Gravina di Catania
Welcome to Gravina di Catania!
Hello everyone! Today I want to tell you about Gravina di Catania, a municipality in the metropolitan city of Catania, located in the southern part of Mount Etna, in Sicily. With its 24,971 inhabitants, Gravina di Catania is a relatively small urban center that takes its name from the noble family of Gravina, who owned it since 1645 and with whom it became a principality.
Physical geography of Gravina di Catania
The territory of Gravina di Catania covers an area of 5.15 km² and is the third smallest among the municipalities of its province. Its territory borders Mascalucia to the north, Catania to the west and south, and Sant'Agata li Battiati and Tremestieri Etneo to the east. The town is located in the southern part of Mount Etna, in a flat area and has a hilly terrain in its upper part. Gravina has a population of over 25,000 inhabitants, with a population density of 4,936 inhabitants/km², making it the second most densely populated municipality in Sicily after Villabate, in the province of Palermo.
Climate of Gravina di Catania
The climate of Gravina di Catania is warm and temperate but has rainfall in the winter. The climate is classified as a boreal climate.
Origin of the name
The toponym of the Etna town until 1647 was Plache or Plachi, which derives from the Greek Piakos, which means "plains" or "countryside." From that year, the name was changed in honor of the Gravina family, who owned it since 1645 and with whom it was also elevated to a principality. The municipality was called Gravina Plachi until the annexation of Sicily to the Kingdom of Italy in 1862. The inhabitants, instead, are called "gravinesi," but in the dialectal language, they still refer to Gravina with the old toponym, Prachi, and to the inhabitants with the nickname pracaloti.
History of Gravina di Catania
The origins of the town date back to ancient times, to a village mentioned by Diodorus Siculus with the name of Piakos, of probable Sicilian foundation. In the History of Bourbon Sicily, the official name of the municipality was Gravina Plachi, which became the current Gravina di Catania after the annexation of Sicily to the Kingdom of Italy. The town, until the second half of the 17th century, was an ancient Catania village and a small center dedicated to agriculture. In the 1960s, thanks to the massive migration of families from other municipalities, especially from Catania, Gravina di Catania assumed the structural characteristics of an urban center, and its population grew significantly.
What to see in Gravina di Catania
Despite being a relatively small urban center, Gravina di Catania offers several tourist attractions. Among the main ones are the Church of San Giuseppe, the Church of San Bartolomeo, the Botanical Garden, and the Gioeni Park. Furthermore, the municipality organizes numerous cultural events and manifestations throughout the year.
Conclusions
In summary, Gravina di Catania is a beautiful Sicilian municipality that offers many points of tourist interest and a lively cultural scene. If you are looking for a welcoming and rich in history place, Gravina di Catania is definitely an excellent choice!
