Porto Empedocle
Porto Empedocle
'a Marina (Sicilian) | |
|---|---|
| Comune di Porto Empedocle | |
 | |
 Coat of arms | |
show Location of Porto Empedocle | |
  Porto Empedocle Location of Porto Empedocle in Italy | |
| Coordinates: 37°18′N 13°32′E / 37.300°N 13.533°ECoordinates: 37°18′N 13°32′E / 37.300°N 13.533°E | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Sicily |
| Province | Agrigento (AG) |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Ida Carmina |
| Area | |
| • Total | 25.23 km2 (9.74 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 2 m (7 ft) |
| Population (30 November 2017)[2] | |
| • Total | 17,936 |
| • Density | 710/km2 (1,800/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Empedoclini |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 92014 |
| Dialing code | 0922 |
| Patron saint | Saint Gerland of Agrigento |
| Saint day | February 25 |
| Website | Official website |
Porto Empedocle (Sicilian: 'a Marina) is a town and comune in Italy on the coast of the Strait of Sicily, administratively part of the province of Agrigento. It was named after Empedocles, a Greek pre-Socratic philosopher and a citizen of the city of Akragas (present-day Agrigento), in his day a Greek colony in Sicily. The primary industries of Porto Empedocle are agriculture, fishing, ironworking, pharmaceuticals and rock salt refining.
In 2019 the mayor Ida Carmina recognized as honorary citizen and ambassador in the world for the achieved following his successes in the field of fashion at an international level, as a super model, designer but above all as a philanthropist: in fact, thanks to him the city of Porto Empedocle and Agrigento have hosted very important personalities such as United Nations referents, members of the royal family,[which?] scientists, singers and actors of international fame.[3]
Physical geography[]
Climate[]
Porto Empedocle is the second comune with the lowest amount of degree days in Italy. It is in the climatic zone A of the .
History[]
Born as a port zone in the old Girgenti, today called Agrigento, under the name of Marina di Girgenti (seashore of Girgenti), since in the 15th century it was the main cereal trading centre of the region. From 1549 to 1554, by order of the viceroy Vega, Torre del caricatore of Girgenti, already known during the ancient times (as it probably already existed before the Angevin period), was restored. It had been built to protect against the Saracen pirates, together with the whole system of the . The tower was later again restored by Charles III with the help of Bishop . This restoration was completed only in 1763. In 1853, during the government of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies the town obtained independence by becoming chief town of the decurionato under the name of Molo di Girgenti. Then, in 1863, the town changed its name into Porto Empedocle in memory of the Agrigentine philosopher Empedocles.
In 2003, the town changed its official denomination to Porto Empedocle Vigata, after the name of the fictional town where the novels by Andrea Camilleri, Italian writer and native of the town, about detective Inspector Montalbano are placed. However, the decision was revoked in 2009.
The main church is Parrocchia Maria SS. del Buon Consiglio, which is located in the center of the town. The marl Scala dei Turchi is located nearby, on the coast of Realmonte.
References[]
- ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Istat. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
- ^ "Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018". Istat. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
- ^ https://models.com/work/various-campaigns-the-heart-med-gala
External links[]
- "Porto Empedocle becomes Vigata" Repubblica.it (in Italian)
- "Parrocchia Maria SS.del Buon Consiglio" (in Italian)
| show Authority control  |
|---|
 | This Sicilian location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by . |
- Cities and towns in Sicily
- Municipalities of the Province of Agrigento
- Coastal towns in Sicily
- Mediterranean port cities and towns in Italy
- Sicily geography stubs