Bronte
Part of The Encyclopedia of Southern Italy.
Bronte (CT): A commune (area: 285.9 km²; alt. 793 m) in the province of Catania. Located 48 km NW of Catania, it is situated on the W slope of Mt. Etna, to the left of the river Simeto. Population: 19,147 (2006e); 18,512 (2001); 18,689 (1991).
Tradition holds that the town founded in the distant past by the Cyclopes. Although it is known that a settlement has existed here since ancient times, the identities of the true founders of the town remain uncertain. The present center dates back to c1485 when a group of Albanian refugees were allowed to settle here. These refugees were related to similar groups who founded centers at Biancavilla (CT) and Piana degli Albanesi (PA).
As a Sicilian duchy, it was bestowed of Horatio Nelson in 1799 by Ferdinand IV of the Two Sicilies. Under Sicilian law, the fief was inherited by the eldest daughter of Nelson’s brother, the first Duke, rather than the male heirs of his eldest sister, as would be the case in English practice. The estate remained in the family for generations afterward. Their residence, however, was at Manaice, on the far side of the estate, rather than at the town of Bronte. The English traveler, writing in the early 20th Century, described the citizens of Bronte as “the most villainous people in Sicily.” The town was threatened by lava flows from nearby Mt. Etna in 1603, 1610, 1727, 1763, 1787, and 1843. During World War I it suffered damage from bombing in 1943.
The principal products are cereals, olive-oil, pistachios, almonds, fruits, and timber.
Points of Interest: The church of the Annunciata, founded in 1631, contains an Annunciation by Antonio Gagini. The church building foundation incorporates remains of an ancient Roman house which had previously stood there.
The Castle Maniace was originally founded in 1173 as a convent by Margaret of Navarre. Its name derives from that of the Byzantine general George Maniakes who, in 1040, won a great victory over the Saracen on the site. The castle is also the site of the grave of the Scottish poet Fiona Macleod (pseudonym for William Sharp) (1855-1905).