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Porto Empedocle

 

Important seaport along the south west coast of Sicily, in the past a small village facing the blue Mediterranean sea, economically bound to the near city of Agrigento, but officially franchisee in the year 1863, changing the old de nomination of “Molo di Girgenti” in the actual, obtaining the right of autonomous municipality. The town is thus very young; it raises in the 15th century as “Port of shipment of the goods”of the old “Girgenti” and florid and incessant activity it made of the site a very important business center accredited. In the year 1554 , due to the constant raids perpetrated by barbarians, the Crown of Spain provided the villagers with the construction of a tower as a guarding against attacks of Turkish ships. Around the tower called “Torre di Carlo V” (tower of Charles the 5th ) and close to the first seawall, whose first throwing dates back in the year 1749, has developed the Porto Empedocle of present time. The tower of “Carlo V” today is the main monument of the town and stands as a symbol of the town’s history, it is now considered the central point of cultural activities. It is also homeland of eminent writers Louis Pirandello, Nobel Prize for literature and author Andrea Camilleri Inspector Montalbano stories.