Aci Castello
Encyclopedia
Aci Castello is a city and comune
in the Province of Catania
in Sicily
, Italy
. The city is located 9 km north of Catania
on the Mediterranean coast. The primary economic sectors are agriculture and industry (in Catania). The city is neighbored by Aci Catena
, Acireale
, Catania
, San Gregorio di Catania
and Valverde.
The city developed around the castle, which was built in 1076 by the Normans. In 1169, Aci Castello started to grow after an eruption of Mount Etna
made the towns around it uninhabitable.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
in the Province of Catania
Province of Catania
Catania is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily in Italy. Its capital is the city of Catania.It has an area of 3,552 km², and a total population of 1,073,881 . There are 58 comunes in the province, see Comunes of the Province of Catania...
in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The city is located 9 km north of Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
on the Mediterranean coast. The primary economic sectors are agriculture and industry (in Catania). The city is neighbored by Aci Catena
Aci Catena
Aci Catena is a town and comune in province of Catania, Sicily, Italy....
, Acireale
Acireale
Acireale is a coastal city and commune in the north-east of the province of Catania, Sicily, Italy, at the foot of Mount Etna, on the coast facing the Ionian Sea. It is a diocese, famous for its churches, including the Neo-Gothic St. Peter's Basilica, St...
, Catania
Catania
Catania is an Italian city on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian Sea, between Messina and Syracuse. It is the capital of the homonymous province, and with 298,957 inhabitants it is the second-largest city in Sicily and the tenth in Italy.Catania is known to have a seismic history and...
, San Gregorio di Catania
San Gregorio di Catania
San Gregorio di Catania is a comune in the Province of Catania in the Italian region Sicily, located about 170 km southeast of Palermo and about 7 km northeast of Catania....
and Valverde.
The city developed around the castle, which was built in 1076 by the Normans. In 1169, Aci Castello started to grow after an eruption of Mount Etna
Mount Etna
Mount Etna is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, close to Messina and Catania. It is the tallest active volcano in Europe, currently standing high, though this varies with summit eruptions; the mountain is 21 m higher than it was in 1981.. It is the highest mountain in...
made the towns around it uninhabitable.
Main sights
- The Norman Castle, which was built from 1076 to 1081. It now serves as a museum
- The borough Aci TrezzaAci TrezzaAci Trezza is a town in Sicily, southern Italy, a frazione of the comune of Aci Castello, c. 10 km north of Catania, with a population of around 5,000 people....
with a beach