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Of fire and of sea

Fire fountains in the middle of the sea. Directly from the belly of the earth, they created the small island with the characteristic rounded shape that makes it even today unmistakable, in front of the southern coast of the big island. And only a narrow strip of sand unites it to the giant dominated by Epomeo.

In the stretch of coast that starts from Punta Chiarito, the Greeks of Pithekoussai founded various villages dedicated to agriculture in Cavagrado, to Rufano and on the hill of Colamarina, from which they dominated the bays and the route beaten by the Etruscans and Phoenicians. And Colamarina was also inhabited in Roman times. In the Middle Ages, the islet began to be called Sant’Angelo after the foundation of a Benedictine abbey, center of the cult in honor of San Michele Arcangelo. In its vicinity during the Aragonese period a tower was built to defend the coast threatened by Barbary pirates. Both buildings were destroyed in 1808 by the Anglo-Bourbon fleet during the reign of Joachim Murat. Meanwhile, a village of fishermen and farmers developed opposite. If the products of the sea were used for sustenance, those of the land were sold on the mainland, while the sailing ships brought wine to Tuscany. The abbey was lost on the islet, and in 1850 began the construction on a new church in the upper part of the village of Sant’Angelo, where the statue of St. Michael the Archangel was transferred. The celebrations on September 29 are dedicated to him, in the bay under the islet, which fireworks light up in daylight.

By Isabella Marino

Events of Sant'Angelo