Acquaviva Platani

Acquaviva Platani(Zip Code 93010) is 44 Km. distant from Agrigento, 66 Km. from Caltanissetta, which is the province it belongs to, 180 Km. from Catania, 88 Km. from Enna, 276 Km. from Messina, 100 Km. from Palermo, 180 Km. from Ragusa, 238 Km. from Siracusa, 197 Km. from Trapani.

Photo © Calogero Sorce

The municipality counts 1.399 inhabitants, its surface measures 1.472 hectares, and its population density counts 95 inhabitants per square kilometre. It rises over a hilly area, 558 meters above the sea-level.

The Town Hall is located in piazza Municipio, tel.0934-953053 fax.0934-953490. E-mail address is: comune.acquaviva@ediset.it.

The economy is based on agriculture: the production of wheat, cereals, olives, almonds, and pistachios is remarkable. Also, cattle and horse breeding, along with sheep farms are very important.

The first Arab installation goes back to the X century, in the Michinesi town district. Acquaviva was a feud founded by Francesco Spadafora, with a "licentia populandi", granted by the population in 1635. It was bestowed in 1680 to Francesco Abarca, and subsequently to his nephew Michele Olivieri.

Photo © Calogero Sorce

The name Acquaviva derives from the abundance of water springs throughout the area, that join together in the Platani river. Until 1862, the town was simply called Acquaviva; the appositive Platani was added to distinguish it from the other three Acquaviva present in Italy.

Among the most important monuments, there is the Torre dell'Orologio (the clock tower) erected in 1894, and the XVII century Chiesa Madre dedicated to S. Maria della Luce, and the connected remains of the ex baronial residence.

Salvatore Quasimodo, who spent part of his childhood at Acquaviva Platani, remembers the town in his lyric poem "Che vuoi pastore d'aria?", included in the "Nuove Poesie" (new poems) collection.