Porto Empedocle

Porto Empedocle (Sicilian: Marina) is a town and comune in Italy on the coast of the Strait of Sicily, administratively part of the province of Agrigento. It is the namesake of Empedocles, a Greek pre-Socratic philosopher and a citizen of the city of Agrigentum (present-day Agrigento), in his day a Greek colony in Sicily. The primary industries of Porto Empedocle are agriculture, fishing, ironworking, pharmaceuticals and rock salt refining.

Porto Empedocle
Comune
Comune di Porto Empedocle
Coat of arms
Location of Porto Empedocle
Porto Empedocle
Location of Porto Empedocle in Italy
Porto Empedocle
Porto Empedocle (Sicily)
Coordinates: 37°18′N 13°32′E
CountryItaly
RegionSicily
ProvinceAgrigento (AG)
Government
 • MayorIda Carmina
Area
 • Total25.23 km2 (9.74 sq mi)
Elevation
2 m (7 ft)
Population
 (30 November 2017)[2]
 • Total17,936
 • Density710/km2 (1,800/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Empedoclini
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
92014
Dialing code0922
Patron saintSaint Gerland of Agrigento
Saint dayFebruary 25
WebsiteOfficial website

Physical geography

Climate

Porto Empedocle is the second 'comune' with the lowest amount of degree days in Italy. It is in the Climatic zone 'A' of the 'classificazione climatica dei comuni italiani'.

History

Born as a port zone in the old Girgenti, today called Agrigento, under the name of Marina di Girgenti (seashore of Girgenti), since in the 15th century it was the main cereal trading centre of the region. From 1549 to 1554, by order of the viceroy Vega, Torre del caricatore of Girgenti, already known during the ancient times (as it probably already existed before the Angevin period), was restored. It had been built to protect against the Saracen pirates, together with the whole system of the Coastal towers of Sicily. The tower was later again restored by Charles III with the help of Bishop Lorenzo Gioeni. This restoration was completed only in 1763. In 1853, during the government of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies the town obtained independence by becoming chief town of the decurionato under the name of Molo di Girgenti. Then, in 1863, the town changed its name into Porto Empedocle in memory of the Agrigentine philosopher Empedocles.

In 2003, the town changed its official denomination to Porto Empedocle Vigata, after the name of the fictional town where the novels by Andrea Camilleri, Italian writer and native of the town, about detective Inspector Montalbano are placed. However, the decision was revoked in 2009.

The main church is Parrocchia Maria SS.del Buon Consiglio, which is located in the center of the town. The marl Scala dei Turchi is located nearby, on the coast of Realmonte.



  1. "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Istat. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. "Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018". Istat. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
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