.mw-parser-output .hidden-begin{box-sizing:border-box;width:100%;padding:5px;border:none;font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .hidden-title{font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .hidden-content{text-align:left}You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Italian. (January 2022) Click [show] for important translation instructions. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing Italian Wikipedia article at [[:it:Grammichele]]; see its history for attribution. You should also add the template ((Translated|it|Grammichele)) to the talk page. For more guidance, see Wikipedia:Translation.
Grammichele
Comune
Comune di Grammichele
Coat of arms of Grammichele
Coat of arms
Location of Grammichele
Map
Grammichele is located in Italy
Grammichele
Grammichele
Location of Grammichele in Italy
Grammichele is located in Sicily
Grammichele
Grammichele
Grammichele (Sicily)
Coordinates: 37°12′53″N 14°38′11″E / 37.21472°N 14.63639°E / 37.21472; 14.63639
CountryItaly
RegionSicily
Metropolitan cityCatania (CT)
Government
 • MayorGiuseppe Maria Purpora
Area
[1]
 • Total30 km2 (10 sq mi)
Elevation
520 m (1,710 ft)
Population
 (31 August 2017)[2]
 • Total13,274
 • Density440/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
DemonymGrammichelesi
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
95042
Dialing code0933
Patron saintSt. Michael Archangel
Saint dayMay 8
WebsiteOfficial website

Grammichele (Sicilian: Grammicheli, Greek: Echetle (meaning "plowshare"); Latin: Echetla, Ochula; Medieval: Occhiolà) is a town and comune in the Metropolitan City of Catania in Sicily, southern Italy. It is located at the feet of the Hyblaean Mountains, some 13 kilometres (8 mi) from Caltagirone.

History

Piazza Carafa in the center of the town, Palazzo Communale and San Michele Arcangelo

The town was built in 1693, after the old town of Occhiolà, located to the north of the modern Grammichele, was destroyed by an earthquake. Occhiolà, on account of the similarity of name, is generally identified with Echetla, a frontier city between Syracusan and Carthaginian territory in the time of Hiero II, which appears to have been originally a Sicel city in which Greek civilization prevailed from the 5th century onwards.[3]

The devastation of the old town was so severe that the feudal landlord of the town, Carlo Maria Carafa Branciforte, Prince of Butari, commissioned construction of a new town, with plans aided by Michele da Ferla. Supposedly the Prince himself sketched out the initial hexagonal layout. In the center of the hexagon is the Piazza Carlo Maria Carafa, faced by the Chiesa Madre (Mother Church), San Michele Arcangelo, and the Palazzo Communale (City Hall). The town of Avola, destroyed by the same earthquake, was also relocated and rebuilt along a hexagonal layout.

On July 15, 1943, the 1st Canadian Infantry Division fought its first battle with the Germans in Operation Husky against elements of Panzer Division "Hermann Goring". The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, Saskatoon Light Infantry (Machine Gun) and the Three Rivers Regiment (tank) all took part in the fighting, which concluded at midday with the town in Canadian hands.

Saint Michael's church

Main sights

To the east of Grammichele a cave shrine of Demeter, with fine votive terracottas, was discovered.[3] Other sights include the Mother Church; San Michele Arcangelo, dedicated to St. Michael; and the Church of Calvary.

Notable people

References

  1. ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  3. ^ a b Chisholm 1911.

Sources

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Grammichele". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 12 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 332.


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