedimonte Etneo
Piedimonte Etneo is a comune in the Province of Catania in the Italian region Sicily, located about 160 km east of Palermo and about 35 km northeast of Catania...
, Linguaglossa
Linguaglossa
Linguaglossa is a town and comune in the Province of Catania in Italy, located on the northern side of Mount Etna. It was founded on a lava stream in 1566 which is reflected in the Sicilian name "tongue red"....
, Castiglione di Sicilia
Castiglione di Sicilia
Castiglione di Sicilia is a comune in the Province of Catania in Sicily.-Geography:...
, Mascali
Mascali
Mascali is a comune in the Province of Catania in the Italian region Sicily, located about 170 km east of Palermo and about 30 km northeast of Catania....
and Calatabiano
Calatabiano
Calatabiano is a comune in the Province of Catania in the Italian region Sicily, located about 170 km east of Palermo and about 35 km northeast of Catania...
, Fiumefreddo forms the electorate of Giarre.
Fiumefreddo is bounded by the Ionian Sea
Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...
to the East, by Calatabiano to the North, by Piedimonte Etneo to the West and by Mascali to the South. Its municipal territory is mainly flat, especially along the coast, where there is the Marina di Cottone beach, which is subject to very intense summer tourism.
Fiumefreddo is so named after the river that runs through it, whose natural habitat, with its exceptionally cold water, has allowed the development of typical river flora and fauna. In order to protect this particular natural environment, the Sicilian Region, through a law D.A. n. 205185, has instituted a protected area, The Natural Oriented Reserve of The River Fiumefreddo.
History
On the western coast of Sicily, on the south of the river AlcantaraAlcantara (river)
The Alcantara is a river in Sicily. It has its source on the south side of Monti Nebrodi and its mouth in the Ionian Sea at Capo Schiso in Giardini-Naxos. The river is long....
, where the extremities of the slopes of Mount Etna
Mount Etna
Mount Etna is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, close to Messina and Catania. It is the tallest active volcano in Europe, currently standing high, though this varies with summit eruptions; the mountain is 21 m higher than it was in 1981.. It is the highest mountain in...
spread out in plains and small hills, a little river rises from lava rocks, it flows towards the sea and for the exceptional coldness of its water is named Fiumefreddo, ("Cold River"). This river runs across a plain. Here Cluverio said Greeks founded Nasso. Although some historians had placed Naxos on Cape Schisò, ancient writers described the new town as set up between two rivers: the Onobola on the North and the Akesine on the South.
By identifying the first river with the Alcantara
Alcantara (river)
The Alcantara is a river in Sicily. It has its source on the south side of Monti Nebrodi and its mouth in the Ionian Sea at Capo Schiso in Giardini-Naxos. The river is long....
, the second is most likely Fiumefreddo. This theory has been borne out by Bochard, who found an etymological correspondence of the name Akesine to that of Fiumefreddo. The name of the ancient river may have been born indeed as a corruption of the word Akesine that probably derived from a Syriac word, "hassim', which means "cold river". This theory was so repeated that someone managed to see even the ancient Nasso and to describe its ruins next to the Torre Rossa (Red Tower).
Holm succeeded in discrediting this theory. He proved that Onobola is the torrent Sìrina; it flows down to the sea near Giardini railway station. He also established that the Akesine is Alcantara
Alcantara (river)
The Alcantara is a river in Sicily. It has its source on the south side of Monti Nebrodi and its mouth in the Ionian Sea at Capo Schiso in Giardini-Naxos. The river is long....
. Therefore the ancient Nasso was set again on Cape Schisò. But some historians did not give up on the idea of describing an old town next to the mouth of Fiumefreddo, so Carrera placed Callipoli, Nasso's colony. More accurate studies have placed this colony near Mascali, on the left side of the torrent Macchia.
It is likely that in 135 BCE, slaves led by Euno passed through this territory when, having revolting against the Romans
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
, they were besieged by Rupilio consul at Taormina's Acropolis
Acropolis
Acropolis means "high city" in Greek, literally city on the extremity and is usually translated into English as Citadel . For purposes of defense, early people naturally chose elevated ground to build a new settlement, frequently a hill with precipitous sides...
, and when, in 63 BCE, stirred up by Atenione, they were surrounded at Macella.
Later Sicily was conquered by the Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
who instituted a feudal system of government. Count Roger
Roger I of Sicily
Roger I , called Bosso and the Great Count, was the Norman Count of Sicily from 1071 to 1101. He was the last great leader of the Norman conquest of southern Italy.-Conquest of Calabria and Sicily:...
gave the enfeoffment of Fiumefireddo territory (with San Giovanni Church) to the Greek bishop Mannuges, who, after his death, gave it to Angeria, Bishop of Catania. This donation was confirmed by the bishop of Messina in 1106 and it is supported by documentary evidence in the Greek Diplomas contained in the Table that is kept in the Capitural Archives, in Catania’s main church.
