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SCICLI
In the province of Ragusa,
not too far from Modica, one can come across a place of rare
beauty: Scicli.
Its ancient origins are perhaps revealed from the name that
seems to derive from Siclis, ancient terminology used to indicate
the arrival of the Siculi in Sicily in the 15th Century BC.
But the presence of man in the territory dates back to earlier
eras, and therefore can refer to the Sicani population (III
millennium BC). Numerous grottos containing Ruprestri incisions,
are also testimony to this fact.
After the Greek dominion, the City passed hands to the Romans,
and at the end of the Second Punic Wars became civitas decumana
(a Decuman City).
With the fall of the Roman Empire, Scicli experienced the
invasion of the Vandali, the Ostrogoth Reign (5th-6th Century)
and Byzantine dominion (5th-9th Century), interrupted by a
siege by the Arabs (864) who conquered it and allowed it to
enjoy a period of incredible splendour.
In 1091, a battle between the Normans and Arabs took place
on the Piana dei Milici. It was won by the Normans led by
Count Ruggero d’Altavilla, under which it became a Governing
City.
After the Swabians, Scicli passed hands to the Angioini (1266)
but after only for a short time because the economical politics
were not accepted well in Sicily by the population and led
to the Vespri (Vespers) revolt, when Scicli rebelled on 5th
April 1282 and hounded out the French.
Under the Aragonese (14th Century) the fortified town began
to expand on the lower territory and resisted rule from various
nobles, ruminating under the jurisdiction of the County of
Modica.
Its expansion, however, was halted by a tragic plague (1624)
and an earthquake (1693) which exterminated the population.
In 1860, Scicli joined the unification cause and became part
of the Reign of Italy.
There are many monuments and places of interest to visit in
Scicli, which since 2002 became part of the Patrimony of Humanity
by UNESCO, for example: the Palazzo Beneventano, a splendid
example of Sicilian Baroque. Other examples of civil architecture
are: Palazzo Spadaro, Palazzo Fava and Palazzo Veneziano Sgarlata.
There are also many religious buildings worth visiting. The
Matrice di S. Matteo Church (11th Century) is in an elevated
position above all, where one can find the remains of the
ancient Castle and ancient habitation. Amongst the other churches
we can mention S. Maria La Nova (15th Century), S. Giovanni
Evangelista (13th Century) and S. Bartolomeo (15th Century).
The battle that took place between the Normans and the Arabs
is remembered annually at the end of May, during the folkloristic
Festivity of the Military services.
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