Saponara
Welcome to Saponara, the town with an ancient history
Hello everyone, today we will be talking about Saponara, an Italian municipality with around 2,500 inhabitants located in the metropolitan city of Messina, Sicily. The name of the municipality derives from the plant "Saponaria officinalis" which used to be very widespread in this area and capable of producing cleaning foam.
Physical geography
Saponara extends over the slopes of the northern side of the Peloritani Mountains, where the Cardà and Perarella streams meet to form the "Saponara" stream. The territory presents a hilly landscape that reaches an altitude of 321 meters, where the medieval "castle" stands.
History
Saponara has very ancient origins, but it is believed that the municipality was founded around the year 1000, during the medieval period. The "castle" that overlooks the town is a Byzantine structure that was tasked with intercepting the movements of invading Arabs. Over the centuries, Saponara became a fief under the leadership of various noble families, such as the Palizzi, La Grua Ventimiglia and Pollicino, Moncada and Di Giovanni families, until it came under the Alliata family.
The advent of the Moncada family
The powerful Spanish Moncada family ruled Saponara for several centuries, bringing significant demographic growth and creating important public structures such as the church dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria and the baronial palace. They also built some public fountains and provided assistance to the population.
The Alliata family
The Alliata dynasty ruled the municipality from 1733 to 1812, a period in which feudal privileges were abolished with the Bourbon Constitution. This family worked hard to improve Saponara, building churches and monasteries for the poor, as well as providing food during periods of famine. Later, in 1772 during a violent earthquake, they helped the population to rebuild the territory.
In conclusion, Saponara has a very ancient history that reflects the different cultural influences it has been a part of. Hence the coexistence and integration of different periods and cultures in the territory.