During the twelfth century Catania's bishops succeeded Augerio in the Fiumefreddo Feud. After the Norman Kingdom of Sicily
Kingdom of Sicily
The Kingdom of Sicily was a state that existed in the south of Italy from its founding by Roger II in 1130 until 1816. It was a successor state of the County of Sicily, which had been founded in 1071 during the Norman conquest of southern Italy...
passed to the Swabians (the House of Hohenstaufen) and following a long struggle between Church and Empire during the reign of Frederick II
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
(Fidiricu), the Bishop of Catania lost this territory. Immediately after the Sicilian Vespers
Sicilian Vespers
The Sicilian Vespers is the name given to the successful rebellion on the island of Sicily that broke out on the Easter of 1282 against the rule of the French/Angevin king Charles I, who had ruled the Kingdom of Sicily since 1266. Within six weeks three thousand French men and women were slain by...
of 1282, the Feud belonged to the Admiral Ruggero di Lauria. When Count Ruggero was charged with treason, Symon Fimmetta received this Feud, as in the census of Frederick III
Frederick III of Sicily
Frederick II was the regent and subsequently King of Sicily from 1295 until his death. He was the third son of Peter III of Aragon and served in the War of the Sicilian Vespers on behalf of his father and brothers, Alfonso and James...
in 1296. It wasn't until the next century before Fiumefreddo Feud is mentioned again in Official Acts. In the census of Martin the younger
Martin I of Sicily
Martin I of Sicily , called "The Younger", was King of Sicily from 1390 to 1409.Martin's father was the future King Martin I of Aragon, and his grandparents were King Peter IV of Aragon and Eleanor of Sicily. In 1389/1390/February, 1392 he married Maria of Sicily, born in 1362/1363...
(1408) the Feud appears as a Property of Zaccaria de Parisio: maybe the feud previously belonged to his brother Adario, whose inheritance was also desired by the Balsamo Family from Messina. This caused a quarrel between Balsamo and Zaccaria families. Eventually Zaccaria gave them two thirds of the property sought. After Parisio had taken control of the estate, his son Nicolò, also known as Vayro, succeeded in obtaining the Investiture by the Archbishop of Palermo in 1493. He was obliged to respect the Curia Rights and the Military Service. At that time there were still no residences but only a small castle built to signal dangers from the sea and from the neighbouring areas. Parisios maintained the Feud until the first half of the seventeenth century, but in 1666, they lost it and Francesco Maria Arezzo became the Lord of Fiumefreddo. At that time a little village was built around the castle.
In 1674, during the Revolution in Messina, the Arezzos supported the Lighthouse Town, and after the rebels were defeated, they lost the seigniory over Fiumefreddo. Felice Mancuso was then enfeoffed and he also obtained the election of Fiumefreddo in Barony. In 1726 Francesco Ferdinando Gravina, Prince of Palagonia and Baron of Calatabiano received the Investiture of the Barony of Fiumefreddo. During the time of Gravina the Church of San Giuseppe was built, which became the centre of the new built up area and some shops that were run in the Prince's interest were opened along the road. A little village was built on the southern area of the Barony and another one on the north, in the Diana area, where also was built the Church of San Vincenzo.
In 1801, Fiumefreddo had a population of 500 inhabitants, and the territory was therefore elevated to a commune. In 1813, after the abolition of vassalage, Fiumefreddo did not depend anymore on the Baron, apart from census to be paid, so the village began to prosper reaching 700 inhabitants in 1831. In 1848 a revolution
Sicilian revolution of independence of 1848
The Sicilian revolution of independence of 1848 occurred in a year replete with revolutions and popular revolts. It commenced on 12 January 1848, and therefore was one of the first of the numerous revolutions to occur that year...
against Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
arose in Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
and it echoed even in Fiumefreddo where a certain Carrobello, backed up by other comrades blocked the coach of an Intendant who was passing through the village. He was threatening with the cry “Palermo and Santa Rosolia!". The unlucky person managed to run away only after he had denounced his rank and position.
In 1849, after the fall of Messina, Fiumefreddo was invaded by the King's troops. The chaplain Domenico Biondo told the Bourbon soldiers that he was going to Catania but he was threatened with death by a soldier because a priest had killed his brother. During the night of the 24 October 1852, King Ferdinando II
Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies
Ferdinand II was King of the Two Sicilies from 1830 until his death.-Family:Ferdinand was born in Palermo, the son of King Francis I of the Two Sicilies and his wife and first cousin Maria Isabella of Spain.His paternal grandparents were King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies and Queen Marie...
passed through Fiumefreddo and stopped for few minutes at a fountain with a trough and near Morabito Palace. Here he received the delegation of the commune led by don Leonardo Puccio, who was the mayor at that time.
