Castel di Lucio
Castel di Lucio: a journey into the past of the town
Hello everyone! Today I want to talk about a wonderful place in the province of Messina: Castel di Lucio (or Castiḍḍuzzu, as it's called in Sicilian). With just over a thousand residents, this municipality encompasses an ancient and fascinating history.
History of Castel di Lucio
In the Norman period, Castel di Lucio was populated by families from mainland Italy and Occitania. Its original name was "Castelluzzo," named after the small castle that stood on the rock. Castel di Lucio was first subject to Enrico II Ventimiglia, in the second half of the 13th century, as a member of the County of Geraci Siculo, and then to his nephew and successor Francesco I Ventimiglia, at least since 1311.
There are no documents that mention Castelluzzo before 1271 when Charles I of Anjou assigned it to Giovanni di Montfort. The town assumed significant importance under the Ventimiglia dynasty for its strategic position of controlling the Tusa river valley since it was visually connected to the Migaido tower, which in turn connected to Pettineo.
From the 16th century to the 17th century, the population growth was slight, while in the 18th century, there were no significant changes. In 1726, Francesco Agraz was appointed, with a diploma from Charles VI of Habsburg, the first Duke of Castelluzzo, thus closing the baronial era.
Society of Castel di Lucio
The population of Castel di Lucio has undergone demographic evolution over the centuries. In the 16th century, the town had 1617 residents in 346 homes, while in the 17th century, the population growth was slight, with 1695 residents and 528 homes. There were no significant variations in the 18th century.
Since 2022, the city has been part of the "First World Mediterranean Lifestyle Park" project, along with 103 other cities in central Sicily.
Administration of Castel di Lucio
Below, I present a table relating to the administrations that have succeeded each other in this municipality.
In the table, you can see the years and names of the mayors who have alternated in leading the municipality.
Other administrative information
The municipality of Castel di Lucio is part of the following supra-municipal organizations: agricultural region no.1 (North-western Nebrodi internal mountains).
Bibliography and external links
Orazio Cancila, in "Medieval Castelbuono and the Ventimiglia" (Mediterranean Association, 2010), delves into the history of Castel di Lucio, of which I have only provided some of the most important data in my summary.
If you want to learn more about this municipality, you can visit the following websites:
Conclusions
I hope this journey into the past of Castel di Lucio has interested you. This Sicilian municipality is an ideal destination for those who love discovering the history and culture of Sicily. Do not hesitate to visit it!
