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Aci Catena
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Aci Catena
Aci Catena (Sicilian: Jaci Catina) is a town and comune in Metropolitan City of Catania, Sicily, southern Italy.
The climate is generally mild. Winters are not always severe, and snowfall with accumulation is rare, though not uncommon. Notable instances occurred in 1925, 1956, December 1988, February 2006, January 2017, January 2019, and February 2021. Summers are typically hot and dry. Rainfall is mostly concentrated between October and March and can at times be intense, due in part to the stau effect, which significantly influences the pluviometry of the Acireale area.
The first part of the toponym, shared with other nearby municipalities, refers to the Jaci River. The second part refers to the town's patron saint, the Madonna della Catena.
The name of Catenanuova, a municipality in the Province of Enna, is derived from Aci Catena. It was founded by Andrea Giuseppe Riggio-Statella, Prince of the Catena.
The origins of Aci Catena and the other towns named Aci are traditionally linked to Xiphonia, a mysterious ancient Greek city that has completely disappeared. The poets Virgil and Ovid connected the foundation myth to the love story between the nymph Galatea and the shepherd Acis, along with the jealousy of the cyclops Polyphemus. During Greek and Roman times, a city called Akis (Ἄκις) existed and is recorded as having participated in the Punic Wars.
In the medieval period, the town was known as Jachium, and under Arab rule, it was referred to as Al-Yag. The historical developments of this period are closely associated with the Castle of Aci, which provides much of the available historical information. The Sanctuary of Maria Santissima di Valverde also dates back to this era.
Until the seventeenth century, the history of Aci Catena was largely shared with the other hamlets in the territory of Aci. Under Spanish rule during the seventeenth century, the significant economic growth of Aquilia Nuova, now Acireale, led to conflicts and rivalries with the surrounding settlements, which sought administrative independence. This resulted in the separation of the Aci hamlets and the establishment of distinct municipalities including Aci Catena, Aci Bonaccorsi (1652), Aci Castello (1647), Aci San Filippo and Aci Sant'Antonio (1628), Aci Platani (now a district of Acireale), and Aci Trezza (now a district of Aci Castello). Historically, Aci Catena was also known as Scarpi, possibly due to the presence of shoemakers in the area, while Aci San Filippo was referred to as Xacche.
The earthquake of 1693 affected a wide area of eastern Sicily, from Messina to the Val di Noto. Based on contemporary sources, modern researchers estimate its magnitude at 7.4 on the Richter scale or XI on the Mercalli scale. Aci Catena was partially destroyed; the church housing a valuable fifteenth-century icon collapsed, although the altar, the icon, and the statue remained intact.
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Aci Catena
Aci Catena (Sicilian: Jaci Catina) is a town and comune in Metropolitan City of Catania, Sicily, southern Italy.
The climate is generally mild. Winters are not always severe, and snowfall with accumulation is rare, though not uncommon. Notable instances occurred in 1925, 1956, December 1988, February 2006, January 2017, January 2019, and February 2021. Summers are typically hot and dry. Rainfall is mostly concentrated between October and March and can at times be intense, due in part to the stau effect, which significantly influences the pluviometry of the Acireale area.
The first part of the toponym, shared with other nearby municipalities, refers to the Jaci River. The second part refers to the town's patron saint, the Madonna della Catena.
The name of Catenanuova, a municipality in the Province of Enna, is derived from Aci Catena. It was founded by Andrea Giuseppe Riggio-Statella, Prince of the Catena.
The origins of Aci Catena and the other towns named Aci are traditionally linked to Xiphonia, a mysterious ancient Greek city that has completely disappeared. The poets Virgil and Ovid connected the foundation myth to the love story between the nymph Galatea and the shepherd Acis, along with the jealousy of the cyclops Polyphemus. During Greek and Roman times, a city called Akis (Ἄκις) existed and is recorded as having participated in the Punic Wars.
In the medieval period, the town was known as Jachium, and under Arab rule, it was referred to as Al-Yag. The historical developments of this period are closely associated with the Castle of Aci, which provides much of the available historical information. The Sanctuary of Maria Santissima di Valverde also dates back to this era.
Until the seventeenth century, the history of Aci Catena was largely shared with the other hamlets in the territory of Aci. Under Spanish rule during the seventeenth century, the significant economic growth of Aquilia Nuova, now Acireale, led to conflicts and rivalries with the surrounding settlements, which sought administrative independence. This resulted in the separation of the Aci hamlets and the establishment of distinct municipalities including Aci Catena, Aci Bonaccorsi (1652), Aci Castello (1647), Aci San Filippo and Aci Sant'Antonio (1628), Aci Platani (now a district of Acireale), and Aci Trezza (now a district of Aci Castello). Historically, Aci Catena was also known as Scarpi, possibly due to the presence of shoemakers in the area, while Aci San Filippo was referred to as Xacche.
The earthquake of 1693 affected a wide area of eastern Sicily, from Messina to the Val di Noto. Based on contemporary sources, modern researchers estimate its magnitude at 7.4 on the Richter scale or XI on the Mercalli scale. Aci Catena was partially destroyed; the church housing a valuable fifteenth-century icon collapsed, although the altar, the icon, and the statue remained intact.
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