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Lentini - Siracusa
Lentini is a town and comune in the Province of Syracuse, located in the southeast part of the Sicily region in the southern of Italy.Lentini (Leontinoi), founded in 729 b.C. by the Chalcidians of Naxos, reached the very peak of its splendour during the Greek colonization, it was antagonist of Syracuse in 427 b.C. when the lentinese Gorgia, one of the greatest solphist of the antiquity, went to Athens to ask for helps for his city, fighting for a States federation. Fallen under the rule of Syracuse, it became refuge and a point of support for Dione against Dionysius the younger. Taken for a short time by the Carthaginians, it was reconquered by Agathocles in 311. It fell later under the Romans thanks to the consul Marcellus. It was bishop's seat under the Byzantines in the 7th century; suppressed the diocese, it became for a short time feud of the Norman princes. The 1140 and 1169 earthquakes caused great damage in the town, that was rebuilt during the Swabian period. Some religious communities setled there enriched Lentini with churches and convents, but the 1542 earthquake destroyed the town once again. The viceroy Giovanni Vega wanted in 1551 the nearby Carlentini to be built to transfer those who had suffered damages because of the earthquake. But they, not content rebuilt their houses in the same place. After the complete destruction caused by the 1693 earthquake Lentini was entirely rebuilt in the 17th century keeping the present urbanistic configuration. Visit LentiniAncient Leontinoi. The remains of ancient Leontinoi, administratively divided between the towns of Lentini and Carlentini, comprise a suggestive archaeological park including the traces of the prehistoric village of Metapiccola and the ruins of Chalcidian and greek-Syracusan age. It is possible to see the complex walls belonging to four different historical periods, from the 7th to the 3rd century b.C.. The stretches around S.Mauro, that was the acropolis of the ancient town, are well preserved. Interesting are the 4th-3rd century b.C. Hellenistic necropolis of which it is possible to see some sepulchres, the wide latomias, the bases of a Greek temple and the remains of rectangular huts of a 9th- 8th century b.C. native village. It still has artistic beauties dating back to the ancient Lentinoi, among which the coins with the symbols of the lion, speaking soul of the town, and of Apollòs head, its protector god. The ruins of Lentini Castellaccio. Swabian castle dating back to the 12th century, built by Frederick II. The Church of San Luca in Lentini. It is a 18th century church where it is possible to admire a Crucifixion attribuited to Tintoretto, a St.Francis in prayer from Bassanòs school and the Virgin's Birth by Gramignani (1760). The Church of the SS.Trinità and San Marziano in Lentini. National Monument, it was built on the ruins of the sixteenth century Palazzo La Palumba. It keeps inside the beautiful floor in Caltagirone baked clay (18th century), the vault's frescoes by Sebastiano Lo Monaco, a polyptych of the Antonello da Messinàs school and the lapis-lazuli tabernacle of the high altar. The Church of San Francesco di Paola in Lentini. It has a beautiful 18th century architechture and it keeps an old bellows organ and works from churches destroyed by the 1693 earthquake. Church of the Immacolata in Lentini. It dates back to the 18th century and it is possible to admire inside a lion with a flowing mane of Romanic age, Queen Mariàs sepulchral stone (1402) and a Christ at the Column. The Cave of Crocifisso in Lentini. Situated in the San Mauro valley, it is a very suggestive cave with frescoes imitating the Byzantine style (12th-17th century) and the ruins of the 16th century ex Church of S.Pietro and of a Greek house dug in the rock. Lentini lake. Lying 3 Km from the homonymous centre, it was the widest lake basin in the island, anciently nuch smaller, before the Trigona river flowed into it. In Swabian times it was already dammed. In the last few years it is used as an irrigation reservoir for the citrus groves growing. Biviere of Lentini. It is a large artificial basin that makes it possible to admire a great variety of birds: Stork, Stilt, Coot, Royal Mallard, Cormorant, Flamingo, Royal Eagle, Gull. Touristic itinerariesArchaeological Itinerary in Lentini. From San Mauro valley through steep little roads you arrive at the archaeological area where it is possible to see the imposing ruins of the south gate of the ancient Leontinoi and the walls around the sorrounding hills whose remains around the acropolis of San Mauro are well preserved. Of notable interest are the graves of the 3rd century b.C. necropolis. Countryside Itinerary in Lentini. For the nature lovers the country surrounding the town of Lentini gives the possibility of organizing picnic under the very thick citrus-groves and of tasting some very good oranges (many farmers sell them on the provincial road to Ragusa). In the afternoon a visit to the lake is advisable, above all to look about the systems of citrus-groves irrigation and to the Biviere. Perhaps you will succeed in seeing also some rare specimen of avifauna. Events and traditionsLentini Typical Products. Oranges, tangerines and temple oranges are the typical products for excellence that with their colour give brightness to the green countries. Have you ever tasted the orange salade? It's time to taste: It is dressed with onion, parsley and extra-virgin olive-oil of course. The olives growing and the production of an excellent extra virgin oil are also a characteristic of the little town; delicious are the 'alivi à puddastredda' with oil, mint, garlie and vinegar. Do not miss the ricotta cheese that it is possible to taste in some shepheid's homestead with the rennet and the bread baked in the stone oven. Local specialties are the mpanate, pizzas stuffed with little broccolis or with potatoes, baked in the old stone ovens, together with the pani ì casa (the famous Lentini bread) enriched with sesame-seeds and the cudduruni with broccolis, wild beets and onions. At Easter do not miss the cassateddi cakes stuffed with ricotta cheese, eggs and cinnamon and the ciciliu consisting of a small biscuit basket containing an egg. The main events in Lentini are the Sagra delle arance (January) and the Festa patronale di Sant'Alfio (May). Traditions in Lentini. For the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary the Lentines are used to organising picnic with friends and relatives in the private gardens, possibly equipped with a 'gebbia' (basin for the fields irrigation) that, cleaned up for this occasion, is used as swimming pool to freshen oneself because of the torrid climate. Obligatory are the 'alivi à puddastredda', small 'cassatas' with ricotta cheese and to celebrate private wine in abundance. Following an old tradition, the oldest people who live in the old houses in white tuff, are accustomed to warm themselves, during the winter, before a 'conca', a brass brazier over which orange- or tangerine-peel is burnt to aromatize the smell of the charcoal slack. How to reach Lentini. By car from Catania and Syracuse from which Lentini is about 30 Km away. By train it can be reached with the Catania-Syracuse line. By bus from all the heighbouring villages. Hotel B&B Lentini
Official website: http://www.comune.lentini.sr.it |
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