Zafferana Etnea (; scn, Zafarana ) is a ''

comune The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...

'' (municipality) in the

Metropolitan City of Catania The Metropolitan City of Catania ( it, Città metropolitana di Catania) is a metropolitan city in Sicily, southern Italy. Its capital is the city of Catania. It replaced the Province of Catania and comprises the city of Catania and other 57 munic ...

in the Italian region

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

, located about southeast of

Palermo Palermo ( , ; scn, Palermu , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The city is noted for its ...

and about north of

Catania Catania (, , Sicilian and ) is the second largest municipality in Sicily, after Palermo. Despite its reputation as the second city of the island, Catania is the largest Sicilian conurbation, among the largest in Italy, as evidenced also b ...

. The municipality of Zafferana Etnea contains the ''

frazioni A ''frazione'' (plural: ) is a type of subdivision of a ''comune'' (municipality) in Italy, often a small village or hamlet outside the main town. Most ''frazioni'' were created during the Fascist era (1922–1943) as a way to consolidate territ ...

'' (subdivisions, mainly villages and hamlets) Fleri, Pisano, Petrulli; Sarro-Civita, Passopomo, Airone-Emmaus, Poggiofelice, and Caselle. Zafferana Etnea borders the following municipalities: Aci Sant'Antonio, Acireale, Adrano, Belpasso, Biancavilla, Bronte,

Castiglione di Sicilia Castiglione di Sicilia ( Sicilian: ''Castigghiuni di Sicilia'') is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Catania in Sicily, southern Italy. Castiglione di Sicilia lies about east of Palermo and about north of Catania. It ...

Giarre Giarre ( scn, Giarri) is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Catania, Sicily. The town is located about southeast of Palermo and around north of Catania. Geography Giarre is bounded by the municipalities of Acireale, Mascal ...

, Maletto, Milo, Nicolosi,

Pedara Pedara ( scn, Pirara) is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Catania in the Italian region Sicily, located about southeast of Palermo and about north of Catania. Pedara borders the municipalities of Mascalucia, Nicolosi ...

, Randazzo, Sant'Alfio, Santa Venerina,

Trecastagni Trecastagni ( scn, Triccastagni) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Catania in the Italian region Sicily, located about southeast of Palermo and about north of Catania Catania (, , Sicilian and ) is the second ...

, Viagrande.

History

The town spread around the Priory of San Giacomo, founded in 1387 in the upper part of the Valle del Bove, the point of confluence of the lava streams from Etna's Eastern craters which frequently have destroyed the town, which has always been rebuilt. Zafferana Etnea was threatened by the 1992

volcanic eruption Several types of volcanic eruptions—during which lava, tephra (ash, lapilli, volcanic bombs and volcanic blocks), and assorted gases are expelled from a volcanic vent or fissure—have been distinguished by volcanologists. These are oft ...

Mount Etna Mount Etna, or simply Etna ( it, Etna or ; scn, Muncibbeḍḍu or ; la, Aetna; grc, Αἴτνα and ), is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, Italy, in the Metropolitan City of Catania, between the cities of Messina ...

.Zafferana Etnea Journal; It's Plug Up Mt. Etna or Go the Way of Pompeii
by Alan Cowell on April 25, 1992, ''New York Times'' It is now a summer resort with views of landscapes toward both the mountain and the sea.

Culture

In August, every second Sunday of each year, Zafferana Etnea celebrates Festa della Madonna della Provvidenza. It is the most important religious and folkloric celebration of the year and celebrates the Patron Saint of Zafferana Etnea "Madonna della Provvidenza". In October, the municipality of Zafferana Etnea organizes a unique festival called Ottobrata Zafferanese. It is celebrated every Sunday of October and it is an opportunity not only to taste typical pastries and cakes, but also to discover and buy typical products of the city and period, such as grapes, bottled fruit, mushrooms, honey, liquor, wine and chestnuts. It is also a beautiful display of handcrafted products made by local artisans. During this event, people can also enjoy exhibitions, documentaries about the Etna volcano, shows and dance performances. This event is very important and the citizens of Zafferana Etnea start preparing the areas of this event from half of September. Zafferana, along with Nicolosi, is now regarded as one of the major tourist stopping points for summer and winter expeditions to the summit of Mt. Etna.

Notable people

Giuseppe Sciuti Giuseppe Sciuti (Zafferana Etnea, Sicily, 26 February 1834 - Rome, 13 March 1911) was an Italian painter. Biography His father, a pharmacist, insisted his son follow his trade. But he relented and allowed Giuseppe to study locally at age 15, and ...

(1834-1911), painter *

Alfio Rapisarda Alfio Rapisarda (born 3 September 1933) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See from 1962 to 2008, with the title of apostolic nuncio from 1979. Biography Alfio Rapisarda was born on 3 ...

(born 1933), prelate *

Alfio Giuffrida Alfio Giuffrida, also known as Alfio Giuffrida AG Sinnwerke (born 28 January 1953 in Zafferana Etnea) is a contemporary Italian sculptor, installation artist, set designer and painter. Biography Giuffrida's interest in art began at an early a ...

(born 1953), painter and sculptor *

Rosario Di Bella Rosario Di Bella (born 27 July 1963) is an Italian composer, singer-songwriter, music arranger and musician. Background Born in Zafferana Etnea, Catania, Di Bella studied piano and medicine at the University of Catania. After a long period spen ...

(born 1963), singer and songwriter

References

Cities and towns in Sicily {{Sicily-geo-stub