Trecastagni - Trecastagni

Trecastagni is a city of Sicily.

To know

Geographical notes

Trecastagni rises on the slopes of the Etna volcano, and is one of the municipalities located at the highest altitude. The territory is hilly and is surrounded by various volcanic cones of different ages and sizes (Monte Ilice, Monte Gorna, Monte San Nicolò, Tre Monti, Monte Serra).

Background

The first historical documents tell of the invasion of Trecastagni by Simone Chiaramonte, in an attempt to drive out General Artale I Alagona, the first supporter of the Angevins, the second pro-Aragonese.

It was subjected to the jurisdiction and tax regime of the Bishop of Catania until 1640, when it was sold, together with the hamlet of Viagrande, to Domenico di Giovanni, a nobleman and banker from Messina. In 1641, Trecastagni was elevated to the rank of principality, in which in 1654 Pedara also joined.

In 1667, the mother church of San Nicola di Bari became a parish, with the title of Archpriesthood; at that date the population of Trecastagni and the territory that was subjected to him, as Archpriesthood, was about 5000 inhabitants.

After the devastating earthquake of 1693, the population collapsed drastically, and in 1737 the census showed about 2000 inhabitants.

In 1710, Anna Maria di Giovanni, III princess of Trecastagni, the last heir of the family, married Giuseppe Alliata Colonna Romano, prince of Villafranca, and the Principality of Trecastagni then passed to the Alliata family.

In 1818, with the abolition of feudalism, it was constituted a municipality and chief town of the judicial and electoral district, with the reservation of a seat in the General Parliament of Sicily.

How to orient yourself

How to get

How to get around

What see

• 37.61741715.0806511 Palace of the princes of Giovanni, Via Principe di Giovanni, 11. It was built around the middle of the 17th century by the first Prince of Trecastagni, Domenico di Giovanni. It was bought by the municipality towards the end of the 20th century. The coverage was therefore restored. However the interiors are still closed and awaiting restoration: the building, in fact, over time has been used for various uses, including prison, police station and even a stable. 

• 37.61951615.0762812 Windmill, Via Mulino a Vento. It is an ancient sighting fort dating back to an era prior to the Saracen invasion. During the Norman period it was adapted to a small windmill; still inside it is possible to see the stone millstones. From the 16th century onwards, it conserves three cannons, used annually to mark the beginning of the celebrations in honor of the holy martyrs Alfio, Filadelfo and Cirino. 

• 37.61421815.0798713 Mother Church of Trecastagni (Church of San Nicola), Via A. M. Torrisi, ☎ 39 0957806480. It already existed before the Val di Noto earthquake in 1693; so far the oldest document found in the diocesan archives, which already certifies the cult of St. Nicholas in the territory of "Trium Castanearum" and therefore of the church, dates back to 1351. The structure of the church underwent profound changes after the earthquake, in particular for as for the bell tower, not in style with the rest of the structure from the second half of the 19th century. Remarkable is the architecture of the interiors and exteriors, enriched by valuable works in lava stone. The church is located at the top of a monumental staircase, which leads from the underlying Largo abate Ferrara to the main portal of the church.  

• 37.61603815.0803874 Church of Santa Maria della Misericordia (called del Bianco or dei Bianchi), Largo dei Bianchi, 10. It dates back to 1734, as the date engraved on the entablature of the side door states; it was rebuilt after the Val di Noto earthquake where, this restoration caused the almost complete loss of the internal frescoes. Also in this case the bell tower is subsequent to the remaining structure, and the style is noticeably different. The external portals and the front window overlooking the Largo del Bianco are valuable. Particularly the eighteenth-century group of the Misericordia, in gilded wood, composed of three characters: the Eternal Father, Christ the Redeemer and the Madonna Mother of Mercy, one of a kind, built and blessed in 1628 and restored in 1711 from the damage suffered by the 1693 earthquake. 

• 37.61839915.0784165 Church of Sant'Antonio di Padova, Sant'Antonio ladder, 14. The church with the adjoining convent of the Reformed Minor Fathers dates back to 1660 and was built with funds donated by the then prince and the faithful. The convent and the church have recently undergone restoration; inside the convent it is possible to admire the cloister, with squared stone pillars and a large cistern. The altars inside the church are in carved wood of exquisite workmanship. From the church it is possible to access a small room that was used for the embalming of corpses. To the right of the church is the ancient underground cemetery. After the unification of Italy, the convent passed to the state and was used for the most varied uses (including town hall, prefecture, prison and elementary school). 

• 37.62223315.0798446 Sanctuary of the holy martyrs Alfio, Cirino and Filadelfo. Dating back to 1662. It is a historic pilgrimage destination for the faithful, who come to Trecastagni throughout the month of May. Inside the church it is possible to visit a very large collection of ex-votos (there were 826 in 1971 and currently it is estimated that there are over a thousand). The interior of the church consists of three Latin cross naves and, as mentioned, it was built over the course of over two centuries. In 1650 the central nave was built in the place where, in 252, a shrine was erected to commemorate the passage of the three martyr brothers. The church was built by popular will after the discovery, in 1517, of the bones of Alfio, Cirino and Filadelfo, then transferred in 1517 to Lentini in the province of Syracuse.  
• 37.61551615.0749427 church of the Madonna dell'Aiuto, Via Madonna dell'Aiuto, 36 (along the road that connects Trecastagni to Pedara). 
• 37.60713715.0808388 church of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria (Gaglianese), Via P. Toselli. 
• church of Sant'Andrea. From which the district takes its name (the oldest in Trecastagni, also called Bonanni). 
• church of the Souls of Purgatory (or Sant'Antonio abate), via Vittorio Emanuele (at the entrance of the town for those coming from San Giovanni la Punta). 

Events and parties

• Feast of St. Anthony of Padua. June 13. 
• Feast of Maria SS. of Carmel. Saturday and Sunday closest to July 16th. The feast of the Madonna del Carmelo begins with the solemn Fortnight from 1 to 15 July in the Mother Church. On July 16, the Holy Mass takes place in the Mother Church during which the traditional "Abitini" or "Scapolari" are blessed. The outdoor party takes place on Saturday and Sunday closest to July 16. The Simulacrum of Maria SS. del Carmelo, located on the fercolo, makes a processional journey along the streets of the town making a stop at the Sanctuary of the Santi Fratelli Martiri. Characteristic is the Marian cart set up by the young people of the Matrix; it is a plastic chariot where animated scenes are reproduced, by living characters (children), of the life and devotion to Maria SS. of Mount Carmel. 
• Feast of Maria SS. Assunta. August 15. 
• Feast of the Sacred Heart of the Child Jesus. Last Sunday of August. 
• Feast of Maria SS. Help. Third Sunday of September. 

What to do

• 37.61381915.0802311 Admire the view. Next to the mother church it is possible to enjoy a breathtaking view, which ranges from Calabria to the gulf of Augusta. 

Shopping

How to have fun

Where to eat

Where stay

Safety

How to keep in touch

Keep informed

• The Trecastagnese

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Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Trecastagni
• Commons contains images or other files on Trecastagni

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