Valverde
Let's Discover Valverde, a Town in Sicily
Hello everyone! Today we are talking about Valverde, a town in Sicily located in the province of Catania. Valverde has a population of about 7731 and has defended its identity and its name in Sicilian language, "Beḍḍuvirdi", despite controversies over Italianization.
Origins of the Name
The name Valverde derives from the ancient Latin toponym "Vallis Viridis", but its origin is still a subject of debate among historians. The Sicilian form "Bedduviddi" was then Italianized, but not without controversy.
History
Valverde is one of the Aci, a group of villages that originates from Xiphonia, an ancient Greek center. The history of Valverde closely coincides with that of the Castle of Aci and the Sanctuary of Maria Santissima di Valverde, founded during the medieval period.
In the seventeenth century, under Spanish rule, Aquilia Nuova (Acireale) grew economically at the expense of other hamlets that sought administrative autonomy. Thus, the hamlets of Aci, including Aci Bonaccorsi, Aci Castello, Aci San Filippo, Aci Sant'Antonio, and Valverde, were born. However, the communal autonomy only arrived in 1951, when the Municipality of Valverde was established.
Symbols
The town's coat of arms depicts the Sanctuary dedicated to the Madonna of Valverde, while the banner is a blue flag.
Landmarks and Places of Interest
The Sanctuary of Maria Santissima di Valverde is the most important monument, located in the town center. It has a probable medieval origin, but has been renovated over time. Another spiritual place that strongly influenced the life of the town is the Hermitage of Sant'Anna, located in Aci Catena.
In addition, the remains of a primitive village are present near the district of Casal Rosato.
Society
The population of Valverde has had a steady demographic evolution with peaks from 1951 to 1971.
Administration
The Municipality of Valverde is part of the agricultural region n.7 (Litoral hills of Acireale). Here is the table of the administrations that succeeded each other.
I hope this brief summary has been useful for discovering more about Valverde. If you have the opportunity to visit this delightful town, do not hesitate to do so because you will surely find many surprises!
