Caltagirone (Sicily)
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Its name takes origin from the Arab words "Qalat-Jerun", that means "Castle of the burial grounds".
Caltagirone, 38.200 inhabitants, is in the province of Catania, far 67 Km. The city is located over a big hill overlooking the valley.
The local handicraft activity is the extraordinary production of beautiful and fine artistic ceramic pieces. The colors green, blue, and yellow, and majolica objects are exhibited at the annual Handcrafts Exhibit-Market held in the month of June. Cattle breeding, as well as sheep and goat farms, are flourishing.
because of the presence of vast necropolises throughout the territory. The first inhabited center rose in the surroundings of a castle during the Greek era.
In 1030, it was conquered by a colony of Ligurians headed by the Byzantine general Giorgio Maniace. In 1090, Count Ruggero D'Altavilla took possession of the suburb and christianized it. Approximately during 1458, a Parliament was assembled and it nominated Giovanni d'Aragona prince of Caltagirone and King of the Reign of Sicily.
The earthquakes of 1542 and 1693 completely destroyed the town, and the new rebuilt center followed the baroque style thanks to the interventions of several architects such as Rosario Gagliardi (1682-1762), Francesco Battaglia (1701-1778) and Natale Bonaiuto (XVIII century).
Architecturally, the most interesting monuments are the Norman Duomo, dedicated to S. Giuliano, preserving beautiful paintings by Francesco Vaccaro (1802-1882), the Chiesa del Collegio erected by the Jesuits in 1593, and the Chiesa di S. Giacomo reconstructed after 1693's earthquake. Very relevant are also the Chiesa di S. Maria del Monte made precious by its big staircase, rich of polychrome majolica, that connects the town's two parts, the Corte Capitaniale preserving noteworthy windows and portals by the artist Gagini (1478-1536), and the Chiesa di S. Nicola dated 1700, today's is seat of the Sicilian Ethnologic Museum