Botteghelle
Along the confluence of two main roads that linked up Catania to Messina and the Etnean villages to the sea, first rose a tavern, then an inn and eventually some shops and "fondachi", places where it was possible to change horses: useful services for travellers facing a journey that in the eighteenth century seemed gruelling.Shop workers found it convenient to build their houses near the places where they worked. Therefore Botteghelle originated from a group of stores but quickly the village expanded finding itself in the confluence of the two roads, fertile ground to establish trade and so attracting some immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
from the neighbouring villages. An immigration that in the following century noticeably increased when, as a result of thriving citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
plantations, the village offered jobs in the commercial work of lemon
Lemon
The lemon is both a small evergreen tree native to Asia, and the tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit. The fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world – primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind are also used, mainly in cooking and baking...
s and in the manufacturing of citrus byproducts. Besides, many of these workers chose to move to the new centre so the village grew quite quickly. Botteghelle thus became the most important settlement in Fiumefreddo territory and the centre of the economic and cultural life. Putieddi (in Sicilian
Sicilian language
Sicilian is a Romance language. Its dialects make up the Extreme-Southern Italian language group, which are spoken on the island of Sicily and its satellite islands; in southern and central Calabria ; in the southern parts of Apulia, the Salento ; and Campania, on the Italian mainland, where it is...
) became the name of the entire commune.
Castello
Situated 400 metres east of Botteghelle, Castello represents the oldest built up area of Fiumefreddo. Before the development of trade along the road from Catania to Messina, this area was the Centre of the new commune. In its church (nowadays lost but a new one was built in the same Piazza in the 1960s) was a pewPew
A pew is a long bench seat or enclosed box used for seating members of a congregation or choir in a church, or sometimes in a courtroom.-Overview:Churches were not commonly furnished with permanent pews before the Protestant Reformation...
that the Jury, the town councillors of the period had built to hear Mass. The name of this quarter comes from the tower or little castle built in 1500 to control the coast, The Gravinas made it a civil house but nowadays it is in ruins. Not very far from the old tower, on the east side, rises a baronial palace which dates back to 1700, a country residence for the Lords. The statues of two Moors appear at the windows of the loggia; a legend tells that the castle is named “The Castle of the Slaves" after these two Moors.
Diana
Situated to the north about 300 metres from Botteghelle. Diana rises around a small square, that is the entire built up area. The quarter is so named after the Diana Family, who received the income of the lands of San Vincenzo Hill. Here they built the Family Palace whose evident signs are the square and the family coat of arms (unfortunately stolen by unknown people) on the Portal of the little Church. The inhabitants of Diana are mainly employed in agriculture, while the inhabitants of Botteghelle are devoted to trade.Torrerossa
Almost a kilometre west of Botteghelle, before the crossroads to Piedimonte Etneo and Calatabiano, is the quarter of Torrerossa ("The red tower"). It consists of few groups of houses, hidden among the citrus plantations, but it is now nearly entirely uninhabited. The quarter is named after the ruin of an old red brick tower, dating back to Roman Times. It was a sepulchral monument that now stands among lemon trees and it is the symbol of the comune of Fiumefreddo. This symbol stands out on the green drape of the gonfalon.Recent archaeological excavations, carried out by the Superintendence to BB.CC. of Catania, have shown the Thermae
Thermae
In ancient Rome, thermae and balnea were facilities for bathing...
of an ancient Roman Villa
Roman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
of the same age of the more famous one in Piazza Armerina
Piazza Armerina
Piazza Armerina is an Italian comune in the province of Enna of the autonomous island region of Sicily.-History:...
.
Feudogrande
Feudogrande is situated at about a kilometre west of Botteghelle, on the border with Piedimonte Etneo, where the terraced hills of the slopes of Mount EtnaMount Etna
Mount Etna is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, close to Messina and Catania. It is the tallest active volcano in Europe, currently standing high, though this varies with summit eruptions; the mountain is 21 m higher than it was in 1981.. It is the highest mountain in...
start, and which are rich in vineyards.
The old quarter sits around a square and the recent Church of the Holy Child from Prague, is renowned for its wells of "Bufardo Torrerossa" water, whose springs were discovered by Francesco De Maria in 1875, as it is remembered in a memorial tablet. A rustic building was the place where the Town Hall was.
Civì & Borgo Valerio
More than two kilometres from Botteghelle, after Feudogrande, the small urban conglomeration of Civì has many citrus plantations. It was probably named after an ancient family who used to live here. In the neighbourhood, there is the small country village of Borgo Valerio, a nobiliary residence of the eighteenth century that now is a farm holiday centre.Vignagrande
Vignagrande is an industrial and commercial area, recently there has been an expansion in the construction of housing in the frazione.Gona
On the border with the territory of MascaliMascali
Mascali is a comune in the Province of Catania in the Italian region Sicily, located about 170 km east of Palermo and about 30 km northeast of Catania....
