Augusta, Sicily

Augusta
—  Comune  —
Comune di Augusta
Coat of arms
Augusta Location of Augusta in Italy
Coordinates: 37°15′N 15°13′E / 37.25°N 15.217°E / 37.25; 15.217
Country	Italy
Region	Sicily
Province	Syracuse (SR)
Frazioni	Brucoli
Government
• Mayor	Massimo Carrubba (Democratic Party)
Area
• Total	109.33 km2 (42.21 sq mi)
Elevation	15 m (49 ft)
Population (31 December 2010[1])
• Total	34,539
• Density	320/km2 (820/sq mi)
Demonym	Augustani
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	96011
Dialing code	0931
Patron saint	St. Dominic
Saint day	May 24
Website	Official website

Augusta (Sicilian: Austa, Greek and Latin: Megara Hyblaea, Medieval: Augusta and Agosta) is a town and comune in the province of Syracuse, located on the eastern coast of Sicily (Italy). The city is one of the main harbours in Italy, especially for oil refineries (Exxon Mobil) which are in its vicinity.

Geography

The city is situated in Syracuse and faces the Ionian Sea. The old town is an island, made by cutting an isthmus in the 16th century and is connected to the mainland by two bridges. One bridge was built recently (Viaduct Frederick II of Swabia) and the other built when the city was founded and is called the Spanish Gate. Augusta is home to two ports.

History

The town was founded by Emperor Frederick II. After the Angevine domination, it became part of Aragonese Sicily and, from 1362, it was a fief of Guglielmo Raimondo II Moncada. It returned a Royal possession (under Spain) in 1560, and was extensively fortified to counter Turkish pirates.

In 1675 its harbour was the seat of naval battle between Spanish and English fleets. The town suffered a major earthquake and tsunami in 1693.^[2] During World War II, Augusta was invaded on July 13, 1943 by the Eighth Army of the Allied troops led by British General Montgomery.

Main sights

Hohenstaufen Castle.

• Church of San Domenico (13th century). The façade is in Neoclassical style.
• Convent of the Domenican Fathers
• Church of S. Francesco di Paola
• Church of Cristo Re
• Church of Mother Mary SS. Assunta (Augusta)
• Church of Anime Sante del Purgatorio (S. Nicolò). The Baroque façade is attributed to Filippo Juvarra.
• Chiesa del Carmine
• Church of San Sebastiano
• Church of Santa Maria del Soccorso
• Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie
• Church of San Giuseppe
• Church of Maria Santissima del Soccorso
• Church of Sant'Andrea
• Church of Santa Lucia
• Church of Sacro Cuore
• Porta Spagnola
• Castello Svevo (Hohenstaufen Castle, built c. 1232). It has a square plan of a 62 meters side length, with eight towers
• Spanish Gate (17th century)
• Hangar dirigibili Augusta
• Kursaal Augusteo
• Ricetta di Malta
• Forti Garsia e Vittoria
• Torre Avalos
• Eremo Adonai

People

• Emanuele d'Astorga, composer
• Orso Mario Corbino, physicist
• Epicarmo Corbino, economist
• Giuseppe Di Mare, organist, pianist and composer
• Rosario Fiorello, showman
• Beppe Fiorello, actor
• Alfredo Maria Garsia, Bishop of Caltanissetta
• Marcello Guagliardo Giordani, opera singer (tenor)
• Giovanni Lavaggi, Formula 1 driver
• Roy Paci, musician
• Antonio Scaduto, canoeist
• Riccardo Schicchi, director
• Chiara Strazzulla, writer
• Vintario Brusconti, writer (fictional)

References

Chiesa Madre (Mother Church).

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Augusta (Italy)

• Augusta News
• Augusta map and facilities
• Augusta port facilities
• Real estate in Brucoli-Augusta