Porto Empedocle (Agrigento Province) is 16 km. from Agrigento, alt. 2 m., on the coast of the Strait of Sicily, area 24 sq. km., pop. over 17,000, post-code 92014, tel. 0922. Economy: agriculture, fishing, ironworks, pharmaceuticals, rock salt refining, building materials.
In the 15th century, a large grainloader was built in the territory, then known as Marina di Girgenti. This was defended by a tower built by Charles V, which later became a prison and is now a social and cultural center. The construction of the first harbor wall (1749-63) led to an increase of port trade and to the expansion of the town. The comune became autonomous in 1853, with the name of Molo di Girgenti (Girgenti Harbor). A decade later it took its present name, in honor of the Agrigentine philosopher Empedocles. The port was used until the 1960's for the shipping of sulpher from the neighboring mines.
Churches (Agrigento Diocese) include the following:
Maria SS. del Buon Consiglio (Chiesa Madre, 1892)
Maria SS. Addolorata
Maria SS. del Carmelo
S. Croce
S. Giuseppe Lavoratore
SS. Trinita
Maria SS. della Catena (Villaseta - suburb of Porto Empedocle)
Families researched in these records include the following:BorneoLa BarbieraLa GaetaPrestia
Links to other sites about Porto Empedocle include:
Porto Empedocle
Italian Wikipedia
Italian Towns
Italian Postal Codes
Sicily Web
Sicilia
Sicilian Net
My latest book on CD is titled Sicily - A Reference for Researchers and is now available. With a file for each town (plus many other files), it relates the history of Sicily as reflected in the photos, records and festivals of its towns. It contains over 2500 text and photo files and can be ordered at CD order.
In the 15th century, a large grainloader was built in the territory, then known as Marina di Girgenti. This was defended by a tower built by Charles V, which later became a prison and is now a social and cultural center. The construction of the first harbor wall (1749-63) led to an increase of port trade and to the expansion of the town. The comune became autonomous in 1853, with the name of Molo di Girgenti (Girgenti Harbor). A decade later it took its present name, in honor of the Agrigentine philosopher Empedocles. The port was used until the 1960's for the shipping of sulpher from the neighboring mines.
Churches (Agrigento Diocese) include the following:
Families researched in these records include the following:
Links to other sites about Porto Empedocle include:
My latest book on CD is titled Sicily - A Reference for Researchers and is now available. With a file for each town (plus many other files), it relates the history of Sicily as reflected in the photos, records and festivals of its towns. It contains over 2500 text and photo files and can be ordered at CD order.
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