Discover the history of Adrano, the culture of Mendolito and the Saracen Bridge
Ponte dei Saraceni is an ancient structure made of local lava stone, located in the territory of Adrano, in Sicily. It is one of the most evocative examples of Arab-Norman architecture that can be found today in the region. The bridge was presumably built during the Roman civilization and connected the two banks of the Simeto river. The bridge has a thousand-year history, in fact at the time it was one of the “grain routes” for the transport of wheat and corn that from the town of Centuripe (where the Romans settled), passed through the Bridge now called the Ponte dei Saraceni to reach Adrano and Catania. From here comes the expression “Sicily, granary of Rome“.
Today we can admire different eras and stratifications in architecture.
For example, the base on which the first arch from the left rests, dates back to the Roman period, while other parts have been rebuilt, due to various earthquakes, collapses or due to the floods of the Simeto river. The last reconstruction in fact dates back to 1948.
The banks of the river are called “Forre laviche di Adrano“, and are composed of high ridges of lava basalt, where the Simeto river flows inside, this to indicate the ancient lava flow of Etna.
But why the “Saracens”?
The Adrano bridge is called this way because of the architectural style of chiaroscuro, known as Arab-Norman style. The bridge was fascinated by several travellers of the Grand Tour who reported it in various watercolours and engravings, one of these was the Frenchman Jean Houel who, in addition to drawing and documenting the Roman aqueduct that went from Centuripe to Catania, also shows the costumes of the 18th century. These paintings and other documents are collected at the Museum of travellers in Sicily in Palazzolo Acreide (SR).
Let’s discover the Mendolito of Adrano
The roots of the town are very ancient, the testimonies collected and preserved at the Regional Museum hosted in the Medieval Castle of Adrano, date back to the Neolithic period with the Siculi people coming from the Ionian coast (10th century BC), who settled and founded the Sicilian village in the Mendolito area, today it’s a private land that cannot be visited.
Of this city, what remains today is a part of the city walls in Via Catania with enormous squared stones placed one on top of the other, without mortar to bind them, a typical Siceliot construction (Greeks of Sicily).
There remain the mighty stones of its monumental entrance door in lava stone where a writing in Siculo was found, still undeciphered today and (kept at the P.Orsi Museum in Syracuse). Other findings were the famous bronze treasure, and in the Sciare Manganelli area, there is a necropolis with a circular tomb of perhaps Mycenaean type, which was accessed through a short dromos (corridor).
At the end of the tour, why not stop in the mountain village of Ragalna with a nice glass of Etna Wine? There is something for everyone.. Our native grapes grow on lava soil, which as you know is rich in mineral salts and the soil is permeable, so our red grapes have two varieties of grapes and taste:
- Nerello Mascalese, more intense, varied and rich
- Nerello Cappuccio less mineral, more acidulous/tannic than Nerello Mascalese.
As for white grapes, without a doubt the Catarratto wine is worth tasting.
Discover the beauty of Sicily through these extraordinary locations and prepare to be enchanted.
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