Fondachelli Fantina

Fondachelli Fantina (Zip Code 98050) is 273 km. distant from Agrigento, 206 km. from Caltanissetta, 81 km. from Catania, 165 km. from Enna, 84 km. from Messina, which province it belongs to, 235 km. from Palermo, 285 km. from Ragusa, 129 km. from Siracusa, 334 km. from Trapani.

The municipality has 1.481 inhabitants and an area of 4.200 hectares for a population density of 35 inhabitants per square kilometre. It rises on an inland mountainous area and is 628 metres above sea-level.

The Town Hall is placed in via Municipio, tel. ++39 0941-651001 fax. ++39 0941-651239.

Main economic activities are agriculture and breeding. Products mostly cultivated are cereals, dried fruit, wine-grapes and wood. Breedings present are cattle, pig, goatish and sheep ones. Besides the local cheese products are very good.

The village derives its name from the word Fondaci, which derives from the Arabic Funduq that means "stores". The addition Fantina has uncertain origin. The centre, made up by some scattered farmhouses, stands out in the territory of Novara of Sicily and has belonged to it till 1950, when it became an indipendent commune.
It shared historical events of Novara. So it has belonged to Palizzi family till 1353 then to Gioienis. During the Swabian-Norman domination, some populations coming from northern Italy established in the village. Trace of them is the dialect "Gallic-Italic" that still now is spoken in the village.

The most interesting monuments are the Memorial War and the Monument to Padre Pio (Father Pius).