Ramacca

Ramacca (Zip Code 95040) is 155 Km. distant from Agrigento, 89 Km. from Caltanissetta, 45 Km. from Catania, which is the province it belongs to, 76 Km. from Enna, 141 Km. from Messina, 231 Km. from Palermo, 91 Km. from Ragusa, 81 Km. from Siracusa, 330 Km. from Trapani.

The municipality counts 10.663 inhabitants, its surface measures 30.538 hectares, and its population density counts 35 inhabitants per square kilometre. It rises over an internal hilly area, 266 meters above the sea-level.

The Town Hall is located in piazza Umberto I° n. 14, tel. ++39 095-653151 fax. ++39 095-653020, toll free number 800251980 (only for italian residence).

A prevalently agricultural center, Ramacca is outstanding for the conspicuous production of wheat, vegetables, citrus fruits, melons, and excellent artichokes, that can be tasted during the annual Artichoke Festival, in the month of April.

The Bread Festival is typical, as well, and it is held every year during the month of August. Cattle breeding, and sheep and goat farms are flourishing thanks to the numerous pasture areas.

The name Ramacca derives from the Arab term Rammak, that means "mule guardian". The first inhabited center rose during the Greek era as the ancient town of Eryke, destroyed by the tyrant Agatocle from Siracusa, in the IV° century B.C..

The current town was born in the XVIII° century, thanks to the intervention of lord Ottaviano Gravina, who completed the work initiated by his father Sancio. This noble family owned the town until the abolition of the feudal regime.

The most interesting monuments, architecturally speaking, are the Chiesa Madre erected in 1700, the Convento dei Cappuccini along with the bordering Chiesa di S. Giuseppe, both built approximately in 1750, and the Palazzo di Città erected in the XVIII° century by the princes Gravina.

There are numerous archeological areas throughout the territory, such as the Montagna area where the remains of a necropolis of the ancient Greek town were discovered, the Castellito area, where there is a Roman villa preserving beautiful mosaic pavements, and the Torricella area, hosting a village and a necropolis that go back the Bronze era.