, along the provincial road, to the east of Botteghelle is Gona. The name is a corruption of the Greek “Icona” which probably referring to a small chapel that was nearby.
One of the shops that the Prince of Palagonia had built was in Gona and the village grew from it. It was also named "Porta Sicura” (safety door) because people who were persecuted by the Justice could not be bothered there.
Ponte Borea
At the crossroad of the provincial road to Calatabiano, near the Bridge of Minissale there is Ponte Borea. The name comes from the closeness of the bridge and from the freshness of the air, that, because of the height (130 m.) and the not very dense population, is always purer and fresher than in other areas. The word Borea comes from the dialect "voria" that recalls the chilliness of the air just stirred by the wind.The quarter is expanding close to the small square next to the Church of “Our Lady of the Grace", (where there is a valuable painting Our Lady of the Grace of Maratta) and until the motorway junction, on the bounder line to the comune of Piedimonte Etneo and Calatabiano. In Ponte Borea there are some typical Etnean country buildings.
Filippo Torrisi Statue, S. Vincenzo Ferreri Church & the Corvaja Palace
Giardini-Naxos
Giardini Naxos is a comune in the Province of Messina on the island of Sicily in Italy. It is situated on the coast of the Ionian Sea on a bay which lies between Cape Taormina and Cape Schisò...
and Calatabiano along the provincial road that leads from Messina to Catania, there is the quarter of Diana. In the square, recently restored by the Town Authority, there is the statue of Filippo Torrisi, a philanthropic doctor who lived between the seventeenth and the eighteenth century.
A small church dedicated to St. Vincenzo Ferreri and, on the west side, the Corvaja Palace, open on the square: they are significant samples of the rural island architecture, built at the end of the eighteenth century over previous buildings. It consists of the lord's residence, the chapel, the stores, a large yard and the servants' area, over which stands an old battlement tower. It probably dates back to Federick II, who gave it a farm fortress aspect.
The church of St. Vincenzo was built to do the Family Diana's wishes at the end of the seventeenth century and it has over the gate the Family's emblem. Inside the church there is the tomb
Tomb
A tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes...
of a boy belonging to the same family.
The Castle of the Slaves
From the small Diana's square, after Via Badalà, there is a road that leads to the sea, Via Marina. Until a century ago it had the name of “Via Mulinelli” because there were many water mills along the road. On its route, after about a kilometre, there is one of the jewels of rural Sicilian baroqueSicilian Baroque
Sicilian Baroque is the distinctive form of Baroque architecture that took hold on the island of Sicily, off the southern coast of Italy, in the 17th and 18th centuries...
in the seventeenth century: Il Castello degli Schiavi (the Castle of the Slaves).
The entrance to the castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
is an iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
gate, mounted in an arch of lava
Lava
Lava refers both to molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption and the resulting rock after solidification and cooling. This molten rock is formed in the interior of some planets, including Earth, and some of their satellites. When first erupted from a volcanic vent, lava is a liquid at...
stone closed by a mascaron that is surmounted by a shell, a common element in the best Catanese Baroque of that period. The arch rests on two false brackets that seem to support two lavic sides of the portal which alternates plain rectangles to others having an atypical pyramid on the vertex. The side walls rest on false bases. The large open space has a well in the centre and citruses, bougainvilleas and palm trees by the sides. By the side of this court there are storehouses and old stables. On the west side, after the entrance gate, there is the guardian's house.
On the top of the building there is a large arcade. It is possible to see it from the countryside, placed on point of junction of the facets of the sloping roof. On the opening of the arcade there are two Moors. The façade of the parade is slight oblique in comparison to the road. The castle has two floors: the ground floor is a store while the first floor is the owner's residence. The ground floor has a large central door, bordered with lava stone and with an oil lamp. By the sides of the entrance there are two dark windows also edged with lava stone.
The first floor has a central balcony with a half bulging rail and three lamps Four double brackets prop up the balcony whose door is surmounted by a lava stone frame with mascarones. By the sides, symmetrically to the small windows of the ground floor there are two large windows. Above the openings of the first floor the white of a theory of the raised pinnacles which reproduce hangings of noble tapestries. From every corner of the ground floor some small towers come out; every tower is faced in four parts and closed, from top to bottom, in volumes with gracious lines. Over every facing there is a slit and on every slit eyes and ears are carved in order to remind to the farmers that the master controls them even when they believe not to be controlled.
