The province of Siracusa
Melilli |
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Photo © Municipality of Melilli
Melilli (Zip Code 96010) is 227 Km. distant from Agrigento, 156 Km. from Caltanissetta, 48 Km. from Catania, 145 Km. from Enna, 144 Km. from Messina, 259 Km. from Palermo, 91 Km. from Ragusa, 23 Km. from Siracusa, that is the province it belongs to, 358 Km. from Trapani. The municipality has 12.235 inhabitants, its surface measures 13.608 hectares and it population density counts 90 inhabitants for square kilometre. It rises on a hilly area, 3300 metres above the sea level. The Town Hall is located in piazza Crescimanno n. 1, tel. ++39 0931-552111 fax. ++39 0931-552160. E-mail address is: comunemelilli@worldonline.it.
Its main economical activities are agriculture and cattle breeding. It mainly produces citrus fruits, forages, grapes, carobs, cereals, apples and olives. Melilli is also famous for its honey production. The town is also more and more involved in industrial activities. The word Melilli comes from the Latin Melum, meaning apple tree, referring to the many apple orchards of the area. During the Middle Age, it played an important role for its strategic over hill position, controlling the Augusta - Siracusa road. It was territory property up to the 14th century and belonged to Augusta County. Photo © Municipality of Melilli
It was destroyed by the earthquakes in 1542 and 1693 and rebuilt later. Other changes in its planimetry occurred after the World War II. Amongst the most important monuments we mention the Mother Church dedicated to St. Nicholas and the church of St. Sebastian, built in the 18th century. The necropoli close to the town, dated back to the Bronze Age, are also very interesting. A peculiarity in Melilli is the so-called Gullet of Martyrs, a beautiful terraced cliff eroded by the sea. |
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