The town center, with narrow,
Arabic-like streets, lays to a medium
sea-level
height
of 800 meters, on the northwest side of
mount Etna. Its altitude goes from 600 meters of the lowest point (new
Sciarotta district) to 940 of the SS. Cristo zone.
This is how the son of
illustrious Brontese Giuseppe
Cimbali describes the
environment of the country ("Nicola Spedalieri", 1888, Città di
Castello): «Has the horrid part and the pleasant
part, the tender part and the epic part, in the same time.
Here and there is lapped, or rather crowned, crowned sadly, by gigantic sizes of blackish
washes; again, as for contrast, vague hills dominate it, rich always of vegetation and enchantment chase. Down to the west and to vanishing mountains are ever
green and fecund and rich mountains, that confuse themselves with
the infinite blue of the big Sicilian sky, and farther on, at the
end of a true desert where neither the broom, the lonely flower of the
desert, began to bloom, the raises in all the majesty of his figure,
as an appalling pyramid, good in his white mantle of snow in the winter;
beautiful nor poor in the shreds of this mantle with which remains covered
here and there, to strange strips, in the summer; beautiful always, also
when it hurts, in the safe conscience of his size and of his omnipotence. To enjoy the most wonderful sight of mount Etna
is necessary going to Bronte: only to Bronte it shows itself in all
the agreement, in all the purity, in all the harmony of his
perfects and solemn lines.» Even if the strange strips of snow which also of summer
was covering the western side of the Etna are by now a far memory, the Giuseppe Cimbali description also remains very current today. Bronte is a country town to
man's measure: the
climate, the healthiness of the air, the characteristic narrow streets and the houses laid one on top of the
other, the citizens' open and frank character, the lack of excessive wealth as also of excessive poverty make
it such.
For who comes to Bronte this translates hitself in the warmth of the resident
people, in the cordiality of the ones who manage receptive structures, in a hospitality in constant
improvement, in the ability of the local artisans, in an ancient culture and a wonderful and uncontaminated nature. The modest, quiet, silent social life is noticed prevalently along the Corso Umberto, the principal
street that cuts in two the town. The Course, paved with characteristic square basole made in lava stone, is the principal road of habitat. Coming to Bronte from Catania is the first to be reached. Begins at the "Scialandro"
and, with a tortuous trend, leads to many churches, to the squares, the
most important palaces and the most prestigious shops.
Represents the brontese lounge, the commercial center,
the place for parties and demonstrations, where
young people and elders have
appointments, a continuous bustle of people who
meet, argue and take walks. The Corso Umberto finishes, through the massive and ever present structures of the Real Capizzi College, and
Piazza Spedalieri,
the zone for parties and public manifestations. |