BUCCHERI

Buccheri, in the Siracusa province, has a population of some 2,800. It is laid out on a medieval plan also betraying baroque features. The city lies on the slopes of the Lauro Mount, in the vicinity of the spring of the San Leonardo River – also known as Lentini – and a beautiful large wood. The area was under the rule of the Normans, who turned an old Arab fortification into a fortified castle around which the earliest settlement would grow to a city. Of the castle only remained a tower set atop Monte Tereo from where a superb view can be enjoyed.

As many other towns in the Noto valley (so it is referred the southeastern region of Sicily), Buccheri suffered the heavy damages of the 1693 earthquake. Remains of the pre-quake city are set in the north side of town.

The farming industry, mainly concerned with the olive production, is the town’s main income.

Buccheri has many interesting churches. The Chiesa Madre is dedicated to Sant’Ambrogio, and contains a 1600’s wooden Crucifix dominating the main altar, and a painting depicting St. Michael. The Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena and the Chiesa di Sant’Antonio Abate divided into three naves and containing works by Borremans are equally worth-seeing.

In the town surroundings are various sites of naturalistic interest: the Bosco di Santa Maria, the Bosco Pisano, the Gola della Stritta, that is a canyon with numerous grottoes formed by erosion of San Leonardo river’s waters.