Back Caltanissetta ALS قلعة النساء Arabic Caltanissetta AVK Kaltanissetta Azerbaijani کالتانیستا AZB Кальтанісета Byelorussian Калтанисета Bulgarian Caltanissetta Breton Caltanissetta Catalan Кальтаниссетта CE
Caltanissetta
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|---|---|
| Comune di Caltanissetta | |
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 Coat of arms | |
.svg) Caltanissetta within its province | |
Location of Caltanissetta  | |
  Caltanissetta Location of Caltanissetta in Italy  Caltanissetta Caltanissetta (Sicily) | |
| Coordinates: 37°29′25″N 14°03′45″E / 37.49028°N 14.06250°E | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Sicily |
| Province | Caltanissetta (CL) |
| Frazioni | Bifaria, Borgo Petilia, Borgo Canicassè Casale, Cozzo di Naro, Favarella, Prestianni, Villaggio Santa Barbara, Santa Rita, Xirbi |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Walter Tesauro |
| Area | |
• Total | 421.5 km2 (162.7 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 568 m (1,864 ft) |
| Population (30 November 2024)[2] | |
• Total | 58,012 |
| • Density | 140/km2 (360/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Nisseni |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 93100 |
| Dialing code | 0934 |
| Patron saint | St. Michael |
| Saint day | September 29 |
| Website | Official website |
Caltanissetta (Sicilian: Cartanissètta)[3] is an Italian comune with a population of 58,012 inhabitants,[2] serving as the capital of the free municipal consortium of Caltanissetta in Sicily.
The earliest inhabitants of the surrounding territory were the Sicani, who established various settlements as early as the 19th century BC. However, the modern city was likely founded in the 10th century during the Islamic period in Sicily, when the name "Caltanissetta" is believed to have originated, though alternative theories have been proposed over time. Under the Normans, it was transformed into a feudal holding, and after various transitions, it came under the control of the Montcada of Paternò in 1405. This noble family governed the County of Caltanissetta until 1812, leaving behind the Baroque-style Palazzo Moncada, constructed in the 17th century.
From the 19th century onward, Caltanissetta experienced significant industrial growth due to its extensive sulfur deposits, establishing it as a key mining center. Its prominence in the sulfur industry earned it the nickname "world sulfur capital,"[4] and in 1862, it became home to Italy's first mining institute, the Sebastiano Mottura Institute.[5] During the 1930s, despite fascist censorship, the city enjoyed a period of cultural vibrancy, leading Leonardo Sciascia to describe it as a "little Athens."[6] After World War II, the mining sector declined, plunging the local economy into crisis. Today, the city's economy relies predominantly on the tertiary sector.
- ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
- ^ a b "Bilancio demografico mensile anno 2024 (dati provvisori)". demo.istat.it.
- ^ Milanesi, Luigi (2015). Dizionario Etimologico della Lingua Siciliana. Mnamon. ISBN 978-88-6949-056-9.
- ^ "Caltanissetta: le miniere di zolfo". Archived from the original on September 11, 2009. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
- ^ Salvatore Scarantino. "150 anni di storia della scuola mineraria "Sebastiano Mottura" di Caltanissetta" (pdf). Società Nissena di Storia Patria - Caltanissetta - Anno VI, n°11. p. 99.
- ^ Sergio Mangiavillano. "Piccola Atene nel deserto". Caffè Caltanissetta. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
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