Randazzo
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 On July the 10th 1943 the Americans and British landed in the eastern part of the island, respectively, in the vicinity of Gela and Syracuse and between Portopalo.
The invasion, defined as 'Operation Husky' would liberate Sicily and the rest of Italy from German occupation.
Despite the serious damage suffered during the war, the town of Randazzo in the province of Catania preserved intact its distinctive appearance. |
| Below : Randazzo - Dated August 24 - 1943 - taken by allied soldiers. |
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| The town was also known as ' the black town', because volcanic lava stone was for many centuries used as a building material to construct roads and to highlight buildings, including houses. |
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Although its origins are attributed to the Byzantine era, finds from archeological digs suggests that the town was already inhabited since ancient times: Roman, Greek and even earlier.
For a period that lasted until the end the 16th Century, the inhabitant of Randazzo spoke three dialects (Greek, Latin and Lombard), derived from three different communities who can be identified with three different churches: S. Maria, S. Nicolò and S. Martino. |
| Santa Maria-Entirely made of lava stone is a result of several phases of construction; |
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Randazzo is located at the northern foot of Mount Etna volcano, and is the town nearest to the crater.
Most of its territory is made up of three protected parks.
The fluvial Alcantara Park, the Nebrodi and the Etna Regional Park. |
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| Miraculously spared by the volcano’s numerous eruptions thanks to the particular morphology of the terrain, the little town overlooks the beutiful Alcantara valley, dominating the crossroads of three major provinces: Catania, Messina and Enna, strategically located at the center of what was once the Val Demone |
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| Below: A deep gorge carved by the Alcantara river on the edge of the northern slopes of Etria, in the area of Motta Camastra. The river penetrates the cleft, which is twent metres deep but only a few metres wide. |
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| Many paths that wind along ancient and recent lava fields, allow tourists to reach places of ecological importance such as : Monte Spagnolo (Spanish mountain) and its beech forest, la Grotta del Gelo (the Ice Cave), the Grotto and the ... |
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| ...Burro' nature trail, with old shelters made of wood and stone dotting the old pathways once used by local shepherd. |
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Approximate distance from nearby POI:
Palermo - 205 km
Cefalu'- 144 km
Messina - 90 km
Catania - 68 km
Taormina - 47 km |
| Official www |
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| Each charming corner of Randazzo offers different views, impressive and unique landscapes tracing its ancient civilization and the signs of its rich medieval back in time. |
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| Through the Aragonese Portal (1282), which opens up in the Medieval walls, one can reach the Church of S. Maria. |
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| The Norman Swabian building, constructed between 1217 and 1239. |
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| Via degli Archi |
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| The Arched Street |
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