Buzz
The Mafia. Cosa Nostra. The Octopus. The Plague. Countless terms and expressions have been used to portray this infamous criminal network, which has brought Sicily global recognition—thanks in no small part to Hollywood's influence. While the mafia undeniably exists and continues to inflict harm, albeit without the cinematic glamour, it’s unjust to reduce Sicily’s identity solely to its association with organized crime. This island is a treasure trove of beauty, intrigue, and wonder. Here are 10 remarkable facts about Sicily that might surprise you.
10. Poltergeists
In 2004, the peaceful village of Canneto di Caronia was shaken by bizarre incidents dubbed “the fires of Canneto.” It began with household appliances mysteriously catching fire without any clear cause. Initially, faulty wiring was blamed, but the phenomenon escalated when unplugged devices also ignited. Soon, even non-electrical items like furniture and bedding began burning inexplicably. The chaos reached its peak when a van driving through the town burst into flames, leading many to believe the events were the work of ghosts or malevolent spirits.
The residents and authorities alike were thrown into a state of alarm. The electricity supply was disconnected, part of the town was evacuated, and experts from around the globe arrived to investigate the strange occurrences. Despite their efforts, no conclusive explanation was uncovered. Theories ranged from static electricity produced by the nearby railway to the influence of Mount Etna’s magnetic field. Some even speculated about secret U.S. military experiments or extraterrestrial activity. Months later, the mysterious events ceased as suddenly as they had begun, and Canneto returned to its tranquil state. To this day, the phenomenon remains unexplained.
9. Cagliostro
Cagliostro is shrouded in so many myths that distinguishing truth from legend is challenging. What is known is that he was born as Giuseppe Balsamo in 1743 in a impoverished area of Palermo and led a life of intrigue and notoriety.
After leaving Sicily through deceit, he arrived in Rome, where he adopted the name Alessandro Cagliostro and became a talented pharmacist and forger. His expertise in medicine and the occult earned him a position with the influential Cardinal Orsini. Later, after joining the Freemasons in London, he moved to Paris at the request of Cardinal de Rohan. His association with Rohan and his reputation as a forger led to his involvement in the infamous “affair of the necklace,” a scheme to defraud the French monarchy. Although he was ultimately acquitted, he spent nine months in the Bastille. Three years later, the Inquisition in Rome arrested him for his ties to the Freemasons. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and died in 1795.
During his lifetime, his reputation was so immense that he was suggested as a doctor to Benjamin Franklin during his Paris visit, and Giaccomo Casanova documented his encounter with Cagliostro. Goethe, while traveling through Sicily, is credited with uncovering his true identity as Giuseppe Balsamo, though this remains a topic of debate.
8. Sea Monsters
In Greek mythology, vessels navigating the Messina Strait, which lies between Sicily and Calabria, face the peril of being assailed by Scylla and Charybdis, the mythical creatures that patrol the narrow channel. This legend inspired the phrase 'between Scylla and Charybdis,' akin to the modern saying 'between a rock and a hard place.'
Originally depicted by Homer in The Odyssey, these two creatures were once stunning nymphs who were cursed into monstrous forms. In The Metamorphoses, Ovid recounts that the sea deity Glaucus developed feelings for Scylla, but she was horrified by his aquatic features. Seeking a solution, Glaucus approached the renowned enchantress Circe for a love elixir. However, Circe, who harbored her own affection for Glaucus, poisoned the waters in a jealous rage, turning Scylla into a beast with six heads, each equipped with elongated necks, four eyes, and triple rows of teeth, which she used to devour unfortunate mariners.
In other mythological tales, Charybdis was a voracious woman punished by Zeus for stealing divine cattle. Cursed into monstrosity, she was condemned to ingest vast quantities of water, only to regurgitate it, forming massive whirlpools capable of sinking ships. While the Messina Strait does have strong currents, no reliable sightings of such a creature have been documented.
7. The Sonnet
The sonnet, a renowned poetic form comprising fourteen lines in iambic pentameter with a intricate rhyme scheme, was first crafted by Giacomo da Lentini of the Sicilian school in the early 13th century. This form traveled from Sicily to Tuscany, where it gained global fame through the works of poets like Petrarca and Dante Alighieri, the celebrated author of The Divine Comedy. Dante even honors 'il Notaro' in Purgatory XXIV, 55–7.
The sonnet spread from Italy to France and England, where figures like William Shakespeare embraced it. Despite the rise of modern poetry and free verse, the sonnet remains widely used today, and understanding its structure remains essential, much to the chagrin of many students.
