Ribera (
Sicilian: ''Rivela'') 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 ...
'' in the
province of Agrigento
The Province of Agrigento ( it, Provincia di Agrigento; scn, Pruvincia di Girgenti; officially ''Libero consorzio comunale di Agrigento'') is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily in Italy, situated on its south-western coast. Follo ...
, Region of
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
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, demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
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, southern
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
, between the
Verdura and
Magazzolo valleys in the so-called
Plain of San Nicola.
The town is connected by the SS115 state road, leading from
Trapani
Trapani ( , ; scn, Tràpani ; lat, Drepanum; grc, Δρέπανον) is a city and municipality (''comune'') on the west coast of Sicily, in Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Trapani. Founded by Elymians, the city is still an imp ...
to
Syracuse. The
Platani River, the third Sicilian river, flows nearby. It has enormously contributed to developing both farming and tourism in the area. Its mouth has been designated as a natural reserve.
History
The comune probably rose on the site of the ancient
Allava, to which the
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
necropolis near the modern town may possibly be attributed. In 1627, Luigi Guglielmo Moncada, Prince of Paternò, founded a new centre named after his wife, Maria Alfan di Ribera; the new centre developed rapidly, thanks to the fertility of the soil and the accessibility of the area.
It is the birthplace of Prime Minister
Francesco Crispi.
Main sights
Sights include:
*The Chiesa Madre, founded in the 18th century, facing the Piazza Duomo ("Cathedral Square").
*The Town Hall (19th century) is in the same square.
*In ''Via Crispi ''is the house where
Francesco Crispi, leader of the Italian government between 1887 and 1896, was born.
*The Garibaldi Garden offers a botanical itinerary.
Just outside the town, on a gorge overlooking the Verdura river is the
Castello di Poggio Diana
Castello may refer to:
Places
*Castello, Venice, the largest of the six ''sestieri'' of Venice
*''Castello'', the old town center of Giudicato of Cagliari in Sardinia
*''Castello'', a neighbourhood in Florence
*Castello, Hong Kong, a private hous ...
, built by
Guglielmo Peralta
Guglielmo () is the Italian form of the masculine name William. It may refer to:
People with the given name Guglielmo:
* Guglielmo I Gonzaga (1538–1587), Duke of Mantua and Montferrat
* Guglielmo Achille Cavellini (1914–1990), influential It ...
in the 14th century. A
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second prin ...
necropolis (13th century BC) was discovered near the town. It includes some 30 tombs in two types, "chamber"- or "grotto"-like; some are preceded by a corridor up to long.
Also outside the town is the
Borgo Bonsignore
Borgo may refer to the following places:
Finland
* Borgå
France
* Borgo, Haute-Corse
Italy
* Borgo (rione of Rome), a ''rione'' in the City of Rome.
*Borgo a Mozzano, in the province of Lucca
* Borgo d'Ale, in the province of Vercelli
* Borgo ...
, a village founded under Fascism as part of the "colonization" policy that encouraged the creation of new villages; it has now grown as a summer resort.
Economy
Agriculture is the commune's main industry, notably involved in the cultivation and marketing of the Washington navel
orange
Orange most often refers to:
*Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis''
** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower
*Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum
* ...
– here introduced by emigrants returned from the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
– and
strawberries. Such businesses are enhanced both by excellent climatic and environmental conditions and a supporting policy by the local authorities.
Twin towns
*
Oinousses
Oinousses ( el, Οινούσσες, alternative forms: ''Aignousa'' (Αιγνούσα) or ''Egnousa'' (Εγνούσα)) is a barren cluster of 1 larger and 8 smaller islands some off the north-east coast of the Greek island of Chios and west of ...
, Greece
*
Elizabeth
Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to:
People
* Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name)
* Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist
Ships
* HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships
* ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...
, USA
See also
*
Caltabellotta
Caltabellotta ( Sicilian: ''Cataviḍḍotta'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Agrigento in the Italian region Sicily, located about south of Palermo and about northwest of Agrigento.
History
Caltabellotta has been identified ...
External links
Official websiteRibera - Photos, history, traditions, newsArancia di Ribera D.O.P.
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