Ragusa

Ragusa is one of the provincial capitals of Sicily and one of the most historically important centres of the island. If the name “Ragusa” is of Byzantine origin, however, the city has ancient roots and is located in an area where the presence of humans has been attested to since Neolithic times. It passed, as the whole of Sicily did, under various rulers. In 1296 the County of Ragusa merged with the county of Modica under Manfredi I Chiaramonte, thus giving rise to one of the most important feudal states of the whole southern Italy. Like many other towns in south-eastern Sicily, a watershed event in the history of Ragusa was the disastrous earthquake of 1693, which almost destroyed  the entire city, causing more than 5,000 victims. The subsequent reconstruction endowed Ragusa with its current extraordinary artistic heritage, also dividing it into two major areas: Ragusa superiore located higher up, and Ragusa Ibla, rebuilt on the ruins of the old medieval city. It is widely regarded as a city which is a symbol of Baroque art in Italy.