History News

Notes by ANTASICILIA-ONLUS.

The province of Ragusa.

There are very substantial natural, architectural and urban resources. Absolutely remarkable is the presence of palaces and churches in the particular Sicilian baroque style, particularly in Modica, Scicli and Ragusa. This is a peculiar baroque, late (1700) compared to the classic style (1600), due to the reconstruction that took place after the devastating earthquake in eastern Sicily in 1693. A style used during the reconstruction that the province of Ragusa has in common with that of Siracusa and Catania except for the employment of different local stone.

Very important is the archaeological heritage, distributed in all the territory, principally signalled by prehistoric installations, numerous Christian testimonies, as well as the catacombs of the Cava of Ispica (this area was constantly inhabited during the ancient and classical, Greek, Roman, late-Roman and Byzantine periods). The rich finds are chiefly in the museum of Siracusa, Modica and Ragusa. The museum of Siracusa, didactically well organized, reproduces, topographically and chronologically, the of the original sites. There is material that comes from various necropolis and the diggings of the entire Ibleo territory, from the hinterland and the neighbouring area of "Castelluccio" (Noto , SR) to the mouth of the Ippari River and to the small mountain town of Casasia north of Ragusa.

Expressive natural heritages, with gorges rich with vegetation, residual coastal dunes and marshes are found here. One can come across very important faunistic presences (like in the luxuriant hollow of Tellesimo, where the rare trout "macrostigma" is found) and typical Mediterranean vegetation (i.e. the Vittoria pinewood and the underbrush of the Irmio River, areas which are now protected by the province.

From an Etnean-antropological viewpoint, in the province of Ragusa there are many artistic traditions tied to stone carving, wood workings, iron working, reed weaving, and to the art of the cartwright besides the typical dairy activities as well as beekeeping, rotisserie and confectionery making.

The province's culture has remained bucolic. Today addressed towards the growth of wine-grapes, wine-making and greenhouse cultivations. Together with the traditional Sicilian dishes, in the territory there are fresh and seasoned cheeses with local variations, the "Scacce," savoury rolled-out pastries stuffed with various ingredients, the confectionery with sweets made of honey, citrus fruits, biscuits and some even stuffed with meat, as well as the famous chocolate from Modica, prepared from an ancient and exclusive recipe.

The religious traditions, full of devotion and civic aspects, date back to distant historic periods. The manifestations often with ancient choreographies are particularly suggestive like "La cavalcata di San Giuseppe" , "Maria Santissima delle Milizie" , L'Annunziata , "il Presepe vivente at Scicli , "a Madonna vasa vasa , and Easter Sunday at Modica .Ragusa, among all the Sicilian provinces, is the smallest and has the lowest population density (little less than 300,000) and the least number of communes, 12 in all: Acate, Chiaramonte Gulf, Comiso, Giarratana, Ispica, Modica, Monterosso Almo, Pozzallo, Ragusa, Santa Croce Camerina, Scicli, Vittoria.)