The southern façade of the palace has got three windows as the eastern façade. It also has an external stair that goes to the rooms of the upper floor. At the beginning it goes dressed to the façade and after it turns in the direction of the door, where it extends in a harmonious small terrace. The narrow stairs, with a lava stone handrail has got a small arch at the beginning. It goes before of a flower bed with green climbing plants adjoining to the castle. The interior of the ground floor, with barrel vault
Barrel vault
A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve along a given distance. The curves are typically circular in shape, lending a semi-cylindrical appearance to the total design...
s, it is the basement. It is a cold store room to save food and wine. The upper floor has got eight rooms with an ancient furniture and object such as pictures, Gravina' s court of arms in golden "teson" of Spain; the flag with Savoia's court of arms, valuable books, ancient furniture and a piano.
At the bottom in the large courtyard, in the south east side of the palace, there is a small church dedicated to St. John cult, whose first construction dates back to 1544. It is presently consecrated to Our Lady of the Letter. In the interior there are two small lateral altars and the bigger central one, where, upon it there is the icon of the Our Lady of the Letter. The small church, which is totally in the noble area of the castle, must be excluded by the cult of people different from the owners.
There is a legend about the name of the palace. It tells about a doctor from Palermo, called Palmieri, who saved the Prince of Palagonia's young son affected by a very dangerous illness. The Prince gave him a part of his feud next to the fresh spring of the river because he was very grateful to him. Palmieri built a beautiful palace, he wanted to spend a long resting period with his young and charming lady. But the quiet family life was disturbed by the arrival of “Moreschi" pirates who arrived at the castle from the near beach. They stole everything and imprisoned the owners in order to sell them as slaves. When they came back to the ship riding and anchor in the river, the Moors were attacked by a group of young people from Taormina
Taormina
Taormina is a comune and small town on the east coast of the island of Sicily, Italy, in the Province of Messina, about midway between Messina and Catania. Taormina has been a very popular tourist destination since the 19th century...
. They were led by Nello Corvaja who was in the lady's good graces. From the heights of Taormina he noticed the Moor's vessel; he hastened to reach the river, being afraid of the sort of the lady.
The Castle of the Slaves has been the setting for many cinematography works. It was discovered by Pier Paolo Pasolini in 1968. He filmed some scenes of "Orgia" but the castle became famous with Il Padrino (The Godfather
The Godfather
The Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
). Francis Ford Coppola filmed some immortal scenes both from the first part (1971) and the second part (1974).
Church of Saint Joseph/Our Lady of the Rosary
Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....
, built by the Prince of Palagonia in 1612, and the ruins of the tribune put up by the first town councillors.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
bombardments the church was completely destroyed, miraculously the statues that were in the church were not destroyed. During the period that there was no church the statues were kept in several parishioners houses:
- Our Lady of the Chain in Salvatore Pafumi's house
- Our Lady of the RosaryOur Lady of the RosaryOur Lady of the Rosary is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary in relation to the rosary....
in Salvatore Caminiti's house - Saint JosephSaint JosephSaint Joseph is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of the Virgin Mary and the earthly father of Jesus Christ ....
in Alfio Vecchio's house - Our Lady of the Sorrows & Dead JesusJesusJesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
in Mr. Cristina's house.
During the 60’s the church was rebuilt and finished. It was consecrated the 6 September 1969 but it hasn't yet been dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary for several difficulties.
Gravina's Family Castle
In some ruins near the church, entirely restored, some experts have seen the rests of the castle of Gravina Family built in 1500 and after which the quarter is named.Casale Papandrea
Next to the church there is a large building, a citrus byproducts firm, built in the second half of the last century and named Casale Papandrea. Placed by the side of the court is a lava stone gate entrance. The complex consists of three buildings around a square space. The factory consists of a large rectangular room, mainly developed in length and it has two levels. Next to the firm there are two lower bodies of the building: a store and a small building once used as an office. This is leant against a big arch which is a communication link between the court and outside the building. It continues the rhythmic scansion of the openings that are walled up and so it close the third façade of the court. The rear walls of the houses that looks out on Via Della Chiesa, close the court. The factory seems to be a compact structure whose front is measured by depressed curved windows with two shutters and with a brick frame. There is just and projecting element that is a square little tower over which leant a brick stair, a room which was used to check all people did inside the building. On the ground floor there are still some cast iron screw presses which were used to abstract the sourness. The upper floor was used as a citrus fruits store that the conveyor belt led to the ground floor where the fruits were manufactured. The tile covering of the roof is supported by wooden trusses. Leaning against the blind wall there are some vats for fermentation.The Red Tower
Church of Holy Immaculate Mary
Along the road S.S. 114 towards Catania is Botteginelle, which is the most important built up and commercial area. In the main square there is the Holy Immaculate Mary Church that was built thanks to the contribution of the comune and the parishioners in 1866-1877 and it was open in July 1877. It has a nave with a bell tower in front of it.The right aisle -on the southern side- was built in 1910-1920 together with the chapel dedicated to the Immaculate and it was distempered by the painter Primo Panciroli(1944) from Rome. The statue of the Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception of Mary is a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, according to which the Virgin Mary was conceived without any stain of original sin. It is one of the four dogmata in Roman Catholic Mariology...
