Santa Maria di Licodia
| Santa Maria di Licodia | |
|---|---|
| Comune | |
| Comune di Santa Maria di Licodia | |
|
Tower of Palazzo Bruno | |
  Santa Maria di Licodia Location of Santa Maria di Licodia in Italy | |
| Coordinates: 37°37′N 14°54′E / 37.617°N 14.900°ECoordinates: 37°37′N 14°54′E / 37.617°N 14.900°E | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Sicily |
| Province | Catania (CT) |
| Frazioni | Schettino |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Salvatore Rasà |
| Area | |
| • Total | 26 km2 (10 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 442 m (1,450 ft) |
| Population (2001) | |
| • Total | 6,745 |
| • Density | 260/km2 (670/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Licodiesi or Licodesi |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Postal code | 95038 |
| Dialing code | 095 |
| Patron saint | St. Joseph |
| Saint day | Last Sunday in August |
| Website | Official website |
Santa Maria di Licodia (Sicilian: Santa Marìa di Licuddìa ) is a town and comune in eastern Sicily, in the province of Catania, southern Italy.
History
Santa Maria di Lodia occupies traditionally the site of the ancient Aetna, a settlement founded by the colonists whom Hiero I of Syracuse had placed at Catania after their expulsion by the original inhabitants in 461 BCE, which absorbed or incorporated an already existing Sicel town named Inessa.
Main sights
- Chiesa Madre (Mother Church). Of the original medieval building, a bell tower has remained
- Cherubim Fountain (1757)
- CAsina del Cavaliere, a Benedictine convent of medieval origin, outside the town.
A large hoard of coins was found also outside Santa Maria di Licodia in 1891.
In the nearby district of Civita is a large elliptical area, enclosed by a wall of masses of lava, which is about 8.5 metres (28 ft) wide at the base and 3 metres (10 ft) high. The ground is covered with fragments of tiles and pottery of the classical period, and it is probably a hastily built encampment of historic times rather than a primitive fortification, as there are no prehistoric traces.
Twin towns
Rabat, Malta
Pisano Eteno, a frazione of Zafferana Etnea, Italy- San Giuseppe di Ognina, Catania, Italy
References
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.