| Bronte | ||
 | ||
| State | Italy | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Sicily | |
| Territory | Catanese | |
| Altitude | 760 m a.s.l. | |
| Surface | 250.86 km² | |
| Inhabitants | 18.884 (2018) | |
| Name inhabitants | Bronte | |
| Prefix tel | 39 095 | |
| POSTAL CODE | 95034 | |
| Time zone | UTC 1 | |
| Patron | San Biagio | |
Position
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| Tourism site | ||
| Institutional website | ||
Bronte is a city of Sicily.
To know
The city is the starting point for accessing the western Etna Park with the Piano delle Ginestre. Furthermore, the fertile valley of the Simeto River is known above all for the cultivation of green pistachios from Bronte, pistachios can also be purchased locally.
Geographical notes
The city of Bronte is located on the western flank of theEtna, part of its territory falls within the Nebrodi Park.
Background
The city, founded in 1535 under Charles V through the merger of various small communities, was severely affected by the eruption of Etna in 1651. During the eruptions of 1832 and 1843, the lava flows approached the city without causing destruction. As part of the end of Bourbon rule and the transfer of power to Garibaldi's troops, there was a massacre known as the Bronte massacre.
How to orient yourself
The city is crossed by the 1 Corso Umberto I, which follows the course of the old road to Randazzo.
How to get
By plane
- 1 Catania airport (Catania Fontanarossa Airport "Vincenzo Bellini". IATA: CTA), Via Fontanarossa, 20, Fontanarossa, ☎ 39 0957239111. Airport for national and international flights.
By car
Bronte can be reached from Catania from the Catania Ovest junction - Misterbianco of the highway 
Messina - Catania - Syracuse through Paternal and from there on 
, which surrounds theEtna west and continue to Randazzo. There SP 17III which then becomes the 
leads west and then towards turning left on 
Etna and Madonie up to Cesarò. From there it can be reached further west Nicosia and the 
up to the northern coast of Sicily.
Bronte is not accessible by ship, the seaport and the closest ferry is to Catania.
On the train
- 2 Bronte station. The narrow gauge railway Ferrovia Circumetnea connects Bronte with Catania and the other places of Etna. In Catania there is a connection to the Trenitalia network.
By bus
There are bus connections to Bronte through the companies AST is Etnatrasporti .
How to get around
The city can be visited on foot. Finding a parking space on weekends can be difficult.
What see
- 1 Sanctuary of the Madonna Annunziata, Via Santi, 348. It was built in the 16th century. The bell tower was built in 1625 and the facade was completed in 1631. The bronze portal lists the names of the 24 municipalities that were united to form Bronte.
- 2 Maria SS. of the Aid, Via S. Pietro, 50.
- 3 Mother Church of SS. Trinity (Master Church), Piazza Matrice, 8 (in the oldest part of the city). The church was created by connecting two churches side by side, the Church of Santa Maria probably of the Norman period and the Church of the Trinity in the sixteenth century, the bell tower with the dark corner stones was erected in 1579.
- 4 Church of San Sebastiano, Piazza Papa Pio IX (right next to the Mother Church of SS. Trinity). The facade of the small church was renovated in 1822 with a very simple style.
- 5 Church of Santa Maria della Catena. Construction of the church began in 1569. With the lowering and widening of the course in the 19th century, a lava stone staircase was built.
- 6 Church of San Vito, Piazza S. Vito, 1. With the subsequent Franciscan Minorite convent built after 1589, it has a beautiful portal in volcanic basalt.
- 7 Church of San Giovanni Evangelista, Corso Umberto, 203. The building dates from the early 17th century. The huge bell tower from 1601 and the portal with the stairs are made of dark lava stone.
- 8 Church of San Blandano, Via Benedetto Radice, 46. It probably dates back to the 16th century and was completely renovated in 1824, numerous relics are kept inside.
- 9 Church of Santa Caterina da Siena, Via Simeto, 18. The rather simple building dates back to 1610, the bell tower was placed on the left side nave.
- 10 Church of the Sacred Heart, Corso Umberto, 277. The classicist-style church replaced a previous building in 1907/14, from which the old clock from 1787 still came, indicating the time in Bronte every quarter of an hour. The church is integrated into the complex of the Real Collegio Capizzi, the college where arithmetic, grammar, philosophy and theology was taught was built in 1774/78.
- 11 Church of San Silvestro (Church of the Badia), Spedalieri Square, 13. Together with the adjacent former monastery (where today's school building was built in 1935) it is located in one of the main squares of the city. The church dates back to the second half of the 16th century.