, which is very worshipped by the inhabitants of the town, is a valuable sculpture made of Sicilian poplar
Poplar
Populus is a genus of 25–35 species of deciduous flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. English names variously applied to different species include poplar , aspen, and cottonwood....
wood by a sculptor from Messina and donated to the church by Francesco De Maria(1888) for favours received. The left aisle -on the northern side- together with the tower bell and the northern façade in white stone of Syracuse have been completed in the 50s and 60s thanks to the Archpriest Antonino Catalano (priest 1937-1990). The glass resin
Resin
Resin in the most specific use of the term is a hydrocarbon secretion of many plants, particularly coniferous trees. Resins are valued for their chemical properties and associated uses, such as the production of varnishes, adhesives, and food glazing agents; as an important source of raw materials...
statue
Statue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
of the Immaculate was placed on the tower bell in July 1977 on the occasion of the centenary of the church.
Marina di Cottone
From the motorway junction, along via Ponte Minissale, after the road S.S. 114, on the East, the visitor can admire the splendid view of Marina di Cottone, with its open and unpolluted sea and its beach with big grey, white and black shingles; it is the destination of thousands of tourists during the summer time.The Natural Oriented Reserve of the river Fiumefreddo
Together with the sea, with its pure, deep and cold water, the element that is the main attraction in the territory, is the river. In order to protect this peculiar ecosystem the river Fiumefreddo has been included among the first 19 Sicilian natural reserves. Through the law, D.A. n. 205 of the 29 06 84, the Sicilian Regional Administration has instituted the Natural Oriented Reserve of the river Fiumefreddo.The main entrance of the Reserve is situated in Cottone, far about 200 m. from the sea and 1,500 m. from Diana, after the Castle of the Slaves that is in the territory of the pre Reserve. Some members of this association act as guides during the visits and give information and leaflets. After an agreement with the Province Authority, the local W.W.F is, in fact, entrusted with the management of the reserve. Because of plenty of water visits are recommended during the winter time. Spring and Autumn are fit for bird watching of the migratory bird life. The summer season is ideal to go to the sea, especially next to the mouth, and is pleasant resting in the surrounding wood.
It is possible to go along "sentiero natura”, which is long about three kilometres. The way is in concrete pavement and it is a level road with grassy stretches. The excursion takes about 90 minutes including a rest and the observation time. During the winter it is useful to dress properly with trekking suit and shoes. It is also useful to take binoculars to see things from a distance.
The Reserve is of interest because it is a remnant of a large marshy area that used to spread out along the coast from Riposto to Fiumefreddo.
The Flora
The great importance of this protected area is due to the particular ecological conditions created by the cold water and by the flowing of Fiumefreddo river. They provide a perfect habitat for watery vegetation such as "Brasche" and Buttercups. These types of plants are more typical of Central and Atlantic EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. They represent a unique survey station for all of southern Italy.
In the shallow zones of the river, interspersed with smaller streams, it is possible to find Water Celery, Cress, Water Speedwell and Bergamot Mint. Near the mouth there are some examples of "Sparganio", a rare species which is in Sicily only on the Nebrodi
Nebrodi
The Nebrodi a mountain range that runs along the north east of Sicily. Together with the Madonie and the Peloritani, they form the Sicilian Apennines....
at a height of one thousand meters. The riversides are full of Marsh Thin Reeds and some Serrate leaf Polygon.
In the mouth of the river there are plants of papyrus
Papyrus
Papyrus is a thick paper-like material produced from the pith of the papyrus plant, Cyperus papyrus, a wetland sedge that was once abundant in the Nile Delta of Egypt....
whose quality is superior to that of the Ciane river in Syracuse and to the Egyptian
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
papyrus. The vegetation upon the cane brake with Sedges Bank Sedge and Foxy Sedge has an excellent marshy flora built from Water Iris, Dichotomous Zygome and other species.
Along the riversides there are Nettle, Angelica, White Bearbind, Water Hemp, Equisetum, Brambles and Reeds. This kind of nitrophilous vegetation (it grows in an environment full of nitrogen) is favoured by surrounding farming. Near the springs called “Quadare” it is possible to observe fragments of an old wood of White Willow.
