Sommatino
Hi, friends! Let me tell you a bit about the province of Caltanissetta
The province of Caltanissetta, or rather, the regional province of Caltanissetta, used to cover a vast area and included 22 municipalities, but in 2015 it was abolished and replaced by the free municipal consortium of Caltanissetta. But don't think it was all that easy! The history of this province and its administration are very interesting.
The history of the province of Caltanissetta
It all began when the Bourbons of Naples divided the Sicilian region into provinces, creating in 1818 those of Palermo, Catania, Messina, Siracusa, Trapani, and Agrigento. The Province of Caltanissetta then included 40% of what became the province of Enna in 1926, including the capital (then Castrogiovanni) and 10% of the territory later assigned to the province of Ragusa.
During the Bourbon period, the province's history was closely linked to sulfur production, which was in the hands of some noble families but whose exploitation concession was held by foreign companies. The miners' lives were fraught with mine fires and collapses, in which many unknown and exploited miners perished, often little more than children. The province was affected by the construction of railways that served the mines, such as the Palermo-Catania Railway and the Syracuse-Gela-Canicattì Railway, completed between 1876 and 1878.
With the Sicilian Special Statute of 1946, the Sicilian provinces were abolished, but were reconstituted in 1963, accepting national regulations. In 1986, they were transformed into "regional provinces".
The abolition of the province and its administration
On March 28, 2014, the abolition of the 9 regional provinces was planned, replaced by nine "Free Municipal Consortia" and three metropolitan areas, following the entry into force of the law approved by the Sicilian Regional Assembly on March 12, 2014.
In compliance with the regional law of March 24, 2014, n. 8, entitled "Establishment of Free Municipal Consortia and Metropolitan Cities" and then regulated by the subsequent regional law no. 15 of August 4, 2015, "Provisions on Free Municipal Consortia and Metropolitan Cities," the regional province of Caltanissetta was abolished and replaced by the free municipal consortium of Caltanissetta.
The municipalities of the province of Caltanissetta
In total, the province of Caltanissetta included 22 municipalities: Acquaviva Platani, Bompensiere, Butera, Caltanissetta, Campofranco, Delia, Marianopoli, Gela, Mazzarino, Milena, Montedoro, Mussomeli, Niscemi, Resuttano, Riesi, San Cataldo, Santa Caterina Villarmosa, Serradifalco, Sommatino, Sutera, Vallelunga Pratameno, and Villalba.
The administration of the province of Caltanissetta
During its existence, the province of Caltanissetta had several presidents, including Giuseppe Castiglione, Salvatore Di Grazia, and many others, until the last serving president, Michele Di Giorgi.
Conclusions
Now you're up to date on the history of the province of Caltanissetta and its administration. Don't forget that despite its abolition, the 22 municipalities of the province still exist and are now part of the free municipal consortium of Caltanissetta. Sicily has a unique history and culture that deserve to be known and appreciated. Until the next adventure together!
