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Albanazzo, Colleggiata (Collegiata), Favarella, Granieri, Mulino Buongiovanni, Piano Carbone, Piano San Paolo, Rangasia, San Basilio – Casa Prete, San Mauro, Santo Pietro, Serra Fornazzo, Signore del Soccorso, Villa Gravina, Villa Grazia
It is the fifth most populous municipality of the Metropolitan City, behind Catania, Acireale, Misterbianco and Paternò. Alongside Catania, it is the only town that has a tribunal seat in the former province. Since 1987, the comune has obtained the City title, through a presidential act. After Caltanissetta, it is the second-most populous comune in Central Sicily.
The town is a production center of pottery, particularly maiolica and terra-cotta wares. Contemporary production is more and more oriented to artistic production of ceramics and terra-cotta sculptures. Other activities are mainly related to agriculture (production of grapes, olives, peaches), third-sector activities, light industry and tourism.
History
The city's name derives from the Arabicqalʿat al-jirār (قلعة الجرار, "castle of [pottery] jars") – a name that attests to the antiquity of the local pottery works and to Arab influence in the area before 1000 CE. are still thriving. Concerning the name etymology, there are other hypothesis, that could refer to the Greek or Genoan past of the town, or also to something concerning the land or the surrounding area.
The area has been inhabited since prehistoric times, as shown by the presence of two necropolises dating from the second millennium BCE, and by numerous other archaeological finds. It was later inhabited by the Sicels, a people who predated Roman occupation and control.
Inside the municipal area, there's the archaeological area of Monte San Mauro, dag by archaeologist Paolo Orsi during the early XX Century, where there was found an inhabitated area with a cult area and a necropolis: it would be likely a Leontinoi subcolony, the Chalcidian town of Euboia, despite some scientists think it would be also the case of a Colony under Gela rule.
During the Middle Age, Arabs built a castle here; in 1030 it was attacked by Ligurian troops under the Byzantine general George Maniakes. The current town's Sicilian dialect continues to have traces of Ligurian language. The city flourished under the Norman and Hohenstaufen domination, becoming a renowned center for production of ceramics.
The city was almost completely destroyed by the earthquake of 1693. Many public and private buildings were reconstructed in a Sicilian Baroque style. The city has an array of architectural resources and, together with the surrounding territory, is protected by the UNESCO World Heritage program.
During unification struggles, in May 29, 1860, the town was looted by the Bourbon army led by general Gaetano Afan de Rivera; they were fleeing from the Garibaldini forces towards Catania.[3]
During the first part of the 20th century, the town was a stronghold of Italian Christian democracy movement, due to the presence of renowned politician Luigi Sturzo. Later, the town produced such nationwide politicians as Italian Prime minister Mario Scelba, and Sicilian president Silvio Milazzo.
During the World War II, the town was one of the earliest Operation Husky checkpoints, in which there were all of the three Ally contingents (US, Canada and UK). Also, it was the final theatre of the Indepentist season, specifically the area of San Mauro; there, the Royal Carabinieri and the Concetto Gallo-ruled EVIS had a battle, won by the Italian army.
Today, Caltagirone is a mid-tier Sicilian town. It is one of the 25 most populous towns in Sicily, and one of the 250 most populous in Italy.
Its hamlets (frazioni) are Albanazzo, Colleggiata (or Collegiata), Favarella, Granieri, Mulino Buongiovanni, Piano Carbone, Piano San Paolo, Rangasia, San Basilio – Casa Prete, San Mauro, Santo Pietro, Serra Fornazzo, Signore del Soccorso, Villa Gravina and Villa Grazia.
A collection of ancient and modern pottery and terra-cotta, dating to the Magna Grecia period, is shown in the local Museum of Pottery. The museum was created in 1965.
The main landmark of the city is the 142-step monumental Staircase of Santa Maria del Monte, built from 1608 in the old part of the town. Each step is decorated with different hand-decorated ceramics, using styles and figures derived from the city's millennial tradition of pottery making. Once a year, on and around the day of the city's patron saint, (St. James, 25 July), the staircase is illuminated with candles of different colours. They are arranged to create an artistic display of several tens of meters.
Religious buildings include:
San Giuliano: Cathedral of Norman origin, dedicated to St Julian, with a twentieth-century art nouveau façade by Saverio Gulli.
San Francesco di Paola: Baroque church; the sacristy is in Gothic style, dating from before the 1693 earthquake.
San Francesco: Church dedicated to St Francis of Assisi, built originally in 1236 and rebuilt in Baroque style after 1693. The façade has two orders with marine symbols and a statue of the Immaculate (Virgin Mary). The dome is unfinished.
Chiesa del Gesù: Church of Jesus, built by Jesuits. (1570). The façade has eight statues portraying saints and the Madonna with Child. The interior, one a single nave, houses a Pietà by Filippo Paladino (1607) and Christ's Nativity by painter Polidoro da Caravaggio.
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