6. Street Food
Palermo, Sicily's capital, was recently named the European Capital of Street Food and ranked among the top five globally by Forbes for its exceptional street food scene, leading the pack in Europe. Local vendors serve up delights like arancini, the iconic Sicilian rice balls filled with meat or bacon, and pannele, fried chickpea squares seasoned with herbs and served with bread. Another standout is sfincione, a Sicilian-style pizza featuring a thick, soft crust topped with tomato sauce, caciocavallo cheese, onions, and anchovies.
For the more adventurous, there are plenty of bold choices. The panino con la milza, known as pane ca meusa in Sicilian, is a sandwich filled with boiled and lard-fried veal lung and spleen. Stigghiola offers skewered sheep intestines, while granita, a semi-frozen treat made with crushed ice and flavors like lemon, serves as a refreshing dessert.
5. The Tallest Active Volcano In Europe
Situated on the eastern side of Sicily near Catania, Mount Etna stands at over 3,000 meters (10,000 feet), making it Europe's tallest active volcano. The term 'active' is fitting, as its most recent lava eruption occurred in late November 2013, and it exhibits signs of activity nearly every year.
Despite its frequent eruptions, a major city once suffered near-total destruction due to inadequate precautions against the volcano's threats. However, only 77 deaths have been directly linked to Mount Etna, including two reckless tourists who ventured too close to the summit. Locals, far from fearing it, hope the volcano remains active for years to come. The fertile volcanic soil supports thriving agriculture, including vineyards that produce some of Sicily's finest wines.
4. It Was Once Richer Than The North Of Italy
Prior to Italy's unification in 1861, Sicily existed as an independent kingdom. Between 1814 and 1860, it merged with the Kingdom of Naples to create the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, encompassing much of southern Italy. During this era, the kingdom was the wealthiest among Italian states, boasting revenues of 443.3 million golden lire, as documented by Francesco Saverio Nitti, an economist and future Italian Prime Minister. This amounted to 65.7% of the peninsula's total circulating money at the time.
However, its economy relied heavily on agriculture and lagged in industrialization compared to northern Italy. The unification of Italy proved detrimental to the region, stripping it of much of its significance. Further setbacks, such as the 1908 Messina earthquake that claimed 123,000 lives and mass emigration of Sicilians to the Americas, severely diminished the South's economic potential. Today, Sicily is an autonomous region, neither the poorest nor the wealthiest part of Italy.
3. It May Have Better Greek Ruins Than Greece
Sicily boasts an abundance of ancient Greek ruins, often considered more stunning than those in modern-day Greece. The island was heavily influenced by the ancient Greeks, particularly in the eastern region around Syracuse, the birthplace of the renowned mathematician Archimedes. Remarkably preserved ruins can be found in Syracuse, Taormina, and near Agrigento, home to the famed 'Valley of the Temples,' featuring seven temples dedicated to various Greek gods.
The Greek dominance in the region concluded with the Roman conquest of Sicily following the siege of Syracuse between 214–212 BC. Syracuse valiantly resisted the Romans using Archimedes' innovative war machines, such as the 'Archimedes' claw,' a crane capable of lifting and sinking Roman ships, and giant mirrors to focus sunlight and burn enemy sails. Despite their brilliance, the Romans prevailed, and Archimedes was slain. A Roman soldier, ignoring orders to spare the mathematician, killed him as he sketched geometric figures in the sand. His final words, 'Don’t disturb my circles,' were uttered as the soldier trampled his drawings.
2. The Allied Invasion
While D-Day is hailed as the pivotal moment of World War II, the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943, codenamed Operation Husky, marked an earlier turning point against the Axis powers. The 38-day campaign ended in a decisive Allied victory, enabling control of the Mediterranean and forcing German troops northward, setting the stage for the eventual liberation of Europe.
The occupation of Sicily not only secured Allied dominance in the Mediterranean but also led to Mussolini's downfall and his arrest by King Vittorio Emanuele. Although later freed by German forces, Mussolini's power was limited until 1945. Sicily, known as the least nationalist part of Italy during the war, largely supported the Allies in their fight against German forces.
1. The Largest Opera House In Italy
Italians are renowned for their passion for opera, and Sicilians, in particular, seem to adore it the most, as evidenced by the grandeur of Teatro Massimo. Located in Palermo, this iconic opera house, officially named Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele in honor of King Victor Emanuel II, opened its doors in 1897 and stands as Italy's largest theater.
The construction of Teatro Massimo spanned over two decades, beginning in 1874 and concluding in 1897. The project was initially led by Italian architect Giovan Battista Filippo Basile, who passed away in 1891 before its completion. His son, Ernesto Basile, took over and brought the vision to life. The opera house gained cinematic fame during the extended opera sequence at the conclusion of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather, Part Three.
