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Giardini-Naxos

Giardini Naxos
Comune
Comune di Giardini Naxos
Bay of Giardini Naxos at sunrise
Bay of Giardini Naxos at sunrise
Giardini Naxos is located in Sicily
Giardini Naxos
Giardini Naxos
Giardini Naxos is located in Italy
Giardini Naxos
Giardini Naxos
Location of Giardini Naxos in Sicily
Coordinates: 37°50′N 15°17′E / 37.833°N 15.283°E / 37.833; 15.283Coordinates: 37°50′N 15°17′E / 37.833°N 15.283°E / 37.833; 15.283
Country Italy
Region Sicily
Province / Metropolitan city Messina (ME)
Government
 • Mayor Pancrazio Lo Turco
Area
 • Total 5 km2 (2 sq mi)
Elevation 8 m (26 ft)
Population (1 January 2015)
 • Total 9,524
 • Density 1,900/km2 (4,900/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Giardinesi
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 98030
Dialing code 0942
Patron saint Maria SS. Raccomandata
Saint day september 8
Website Official website

Giardini Naxos (Sicilian: Giaddini) is a comune in the Metropolitan City of Messina on the island of Sicily in southern Italy. It is situated on the coast of the Ionian Sea on a bay which lies between Cape Taormina and Cape Schisò. Since the 1970s it has become a seaside-resort.

Founded by Thucles the Chalcidian in 734 BC, Naxos was never a powerful city, but its temple of Apollo Archegetes, protecting deity of all the Greek colonies, gave it prominence in religious affairs. Leontini and Catania were both colonized from here. Hippocrates, tyrant of Gela, captured it in 494 BC. Its opposition to Syracuse ultimately led to its capture and destruction in 403 BC at the hands of Dionysius the tyrant, after it had supported Athens during that city's disastrous Sicilian Expedition. Though the site continued to be inhabited, most activity shifted to neighbouring Tauromenium.

In 1544, following the raids by corsair, Kheir-ed-Din, several military buildings were constructed to protect Cape Schisò from the Barbary pirates who continued to attack and plunder the coastal villages. These were Schisò Castle which was rebuilt from an earlier 13th-century castle, Schisò fort, and Vignazza Tower. The latter is a quadrangular watchtower which served to patrol the coast south of Port Schisò; if any pirate boats were sighted, the observers inside the tower could alert the villagers and neighbouring watchtowers by sending out smoke signals. Vignazza Tower is located in the Recanati area of Giardini Naxos.


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