The Fauna
The river ecosystem is important for many species of animals. This habitat is a staging place even for animals whose life is not deeply linked to the water. During excursions it is possible to observe many birds: sedentary species such as Water Hen, GreenfinchGreenfinch
-Birds:* Black-headed Greenfinch * European Greenfinch * Oriental Greenfinch * Vietnam Greenfinch * Yellow-breasted Greenfinch -Other:...
; Titmouse
Titmouse
The tits, chickadees, and titmice constitute Paridae, a large family of small passerine birds which occur in the northern hemisphere and Africa...
, Kestrel
Kestrel
The name kestrel, is given to several different members of the falcon genus, Falco. Kestrels are most easily distinguished by their typical hunting behaviour which is to hover at a height of around over open country and swoop down on prey, usually small mammals, lizards or large insects...
, Barn Owl
Barn Owl
The Barn Owl is the most widely distributed species of owl, and one of the most widespread of all birds. It is also referred to as Common Barn Owl, to distinguish it from other species in the barn-owl family Tytonidae. These form one of two main lineages of living owls, the other being the typical...
, Kingfisher
Kingfisher
Kingfishers are a group of small to medium sized brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species being found in the Old World and Australia...
. Among migratory species: Wild Duck
Wild duck
Wild Duck can refer to:*The Wild Duck, play by Henrik Ibsen*mallard, species of wild duck...
, Hoopoe
Hoopoe
The Hoopoe is a colourful bird that is found across Afro-Eurasia, notable for its distinctive 'crown' of feathers. It is the only extant species in the family Upupidae. One insular species, the Giant Hoopoe of Saint Helena, is extinct, and the Madagascar subspecies of the Hoopoe is sometimes...
, Red Heron
Heron
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
, Egret
Egret
An egret is any of several herons, most of which are white or buff, and several of which develop fine plumes during the breeding season. Many egrets are members of the genera Egretta or Ardea which contain other species named as herons rather than egrets...
, Ash coloured Heron
Heron
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
, Crane
Crane (bird)
Cranes are a family, Gruidae, of large, long-legged and long-necked birds in the order Gruiformes. There are fifteen species of crane in four genera. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back...
, Stork
Stork
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family Ciconiidae. They are the only family in the biological order Ciconiiformes, which was once much larger and held a number of families....
, Kite
Kite
A kite is a tethered aircraft. The necessary lift that makes the kite wing fly is generated when air flows over and under the kite's wing, producing low pressure above the wing and high pressure below it. This deflection also generates horizontal drag along the direction of the wind...
and Tit
Tit
TIT, Tit., tit., Tit, or Tits may refer to:- Birds :* Tit , of the family Paridae, including tits, chickadees and titmice* Long-tailed tits, of the family Aegithalidae* Wrentit, of the family Sylviidae...
.
Mammalian species, that live inside the reserve, are less numerous but not less interesting: wild rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
, fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
, weasel
Weasel
Weasels are mammals forming the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family. They are small, active predators, long and slender with short legs....
, hedgehog
Hedgehog
A hedgehog is any of the spiny mammals of the subfamily Erinaceinae and the order Erinaceomorpha. There are 17 species of hedgehog in five genera, found through parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and New Zealand . There are no hedgehogs native to Australia, and no living species native to the Americas...
and little rodents such as the field mouse
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
. In this habitat reptiles find an ideal environment: the Coluber
Coluber
Coluber is a genus of thin bodied, fast moving, colubrid snakes commonly known as racers. They are widespread around the world and vary greatly in habitat and behaviour. In the past, Coluber was a catch-all genus which included almost all snake species known at the time...
, the Ring Snake and the Gecko
Gecko
Geckos are lizards belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, found in warm climates throughout the world. They range from 1.6 cm to 60 cm....
. Fish species are the Heel
Heel
In human anatomy, the heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower leg.- Human anatomy :...
and, more rarely, the Trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
.
Although there aren't detailed information about invertebrates living in the reserve, it is possible to observe many insects that are the food sources for the larger fauna; there are many species of Dragonfly
Dragonfly
A dragonfly is a winged insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera . It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body...
, Chafer, Cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, Balm cricket, Water flea, Bumble bee, Swallow tail
Swallowtail butterfly
Swallowtail butterflies are large, colorful butterflies that form the family Papilionidae. There are over 550 species, and though the majority are tropical, members of the family are found on all continents except Antarctica...
, Cabbage butterfly, Vanessa
Vanessa
Vanessa can refer to:* A member service officer at SOMB.* Vanessa , a female given name coined by Jonathan Swift, originally as a nickname for Esther Vanhomrigh* Vanessa , a genus of butterflies...
, Earthworm
Earthworm
Earthworm is the common name for the largest members of Oligochaeta in the phylum Annelida. In classical systems they were placed in the order Opisthopora, on the basis of the male pores opening posterior to the female pores, even though the internal male segments are anterior to the female...
and river crab.
