Melilli
Melilli: the Sicilian Municipality
Hello everyone! Today I'll talk to you about a beautiful municipality in Sicily, namely Melilli. This city, with its 13,009 inhabitants, is located in the free municipal consortium of Syracuse, in the northeast of the province and 22 kilometers away from the city of Syracuse itself. The location of Melilli, on the Climiti Mountains at 310 meters above sea level, makes it a very interesting place to visit.
The history of Melilli
The history of Melilli dates back to the Bronze Age and the strategic location of the city, between Augusta and Syracuse, contributed to its growth. During the feudal period, Melilli became a domain of the Moncada family. Furthermore, the city survived two devastating earthquakes in 1542 and 1693. In 1842, it gained autonomy and became the capital of a third-class district.
Physical geography
The location of Melilli confers very particular geographical features to the city. The city is located on the Iblei Mountains, with their suggestive beauty, and overlooks the Ionian Sea. Moreover, the vast territory of Melilli encloses many necropolises of the Castelluccio era, on which archaeologists have focused their studies.
The first inhabitants and the Byzantine presence
The territory of Melilli has been inhabited since prehistoric times and the necropolises testify to the presence of man in this part of Sicily. In the Byzantine era, Melilli was a small rural agglomeration that, as a result of Arab and Berber incursions, was fortified and attracted the inhabitants of the surrounding villages. The production of Ibleo honey and sugar cane were crucial economic elements that contributed to the success of Melilli.
The evolution of Melilli
Starting from the twelfth century, Melilli was aggregated to the royal demesne town of Augusta by Frederick II of Swabia and became a fief of different princes and barons until 1406 when it passed to the royal demesne. In 1466 it became a barony of the Moncada family, which held it until 1812. After the reconstructions following the two earthquakes, the city was elevated to the capital of a third-class district in 1842.
Conclusions
In conclusion, Melilli is a fascinating place with a very varied history. Its geographical location between Augusta and Syracuse played a crucial role in its evolution and over the centuries it has gone through many phases, leading to the city we know today. Finally, if you are looking for a place to visit in Sicily, Melilli is definitely an excellent choice.
