Aidone
An Interesting Tourist Destination
Aidone is a town in the Enna province of Sicily, with a population of around 4,200. The city is located in one of the most fascinating and culturally rich areas of Sicily. Among the sites of interest in the territory of Aidone, we find the important Sicilian-Greek-Hellenistic site of Morgantina, the Arab-Norman castle of Pietratagliata, and the Roman villa of Casale, a UNESCO site. In the territory of Aidone, there are also natural and artificial forests, remarkable naturalistic sites, and the Ronza park, shared with Piazza Armerina and Enna. Furthermore, it borders the metropolitan city of Catania and has a large wetland area of natural interest, the Lake of Ogliastro.
Physical Geography of Aidone
The city of Aidone is located in the southeast of the Enna province, bordering the province of Catania. Aidone extends over 209.58 km² and is located on a mountainous area known as the Erei Mountains. The inhabited center of Aidone is located over 600 meters above sea level and has peaks that exceed 800 meters. In the territory of Aidone, there is also the river Gornalunga, a tributary of the Simeto. The territory of the city is very large compared to the number of inhabitants and the inhabited center. On the districts of Sella Orlando, San Francesco, and Cittadella, the archaeological park of Morgantina extends. The Lake of Ogliastro, located in the province of Catania, collects the waters of the Gornalunga and irrigates most of the lands belonging to the Consortium of Caltagirone.
The Etymology of the Toponym of Aidone
The etymology of the name Aidone derives from the Greek word Aidōneús, which referred to the god Hades and the kingdom of the dead. According to legend, the deity had kidnapped Persephone near Lake Pergusa and stopped on the hill of Aidone. This legend led to the widespread diffusion of the cult of Demeter and Persephone throughout central Sicily. There are also two other hypotheses about the origin of the toponym of Aidone, which refer to the ancient Greek aēdṓn, which means Luscinia megarhynchos or to a Germanic-language anthroponym Aido-onis.
The Gallo-Italic Dialect of Aidone
In Aidone, as in other cities of central Sicily such as Piazza Armerina, Nicosia, San Fratello, Sperlinga, a particular Gallo-Italic dialect is spoken that derives from Norman Sicily's history. The first scholars who dealt with Sicilian history, from Tommaso Fazello to Rocco Pirri to Vito Maria Amico, highlighted the peculiar language of these towns and related it to their Lombard history of Sicily. The Gallo-Italic dialect of Aidone is still spoken by the elderly people of the municipality today. Furthermore, it is important to note that the dialect of Aidone is different from that of neighboring cities, such as Piazza Armerina, and that the Gallo-Italic dialects of the island differ from each other, as their origin was influenced by different European languages.
In summary, Aidone is an interesting tourist destination for those exploring Sicilian history and traditions. The city is in a privileged position to visit the archaeological and natural sites in the area, as well as having a particularly rich and fascinating linguistic history.