Fiumefreddo today
The vineyards which were the main sources of industry were uprooted during the eighteenth century. Since the beginning of the twentieth century Fiumefreddo has based its economy on citrus plantations (verdello lemonLemon
The lemon is both a small evergreen tree native to Asia, and the tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit. The fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world – primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind are also used, mainly in cooking and baking...
s, orange
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
s and tangerine
Tangerine
__notoc__The tangerine is an orange-colored citrus fruit which is closely related to the Mandarin orange . Taxonomically, it should probably be formally named as a subspecies or variety of Citrus reticulata; further work seems to be required to ascertain its correct scientific name...
s) and on the manufacturing of citrus by-products. The first firms were built at the end of the nineteenth century and at the beginning of the last. This caused an increased demand for labour; so many workers moved to Fiumefreddo especially from the Province of Messina
Province of Messina
Messina is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily in Italy. Its capital is the city of Messina.-Geography and demography :...
. The lemon juice was processed, bottled up and exported to make several types of drinks. At the beginning of the 20th century the London market required almost the entire production. But from the 1950s the export trade began to meet difficulties because of the competition with America
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
and Mediterranean countries, such as Spain and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
The crisis of the citrus plantations caused a difficult time which was overcome when, in the 1960s, two factories were opened: the Siace and the Keyes, to manufacture the paper. This signalled an important economic change as agricultural workers became employed in manufacturing.
The opening of the Siace caused a widening of the tertiary sector and increased the quality of the local life, deeply linking the life in the town to the financial success of the factory. After a few years the first factory started its decline which ended with the closing of Siace. The critical time was the summer of 1969, when the factory was occupied by the workers. Later it passed to the Sicilian Region but this didn't save the factory, while Keyes, a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
multinational company, continued the production of trays and containers made of biological paper until 2005 when it was closed.
Lately there has been a return to the country; a renewed agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
that makes optimum use of the land through farmers' co-operatives and innovation, such as the floriculture and the production of vegetables grown in greenhouses. It is important to underline the export of daisies, bouganvilleas (Fiumefreddo is in competition with Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
), hibiscus, ornamental palms and citrus trees. Recently the cherry tomato (called "di Pachino”) industry is expanding; about 80 people work in one farm. The growing and manufacturing of papyrus, out of which a valuable paper is made (the Pharaoh's paper), is also increasing. There is also a production of exotic fruit, especially mango, that finds ideal weather conditions here.
Handicraft
Handicraft
Handicraft, more precisely expressed as artisanic handicraft, sometimes also called artisanry, is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or by using only simple tools. It is a traditional main sector of craft. Usually the term is applied to traditional means...
is also developed, especially the manufacturing of building products and marbles, machine shops, the handwork of artistic handicrafts made of wrought iron, lamps, wooden and aluminium frames, joiner's shops and studios specialised in restoration works of old furniture. A big pasta factory specialising in organic pasta exports its products all over the world. It is very interesting visiting some craftsman's shops, especially those showing furniture of the Sicilian Eighteenth Century and old tools. In Via Umberto there is the studio of a very esteemed naive painter, Professor Marcello La Spina. Some private shops make gold and silk embroidery, following ancient techniques.
The local confectioner's shops, in via Umberto and in Feudogrande, Diana and Castello, make Cannoli
Cannoli
Cannoli are Sicilian pastry desserts. The singular is cannolo , meaning "little tube", with the etymology stemming from the Latin "canna", or reed. Cannoli originated in Sicily and are an essential part of Sicilian cuisine...
, almond paste (marzipan
Marzipan
Marzipan is a confection consisting primarily of sugar and almond meal. Persipan is a similar, yet less expensive product, in which the almonds are replaced by apricot or peach kernels...
), ice cream
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
and granita
Granita
Granita is a semi-frozen dessert made from sugar, water and various flavorings. Originally from Sicily, although available all over Italy , it is related to sorbet and italian ice. However, in most of Sicily, it has a coarser, more crystalline texture...
.
Another source of wealth for the town is the sea, more so from tourism than fishing. Fiumefreddo's beach seems to be the only bathing area from Catania to Messina, in fact it gained the Blue Flag of the European Community. Carlo Lizzani filmed some scenes of his documentary “A travel around Frederick the Second". In restaurants along Marina di Cottone beach there is fresh fish and other specialities of Sicilian cuisine, accompanied by Etnean wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
s.
Sports
Fiumefreddo di Sicilia has several sports clubs:- Football:
- Unione Fiumefreddo Calcio (1970-2007)
- Fiumefreddese Football Club (from 2005)
- Volleyball:
- Papiro Fiumefreddo
- Veritas Fiumefreddo
- Tennis:
- Tennis Club Fiumefreddo
- Basketball:
- Libertas Fiumefreddo