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Ceramics
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For information:Assessorato Attività Produttive Via dell’Autoparco s.n. Caltagirone (CT) Tel.0933/45653–45646-45911. Fax.0933/53000-45943 www.comune.caltagirone.ct.it
The City of Caltagirone, to 68 Km. from Catania and to 608 ms. on the level of the sea, it rises to the summits of a mountain that it dominates the plain one of it Freezes and that of Catania to amphitheater among the Iblei mountains and Erei. The territory is rich of archaeological sites (S.Mauro, Mountain, S.Ippolito etc.) what they testify installations until dall' prehistoric epoch. On the occasion of countries of excavations different manufactured articles have been retrieved, also in terracotta, going up again to epoch preellenistica.
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L' use of the clay, present in big quantities in the territory Calatino, is already occasion of handicraft and economic development in the sec. VII B.C. to become, around the sec. V B.C., more refined and recognizable. With the Arabic Caltagirones it knows a flourishing period both in agriculture and in other sectors and, certainly, in the production of manufactured articles in terracotta that you/they become maiolica thanks imported to the technique of the glaze by the Saracens. The ceramics of Caltagirone, constituted to that time by manufactured articles of daily use, it quickly spreads in the whole Sicily. Subsequently the "cannatari" (fabbricatori of pitchers), the "ciaramitari" (fabbricatori of tiles), him "stovigliari" (fabbricatori of dish), they had recognition of their valentia so much that the ceramics of Caltagirone could freely circulate in the Kingdom of Sicily in exemption from taxes.
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Unfortunately the 1693 earthquake, ill-omened for the whole oriental Sicily, besides making to collapse big part of the city, he/she almost all sent in downfall the ancient manufactured articles in ceramics that you/they were preserved up to that momemtos. Fortunately, the diffusion of the ceramics of Caltagirone allows to find again objects of preceding epoch to the earthquake in shed collections in the world. The reconstruction greatly hocked the administrators of the City the Senators, that gave errand to the best maestranzes. They were new roads open to valley of the native nucleus and the city it assumed the Baroque aspect that can admire today still. To 800 the first it begins the flourishing activity of the figurinais that initially manger shepherds exclusively produced.
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In the time the artisans as motto cannatari, has improved the executive and decorative technique giving test of great originality, preserving, nevertheless, the motives moreschi and the colors of the tradition (turchino, green copper pot, yellow gold, manganese). A myriad of negozietti animates the stradines of the city exposing the products typical of this ancient art: tiles, chandeliers, whistle, flat, albarelli, vases. The production of these last ones was particularly florid because used for the maintenance of the honey, produced typical of the zone. The albarellis were traditionally employed instead by the spezialis for their pharmacies.
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In the 800 the ceramics finds diffused use in architecture so much that masterpieces are built what the Villa Carolina, then Vittorio Emanuele, with you furnish of the Found realizes her from the factory Vella of Caltagirone or the Cemetery in style Neogotico, in which the Planner Nicastro wanted all the architectural details in terracotta so you/he/she constitutes an unique example in his/her kind. Also the Public Garden is an important example of the various artistic styles of which Caltagirone is rich, you/he/she can be admired in fact the balcony of the teatrino in style Liberty, the vases and the statues in Baroque style and the gazebo of delicious taste Arab.
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The last great job public that you/he/she has seen employee the ceramics is the covering of the façades of the steps of the famous staircase of Maria SS. of the Mountain realized in the years '50 from the School of art of Caltagirone directed by the Prof. Antonino Ragona to which the institution of the Museum of the Ceramics is also owed.This staircase, on the occasion of the celebrations of July in honor of the Patron S.Giacomo, is illuminated by thousand of oil lamps to oil that you/they draw splendid tapestries. This ancient tradition has been encoded to halves the 800 from the Franciscan Father Benedict Papale.
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For the one that travels from these parts the purchase of a beautiful ceramics object it becomes an irresistible demand. There am any of all the types, for all the tastes, for all the pockets. The quality is good generally, even if to the increase of these years of the tourists in visit to Caltagirone you/he/she is accompanied the opening of shops that you/they sell products of low quality. They result very interesting the ceramics of "Sammartino and Dolphin" and "Alessi" whose laboratories conduct a serious activity of study and search on the ancient forms of workmanship, proposing with philological attention the warm colors and the traditional sketches of the Renaissance and Baroque ceramics of the territory calatino.
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Beautiful to purchase and easy to find everywhere I am you stamp him for the mustard: simple form in ceramics of it, decorated with three-dimensional motives for plants and animals, that were used once for informing this dessert typical of the Sicilian tradition, to base of must of cooked and spicy wine. Caltagirone is to the center of a rich agricultural territory and I varies and in the negoziettis of the historical center you can find therefore a good variety of agricultural products, cheeses and other manufactured prelibatezze artigianalmente: we for example recommend you to purchase a pot of biological honey, of eucalyptus, of thyme, of rosemary, of orange tree, or of millefiori.
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During the whole year the city is animate from suggestive cultural demonstrations, fairs, religious and traditional parties.
You starts in December with the Kalat Expo, fair of the agriculture and showcase of the productions and the activities of the filiera to sour-feed in Sicily, during which typical products can be tasted and to participate to initiatives turned to the exploitation of the patrimony and the material culture of the island.
In Sicily Caltagirone is synonymous of manger, since the XVI century in fact in the city Nativity, pastorelli and Sacred Families are built: the statuettes in terracotta mirror the history, the custom, the ways to be and to feel some time when I/you/they are created. This tradition is celebrated every year, from on December 1° at the end of January, in the show Christmas and Mangers, during which it is possible to appreciate both the last productions of the artisan calatinis, are the historical pieces of extraordinary invoice, that I/you/they are normally guarded near the museum of the city.
In the spring period the splendid stairway becomes Ceramics stage, Flowers, Fashion, a cultural-worldly event by now of national importance. Among the third Sunday of May and her before June the staircase is decorated to party for the traditional Flowered, a grandiose sketch of flowers offered complimentary from the community to the Madonna of Condominiums, guarded in the Saint Maria of the Mountain.
Always in the spring period another appointment not to be lost is 'To truvatura, during (every third Sunday of the month from March in May) which the historical center becomes an only, great mercatino of the antiquariato, where possible is still, with some smell, to rouse not good-looking objects and furniture of the craftsmanship of prices tradition too much greedy: during these days shows are also organized, concerts folk and shows of the work of the pupis.
During the whole summer period they are alternated in the city you orchestrate, theater and dances but the most important appointment in the summer calatina is her Illumination, party in honor of St. Giacomo, patron of the city: 24 and on July 25 the staircase, once more protagonist, you/he/she is illuminated with lumini, "coppi", to oil that you/they form ornamental sketches every year different.
On August 15 takes place instead in the city the Party of the Bridge, in honor of the Virgo Maria appeared in 1572 near a fountain in the crowded district of the Bridge.
The last Sunday of August don't lose you the Feast of the table grape.
Besides the summer period the city is to especially frequent in April to assist to the beautiful rites of the Week Saint: we recommend particularly you the party de it Sews together her, (Sunday of Easter) when the statue of St. Pietro, tall around three meters in procession is brought for the city streets, up to reach the statue of the Madonna to communicate her resurrezione of Christ. On the occasion of the Easter it develops him in the city another traditional appointment, to Building Libertines: the Show of the whistles in terracotta (every year with a different theme), once simple toys for poor children and today become objects of cult and from collezionismo.
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