Oreto Explained

Oreto
Source1 Location:Altofonte-Monreale
Mouth:Tyrrhenian Sea
Subdivision Type1:Country
Subdivision Name1:Italy
Length:22km (14miles)
Source1 Elevation:about 1050m (3,450feet)
Basin Size:129km2

The Oreto is a 22km (14miles) river in Sicily. Its source is located between Altofonte and Monreale, a few kilometers from Palermo. It gives the name to the Oreto Valley and crosses the south-east portion of the city before flowing into the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Called "Wādī al-ʿAbbās" during the Islamic period, the river has had an important role in the history of Palermo. In the 12th century, in order to cross it, the Ammiratus ammiratorum George of Antioch built the Admiral's Bridge.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Maria Antonietta Spadaro, Il Ponte dell'Ammiraglio a Palermo, Convegno WWF 27-28 giugno 2014: Conosciamo il fiume Oreto e la sua valle..