GIARRE
Giarre,
province of Catania, is an important agricultural and commercial
centre. It boasts major outputs of produce, cherry, wine and flowers.
It lies at 81 m a.s.l. and totals about 28,000 inhabitants.
THE
CITY
Giarre
is also a city of cultural and historical importance, with many
worth-visiting sites.
The
Mother Church – The first stop of the city tour regards the
stately Mother Church, dedicated to Isidoro Agricola, the patron
saint of Giarre. It has a neoclassical style, with two square bell-towers.
Its construction started in 1794 and ended almost a century later.
It has a latin-cross plan divided into three naves. It preserves
interesting works such 1700’s and 1800’s paintings and
a precious red tapestry.
The
Oratory Church is a fine church in the Sicilian Rococo style.
The
Corso – The via Callipoli, the city thoroughfare, is lined
by fine shops and palazzi in Liberty, Neoclassical and Baroque style,
dating from between the 19th and the 20th century. Amongst them
are the Liberty Palazzetto Bonaventura (no. 170), and, at no. 154,
Palazzo Quattrocchi with Moorish decorations.
A
number of “Belvedere” (panoramic terraces) offers tremendous
vistas over the Etna volcano and the Macchia Creek.
The
city surroundings also host interesting and charming sites. Among
these is the Shrine of Santa Maria la Strada, built in 1081 by Count
Roger to thank the Virgin after the victory over the Arabians. In
the Macchia area is the Museo degli Usi e Costumi delle Genti dell’Etna,
a museum of the customs and habits of people from Etna, with a faithful
reproduction of a typical farm of the past century.
The
area is endowed with sites of naturalistic interest as well. Indeed
Giarre is included into the Etna Park territory and home to one
of the most precious Sicilian oasises.
The
Chico Mendes park, by the bed of the Macchia Creek, is another site
of environmental and historical interest. Now dominated by Mediterranean
bushes it was home to several prehistoric settlements.
HISTORY
Giarre
was founded by the Bishop-Count Nicola Maria Caracciolo who, in
the late 1500’s, granted these lands on emphyteusis and undertook
an extensive reclamation project.
In
1815 the city became autonomous from the city of Mascali. It was
unified to the neighboring Riposto, the two towns ultimately divided
at the end of the Second World War. |
