Tortorici
Tortorici: The Municipality of Three Names
Tortorici is a city located in the metropolitan city of Messina, Sicily. Hosted by the Nebrodi Park, the municipality extends over a valley surrounded by mountains and hills. Its name has Greek roots, and the city is known by several nicknames such as "City of Hazelnuts," "City of Bells," and "Valley of Ingenuity."
Physical geography
Tortorici is a city of 5734 inhabitants where hazelnut groves abound, and these are the reason why the city is nicknamed "City of Hazelnuts." The city extends over a valley surrounded by mountains and hills, where numerous hazelnut forests can be found.
The history of the city
The Greek-sounding names of the 72 hamlets that make up the municipality of Tortorici suggest an ancient foundation, but there is no concrete evidence. Legend connects the origin of the city to Aeneas, but probably the city was founded in the Byzantine period by populations of Greek origin who moved to Sicily in the 7th-8th century, following the Arab Occupation of the Mediterranean Africa.
Under the Swabians, Tortorici became a feudal domain of the Pollichino family and later of the Moncada and Mastrilli. It was only in 1630 that the city was liberated from the feudal yoke, becoming a demesne city with the right to sit in the Sicilian Parliament and the title of "Fidelis et Victoriosa Civitas."
The artistic splendor of Tortorici
Tortorici experienced its periods of maximum splendor in the 16th-17th and 18th centuries, thanks to artistic craftsmanship. The stonemasons reconstructed the Church of San Francesco in 1602, which is now a National Monument, together with the bell tower and the convent of the Franciscan friars who opened a school of philosophy and theology.
The artistic prestige of Tortorici is largely due to the art of bronze casting, thanks to which there are rich masterpieces. But not only: artisans also dedicated themselves to the working of copper, agriculture, and gold extraction.
Conclusions
Tortorici is a city rich in history and tradition, with a well-defined artistic and cultural imprint that underlines its beauty. The 72 hamlets that gradually came together to form the municipality of Tortorici have always been characterized by simplicity and lightness, and the municipality extends over a valley immersed in nature that offers a breathtaking view. The city is not only famous for the presence of hazelnut groves but also for the strong bourgeoisie that has characterized it over the centuries. The conviction of the citizens of redeeming themselves from feudal servitude led to the creation of the Comarche del Regno di Sicilia, with Tortorici having jurisdiction over 14 municipalities and more than 29,900 census inhabitants. For all these reasons, Tortorici is a place to visit at least once in a lifetime.
