Poggioreale (Sicilian: Poggiuriali) is a ghost town and comune in the province of Trapani, western Sicily, southern Italy, located in the Belice valley. The Economy was mostly based on agriculture and fruit cultivation.

Poggioreale
Comune di Poggioreale
Derelict buildings in Poggioreale
Derelict buildings in Poggioreale
Coat of arms of Poggioreale
Location of Poggioreale
Map
Poggioreale is located in Italy
Poggioreale
Poggioreale
Location of Poggioreale in Italy
Poggioreale is located in Sicily
Poggioreale
Poggioreale
Poggioreale (Sicily)
Coordinates: 37°46′N 13°2′E / 37.767°N 13.033°E / 37.767; 13.033
CountryItaly
RegionSicily
ProvinceTrapani (TP)
Government
 • MayorGirolamo Cangelos
Area
 • Total37 km2 (14 sq mi)
Elevation
189 m (620 ft)
Population
 (28 February 2017)[2]
 • Total1,496
 • Density40/km2 (100/sq mi)
DemonymPoggiorealesi
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
91020
Dialing code0924
Patron saintSaint Anthony of Padua
Saint dayJune 13
WebsiteOfficial website (in Italian)

Earthquake: The Belice Valley earthquake destroyed the entire town of Poggioreale and killed 200 people in 1968. Eventually the town was rebuilt in a safer place a few kilometers south.[3] Some of the families moved to the USA, according to a CNN article.[4] Mayor Girolamo Cangelosi wants to bring Poggioreale back to its former glory.[5] Some of the former residents and their families have been on organized tours of Poggioreale. They reunited using social media and the internet.[6] According to the New York Post, Sicilians call it their modern Pompeii.[7] Unfortunately Mayor Girolamo Cangelosi was seriously injured in an auto accident. It remains unclear what effect this may have upon his reconstruction efforts.[8]

References edit

  1. ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  3. ^ "Ruins of Poggioreale". atlas obscura.com. 2020-11-22. Archived from the original on 2020-11-22. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
  4. ^ Marchetti, Silvia (2019-07-06). "Ghost Town that refuses to Die". CNN. Archived from the original on 2020-11-22. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
  5. ^ Hechtman, Michael (2019-07-06). "Mayor Wants Help". NY Post. Archived from the original on 2020-11-07. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
  6. ^ Donati, Silvia (2020-01-10). "Finding Families Past". Italy Magazine Com. Archived from the original on 2020-11-22. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
  7. ^ Hechtman, Michael (2019-07-06). "Mayor Wants Help". NY Post. Archived from the original on 2020-11-07. Retrieved 2020-11-22.
  8. ^ "Mayor Girolamo Cangelosi is breathing without machines (in Italian)".