- 12 Church of the Capuchin Fathers. And the subsequent Capuchin convent was built in the 18th century, due to problems with vocations, the monastic community was abandoned in 2010.
- 13 Church of Sant'Antonio da Padova, Via Adelaide Ristori, 16. The church was hit by the lava flow during the severe eruption of Etna in 1651/54 and was surrounded by lava on three sides, it miraculously stopped in front of the entrance portal. The church was obviously badly damaged, a commemorative plaque in lava stone commemorates the event. Inside there is a wooden crucifix from 1590.
- 14 Church of the Madonna del Riparo, Via Madonna del Riparo, 14. The church remembers the events of the eruption of Etna in 1651/54: the lava flows threatened the city and had already reached the Church of Sant'Antonio, when the inhabitants of Bronte gathered and placed a statue of Mary in front of the flow that towered on a wall. The old and modest church was replaced in 1967/71 by a new building in which the statue of the Madonna found a place of honor.
Out of town
In the surroundings of Bronte there are several lava stone watchtowers that some define as the pyramids of Etna.
- 15 Torremuzza Castle. Ruined castle
- 16 Nelson's Obelisk.
Events and parties
- Feast of San Biagio.
February 3. - feast of St. Joseph. March 19. Banquets are prepared for the "virginelli", once the poor children of the town.
- Feast of the dead. November 2.
February 3.What to do
- Piano delle Ginestre itinerary - A hiking itinerary on the west side of theEtna.
Shopping
Typical products
- 1 Bronte Biosphere, Via Cardinale de Luca, 17/19, ☎ 39 3298381608. Organic shop
- 2 Ancient Flavors of Etna, Viale John Kennedy Handicraft Area, Lot 12/13, ☎ 39 095691757.
How to have fun
Where to eat
Specialty al pistachio in all variations, such as pastry, pistachio ice cream, cannoli, cassata, nougat ...
In Bronte there are also some special types of cheese, such as Peppered Pecorino from Bronte.
Moderate prices
- 1 Green Hill Bar, Viale Catania, 21.
- 2 Conti pastry bar, Via Umberto, 275.
Average prices
- 3 Feudo Marullo Restaurant, Contrada Placa Torre, ☎ 39 0959515205.
Where stay
Average prices
- 1 The Forge of Vulcan, SS. 284 C.da Pole-Defense Plan (Around Bronte), ☎ 39 095693730. Hotel and restaurant
- 2 Rural Farmhouse Oro Verde, ctr. Rivolia, ☎ 39 095691389.
- 3 Casolare delle Balze, Contrada Balzitti, ☎ 39 3208538726.
- 4 The House on the Nebrodi, Corso Margherito, 61, Maniace, ☎ 39 095690746.
Safety
- 3 Castiglione Prestianni Hospital, Via Umberto, 406, ☎800 553 131.
How to keep in touch
Post office
- 4 Italian post, Via Umberto I 370, ☎ 39 095 772 6051.
Around
- Simeto lava gorges - Protected area along the upper course of the Simeto to protect the environment and the basaltic rocks on which the river flows.
- 5 Nelson Castle (Abbey of Santa Maria di Maniace), Corso Giorgio Maniace, 1, Maniace (From Bronte (about 13 km) take the SP 17III which then becomes the
and then turning right on 
, then turn left following the signs), ☎ 39 095 690018. Closed for restoration work. A monastic complex with a dam was built on the ruins of old buildings on the south bank of the Torrente Saraceno in 1163 under Queen Margherita. The monastery and the Watchtower were badly damaged by the earthquake of 1693. As thanks for the support provided by the admiral Horatio Nelson against the rebels of Naples in 1796, the estate was assigned to him by the Bourbon king Ferdinand III and the dignity of the duke granted. The building complex remained the property of the family until 1981 and was then sold to the municipality of Bronte. The English Cemetery with the graves of the English Dukes of Bronte remained the property of the family.
- 6 Megalithic spiral, Contrada Balze soprane (near the Waterfall of the Balze Sottane). Megalithic structure consisting of ten rough-hewn lava stone slabs arranged in a spiral. Around the structure whose internal diameter ranges from 2.60 to 3 m, there is a sort of corridor 1.10 m wide delimited by low blocks leaning to the west on a small hill overlooking the building. Next to it there are also other slabs, about ten, of which only two in the original position, which could be part of a second structure. There is no clue as to the dating, it is believed to belong to the prehistoric age, both for the construction technique and for the architectural typology.
- 7 Waterfall of the Balze Sottane (near the megalithic spiral). Cascatella of the Flascio river.
