Malvagna
Malvagna: welcome to the town overlooking the Alcantara Valley
Malvagna is a municipality located in the metropolitan city of Messina, in Sicily, and has a population of approximately 900 inhabitants. This beautiful village overlooks the Alcantara Valley, facing the imposing Etna volcano and Mojo Mountain.
Physical geography
The location of Malvagna makes it particularly suggestive. The municipality is 81 km from Messina (Ionian side), 28 km from Giardini Naxos, 15 km from Randazzo, and 64 km from Catania (Ionian side).
History
Malvagna was founded in 1626 by Giovanni Lanza, on the estate gifted to him by his mother Silvia Abate. The village expanded due to the malaria that threatened the inhabitants of the neighboring fiefdom of Mojo, and found it convenient to climb to the coast of the nearby hill. Malvagna's area was in fact healthy, with a temperate climate and a fertile territory, and many vassals from the surrounding area moved to this new village, which also became a principality on August 22, 1628, with Francesco Lanza, married to Maria Antonia Ventimiglia Maniaci, daughter of the prince of Belvedere and Cattolica. The Lanza and Migliaccio families continued to be called "Princes of Malvagna" until 1862.
During fascism, in 1928, Malvagna was united with Mojo Alcantara in Lanza, of which it was the capital, but after the fall of the regime (1947), it became a separate municipality and resumed its original name of "Malvagna".
Symbols
Malvagna's coat of arms depicts a yellow rampant lion on a red field.
Monuments and places of interest
Malvagna offers various tourist and cultural attractions. For example, the convent of the Friars Minor "San Giuseppe", founded in 1720 by Ignazio Migliaccio, duke of Galizia and prince of Mazzarino. Today, despite having been purchased by the municipality, the convent is uninhabitable inside, however, in the Mother Church, we can admire a fine eighteenth-century wooden sculpture and a pipe organ from 1822, while some frescoes are found in the cloister.
The Mother Church, on the other hand, was erected after the demolition of the ancient one in honor of the patron saint Anne, in the 20th century (around 1930) and houses the statue of the patron saint. Also during the fascist twenty years, the Castle of the Lanza was demolished to build part of the current town hall in its place.
Also worth visiting are the Byzantine tank of Malvagna, a particular architectural structure called "trichora", and the eighteenth-century church of San Marco.
Natural areas
Malvagna also boasts a natural area of great importance, the Fondo Pittari, part of the Malabotta Forest Nature Reserve. In 2006, Malvagna inaugurated access to the Malabotta reserve from the Taormina side.
Society
Demographic evolution
Malvagna currently has around 900 inhabitants and over the years has seen a steady decrease in its population. However, the community is very active and united, and dedicates itself with passion to the organization of various cultural events.
Events
Most of the events are concentrated in the summer and Christmas periods. A recent Christmas tradition is that of the characteristic neighborhood nativity scenes created in the different quarters scattered throughout the village and the living nativity scene recited in dialect and set up in the ancient district of "Timpa Tirrinchiuna", which involves the entire community.
Conclusions
Malvagna can be considered a hidden gem of Sicily. Its panoramic location, millennial history, and numerous tourist attractions make it the ideal destination for a vacation in absolute tranquility. The welcoming and active community is ready to welcome visitors and make them discover the beauties of the territory.
