Misterbianco | |
Official Name: | Comune di Misterbianco |
Coordinates: | 37.5167°N 15°W |
Region: | Sicily |
Metropolitan City: | Metropolitan City of Catania |
Mayor Party: | 27-10-2021 |
Mayor: | Giuseppe Marco Corsaro |
Area Total Km2: | 37.5 |
Population Footnotes: | [1] |
Population Total: | 49039 |
Population As Of: | 30-11-2022 |
Population Demonym: | Misterbianchesi |
Elevation M: | 210 |
Postal Code: | 95045 |
Area Code: | 095 |
Misterbianco (Sicilian: Mustariancu; Latin: Monasterium Album|lit=White Monastery' or 'White Minster) is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Catania in the Italian region Sicily, located about 160km (100miles) southeast of Palermo and about 6km (04miles) west of Catania. Misterbianco borders the following municipalities: Camporotondo Etneo, Catania, Motta Sant'Anastasia, San Pietro Clarenza.
The settlement's name derives from a former local monastery in the contrada of Campanarazzu (pejorative of Sicilian: campanaru|lit=bell tower), where monks, likely Dominicans, wore a white dress (in Latin: Monasterium Album|lit=White Monastery). However, both the monastery and the settlement were destroyed by the 1669 Etna eruption. A new borough was therefore built in the former contrada of Milicia.
Until the mid-19th century Misterbianco was a small rural settlement. However, after a large industrial complex was built in the area, its population grew substantially, up to 18,836 in 1971 and 40,785 in 1991. The town continues to grow in size due to people moving here from the increasingly costly quarter of Catania city.