Furci Siculo
Discover Furci Siculo: a point of interest in the metropolitan city of Messina
If you are looking for a location situated between the Ionian coast of Sicily and the countryside, Furci Siculo might be the ideal place for you. This Italian municipality, with a population of 3,195, is located in the metropolitan city of Messina and is part of the Valle d'Agrò district and the Union of municipalities of the Peloritani Jonic Valleys. Now that we know the basics, let's take a closer look at its urban planning.
Physical geography: welcome to Furci Siculo
The town of Furci Siculo is mostly located along the Ionian coast, bordered to the south by the Savoca river which separates it from the town of Santa Teresa di Riva and to the north by the Pagliara river beyond which lies the town of Roccalumera. The communal territory extends about 17 km inland, bordering the municipality of Santa Lucia del Mela. Furci Siculo can be reached from the Messina-Catania A18 motorway, thanks to the exit located on the northern border with Roccalumera; the main road of the coastal residential area is the Strada statale 114 Orientale Sicula.
Discovering Furci Siculo's past
The first evidence of human presence in the part of Sicily where Furci is located is found in the fraction of Grotte and dates back to the pre-Christian era. Moreover, these lands had already been inhabited by the Sicani, Siculi and Phoenicians of Phoenix. With the foundation of Zancle and Naxos, the first two Greek colonies in Sicily, the Greeks also reached these territories. During the entire medieval and Renaissance period until 1854, Furci Siculo was a fraction of the municipality of Savoca, a powerful feudal town under the direct control of the Archimandrite of the Holy Savior who owned the Abbaziale palace or Canonico palace. Original documents dating back to the early 17th century show that the current town center of Furci was called "Quarteri di li Furchi" due to the presence of gallows used for the Death Penalty in the Land of Savoca.
In 1854, the separation of the districts of Santa Teresa di Riva (Furci, Bucalo, Porto Salvo and Barracca) took place, which came together in the Municipality of Santa Teresa di Riva. In 1919, the King of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele III, officially established the Municipality of Furci Siculo with the fractions of Grotte, Calcare and Artale, separating it from Santa Teresa di Riva.
Finally, the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella has granted the title of city in Italy to the Municipality of Furci Siculo.
Monuments and places of interest
If you are traveling to Sicily, you should visit the Matrice church of Maria SS. del Rosario: it is the main place of worship in Furci Siculo. Its beauty cannot go unnoticed, as it has a Sicilian baroque style bell tower and entrance portal. Furthermore, the church of Santa Maria della Lettera and the adjacent Palazzo Castelli, already existing in 1632, date back to the seventeenth century and are located on the central Via IV Novembre.
In conclusion, Furci Siculo, one of the municipalities in the metropolitan city of Messina, is an oasis of peace in which to spend a pleasant vacation. Don't miss its natural and architectural beauties, while being aware of discovering a historical reality in constant evolution.
