Licodia Eubea

Licodia Eubea
Comune
Comune di Licodia Eubea
View of Licodia Eubea. View of Licodia Eubea.
Coat of arms
Licodia Eubea Location of Licodia Eubea in Italy
Coordinates:
Country	Italy
Region	Sicily
Province / Metropolitan city	Catania (CT)
Government
• Mayor	Giovanni Verga
Area
• Total	111 km2 (43 sq mi)
Elevation	688 m (2,257 ft)
Population (March 2009)
• Total	3,162
• Density	28/km2 (74/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Licodiani
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	95040
Dialing code	0933
Patron saint	St. Margaret
Saint day	July 20
Website	Official website

Licodia Eubea (Sicilian: Licuddìa) is a town and comune in the province of Catania, on the island of Sicily. It is bounded by the comuni of Caltagirone, Chiaramonte Gulfi, Giarratana, Grammichele, Mazzarrone, Mineo, Monterosso Almo and Vizzini. It rises over an internal hilly area, 630 metres (2,070 ft) above sea level.

Situated above a hill overlooking the valley of the Dirillo river, Licodia Eubea boasts a rich production of olives, almonds, citrus fruits, and excellent table grapes, that can be tasted during the annual Sagra dell'Uva (Grapes' festival) held in the month of September. Cattle breeding, as well as horse, sheep, and goat farms, are flourishing, not to mention the production of absolutely delicious typical Sicilian cheeses.

Beautiful to visit are the Chiesa Madre dedicated to S. Margherita, erected during the 17th century, preserving the emblem of the Santapau family on its front portal, the Chiesa del Rosario of the 18th century, and the Palazzo Municipale (Town Hall building).

File:Licodia Eubea Rathaus Chiesa del Rosario.jpg

Town Hall and Church of the Rosary.

History

The name Licodia derives from the Greek word 'Licos' meaning wolf, which is why its Coat-of-Arms has a picture of a wolf. The suburb belonged to lord Riccardo Filangieri, and was afterwards bestowed to nobleman Manfredi Aragona.

The name Eubea was given to the place in 1872, to identify with Chalcis, a town on Euboea, the second-largest Greek island, because it is believed to be the colony of Leontini, founded early in the 6th century BC on the same site of an unknown Sicel settlement. Vases of the First Period were found and all the tombs explored in 1898 belonged to the Fourth Period (700–500 BCE), and show the gradual process of Hellenization among the Sicels.

In 1392, the ancient castle was bestowed to the Santapau family, that gave it its name and owned it until the 16th century, when it passed under the dominion of lord Vincenzo Ruffo. In 1693, the town was devastated by the earthquake, and experienced a slow reconstruction.

In 1968, the Licodia Eubea Social Club was established in Victoria, Australia.

Twin towns

• Santa Pau, Spain
• Euboea, island in Greece

External links

• Official website (Italian) This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: