The nature reserve oriented Vendicari Oasis is a protected natural area located within the free municipal consortium of Syracuse, precisely between Noto and Marzamemi. Particularly important for the presence of marshes that act as a resting place in the migration of birds. Provided by a law of the Sicily Region of May 1981, it was officially established in 1984, after the then Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Filippo Maria Pandolfi declared 1450 hectares of territory "wetland of international importance", according to the Convention of Ramsar from 1971. It was actually made available only in 1989. It is managed by the Regional Forestry Agency.
Within the Reserve, human history shows a long stay. There are several archaeological and architectural settlements that testify to human life in these places since the Greek era. It is possible to find traces of tanks-storage of an ancient Hellenistic fish processing plant, next to which a small necropolis was also discovered.
In the Byzantine era (until the 6th century AD) the area was inhabited to the south with the presence of a church, several catacombs and houses. The danger of the coasts led the inhabitants to abandon the site for the internal areas such as Pantalica. The Sveva Tower, probably built by Pietro d'Aragona, count of Alburquerque and duke of Noto (1406-1438), as well as brother of Alfonso V of Aragon, king of Spain and Sicily (1416-1458) testifies to the strategic interest of the area for the defense of the coast. Not far away there is the tonnara di Vendicari, a decaying building that still preserves the chimney in good condition, as well as various factories and fishermen's houses: the tonnara was built in the eighteenth century: in the period of maximum expansion it had 40 employees, including two rais (the first of Avola and his deputy of Pachino). It ceased trading in 1943.
Riserva Oasi Faunistica di Vendicari
Address: Contrada Vendicari, 96017
Phone: 0931 468879
Site:
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