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The History of
Castelmola in Sicily
 Castelmola
is a comune (municipality) in the Province of
Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located
about 170 km east of
Palermo and about 40 km southwest of Messina. As of
31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,107 and an
area of 16.4 km2.
Castelmola
borders the following municipalities: Gaggi, Letojanni,
Mongiuffi Melia and
Taormina.
The Name Myle was the
name of the ancient city.
Castelmola
derives from the Norman castle dominating over the
center of town and from the shape of the rock on which
it stands, which vaguely resembles a millstone ("mola").
History: 396 BC: the
Siculans replace their old dry-wall stone defence
walls with stronger bastions, in anticipation of an
attack by Dionysius, the tyrant of Syracuse, who
conquers the city in 392.
263 BC:
Rome grants Gerone of Syracuse right to govern.
Upon his death in 214, Myle remains loyal to
Rome.
902: The ferocious Ibrahim, prince of Cairouàn, breaches
the fortifications, devastates the city, slaughters the
inhabitants and then leaves Myle by the city gate that
since then has been called the "Saracens' Gate."
1078: Roger the Norman defeats the Arabs and drives them
out of the Val Demone, building a new town around the
castle and fortifying it. During this time the village
begins to call itself Mola. When the Suevians take the
place of the Normans, Mola supports them against the
Angevins. In 1282 the Angevins are expelled and the
people take sides with the Aragonese. The following
centuries are difficult for the villagers, who are
oppressed by the Spanish rule, which subjects them to
very heavy taxes, sacrifices, and every kind of
hardship. 1738:
Castelmola
becomes part of the Kingdom of Two Sicily's.
 1860: The Bourbon army is in retreat and the people vote
for annexation to the Kingdom of
Italy.
Castel Mola (Zip Code 98030) is 126 Km. distant from
Agrigento, 185 Km. from Caltanissetta, 59 Km. from
Catania, 156 Km. from Enna, 47 Km. from Messina,
that is the province it belongs to, 287 Km. from
Palermo, 163 Km. from Ragusa, 117 Km. from
Siracusa, 386 Km. from Trapani.
The municipality surface
measures 1.640 hectares and its population density
counts 68 inhabitants for square kilometre. It rises on
the coast, on a hill 529 metres above the sea-level. The
Town Hall is located in piazza Cappuccini, tel. ++39
0942-28185 fax. ++39 0942-28195. The main economical
activities are agriculture, cattle-breeding and
handicraft. The main cultivations are citrus fruits,
olives, prickly pears,
grapes and wheat and people Farm sheep and cows.
Characteristic of the town are wooden handicrafts and
embroideries.
The original name of the town was Mola, meaning the
millstone. This name was kept until 1862, when it was
change with current denomination. The town was founded
by the
Siculians in the 8th century BC and destroyed by
Dionisio I of
Siracusa in 392 BC. In 350 BC it was rebuilt by
Andromaco, the historian Timeo's father. It was
conquered by the Romans, in 902 AD by the Arabs and in
1078 by the Normans.
It was owned by many different lords: Tommaso Marullo,
Marquis of Condagosta, Placido Castello, Prince of
Parco, Alvaro Villadicane, who in 1756 entitled
Castelmola
as a principality. In 1860 its citizens voted for the
annexation to
Italy. From 1928 to 1947 it was part of
Taormina and later it became an autonomous
municipality. Among the most important monuments we
mention the ruins of the castle (16th century), the
church of S. Giorgio built in the 17th century and
the parochial church built in the 16th century and
rebuilt in 1935. Read about
the rulers of Sicily
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