Falcone
Falcone: a town between sea and mountains in Sicily
Falcone is a municipality located in the metropolitan city of Messina, Sicily. With a population of 2,739 inhabitants, it faces the Tyrrhenian Sea to the north and has the Nebrodi Mountains as its backdrop to the south.
Physical geography
The territory of Falcone is flat in the north and hilly in the south, where the Giglione mountain rises. The municipality borders Montalbano Elicona and Tripi to the south, Furnari to the east (separated by the Arancia stream), and Oliveri to the west (separated by the Elicona stream). There are several watercourses, including the small Felice stream.
The urban center is developed along the SS113 Settentrionale Sicula road, while the Sant'Anna hamlet is divided in two by the same road and the A20 highway. Moving south, there is the Belvedere hamlet that extends to the border with the municipality of Tripi.
History
Falcone was founded during the period when the city of Tindari was destroyed. Later, the Falcone hamlet and the Oliveri fiefdom always belonged to a single owner, until the autonomous municipality of Falcone was formed in 1857.
In the past, most of the population lived in the Casino hamlet, now called Belvedere, where there was a fortress later transformed into a prison for the Castle of Oliveri.
Falcone was linked to Furnari as a diocese until 1906, the year the mother church was built in honor of Saint John the Baptist. There is also the Immaculate Conception church in the Belvedere hamlet and the small Sant'Antonio church in Falcone.
Infrastructural developments
Throughout the 20th century, Falcone expanded its infrastructure. In addition to the existing Falcone Station, the A20 interchange was built near the Sant'Anna hamlet. Furthermore, the railway line was doubled, although no new stops are planned in the municipality.
Conclusions
Falcone is a municipality that offers a mix of landscapes between the sea and mountains. Its history dates back to ancient times and saw the urban center develop around fishing. Thanks to its infrastructural developments, Falcone has seen its importance increase in the region.
