Chiaramonte Gulfi

Chiaramonte Gulfi is a municipality in the province of Ragusa in the region of Sicily in Italy with 8258 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012).

Location and data

Chiaramonte Gulfi located 15 km north of Ragusa in the Iblei. The highest point of the municipality is the Monte Arcibessi with a height of 906 m slm.

The inhabitants live mainly from agriculture. More jobs can be found in the craft, particularly in the processing of marble and ironwork. Particularly well known is the community for their specialties from pork.

The neighboring municipalities are Acate, Comiso, Licodia Euboea (CT ), Mazzarrone (CT ), Monterosso Almo, Ragusa and Vittoria.

History

In the field of Chiaramonte Gulfi settlements have been found from the Bronze Age. In the 8th century BC, here was a Sicel settlement.

The present town was founded in the early 14th century by the Chiaramonte family. We moved to the inhabitants of the ancient Gulfi that lay at the foot of Monte Arcibessi and had been destroyed on the occasion of the Sicilian Vespers of French.

In the 16th century Chiaramonte Gulfi was a strategically important location. However, he lost this meaning in the 18th century to the city of Vittoria.

In the devastating 1693 earthquake in southeastern Sicily Chiara Gulfi was largely destroyed and rebuilt in the 18th century in the Baroque style.

Attractions

From the medieval city wall and the Chiaramonte castle remains are still preserved.

Featured churches are the Church of Santa Maria la Nova from 1536, which has since been rebuilt several times, the Church of the Madonna del Gesu and the monastery in the old town, the church of San Salvatore and the church of San Filippo of the 17th century and the church of San Giovanni Battista, which was rebuilt in Baroque style after the 1693 earthquake. Just outside the town is the Church of the Madonna di Gulfi, a pilgrimage church from the 17th century.

In the province of Ragusa Chiaramonte Gulfi is the city with the most museums. These include the Museo Ornitologico with skins from the region, the Museo Dell'Olio, with exhibits about the olive oil production in the Iblei, the Museo dello Sfilato e del Ricamo with handarbeitlicher art from the region, the Museo dell'Arte Sacra sacred art, the Museo Storico dei Cimeli - Militari with weapons, uniforms and flags as well as the Casa Museo Liberty with exhibits of freedom aspirations of Sicily.

Events

Every year in February, the festival Sagra della salsiccia in honor of sausages produced in the region. On the last weekend in August, the Festa di San Vito Compatrono della Città is held in honor of the patron saint of the church regularly.