Vizzini (Catania Province) is 60 km from Catania, alt. 586 m, in the Hyblaean Mountains, on the northwest slopes of Monte Lauro, area 125.8 sq km, a population of over 8,700, post-code 95049, tel. 0933. Economy: agriculture (cereals, prickly pears, vegetables, sumac), handmade shoes and carpentry.

The Roman town of Bidis was here, in a territory inhabited since prehistoric times. The modern town developed in the Middle Ages around a castle (no longer extant), as a fief of various lords, including the Chiaromontes and the Schittinos, although for many years it was also part of the royal domain.

Of interest is the Palazzo di Citta (19th century), and the Palazzo of the Verga family (18th century)

Churches (Caltagirone Diocese) include the following:

S. Gregorio Magno (Chiesa Madre)

S. Agata

S. Giovanni Battista

S. Giovanni Evangelista

S. Sebastiano

Families researched in those records include the following:

Caruso

Fiesche

Guzzardi

Luppresti

Marino

Palma

Ragusa

Vampatella

On April 12 is the Festa of San Gregorio Magno On April 25 is the Cheese Festival.

Links to sites with more about Vizzini include:

Catania Provincia

Italian Wikipedia

Italian Towns

Italian Postal Codes

Sicily Web

Sicilia

Sicilian Net

Vizzini

Vizzini Photos

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.