Tourism and the History of Taormina, Sicily, 1750-1959

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Cover Photo: FREELENSCENTRO LENTI A CONTATTOdi GIANCARLO FERLITOVia Cavalluccio Is. 248 - MESSINA

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TounrSM AND THE HrsroRY oFTa.onvuNA, Srcrr,y

1750-1950

Giuseppe Restifo

Mellen Studies in GeographyVolume 4

The Edwin Mellen PressLewiston.Queenston.Lampeter

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Restifo, Giuseppe.Tourism a1rd the history of Taormina, Sicily, 1750-1950 i Giuseppe Restifo.

p.cm. -- (Mellen studies in geography ; vol.4)Includes bibliographical references.rsBN 0-7734-76784l. Taormina (Italy)-Description and fiavel. 2. Tourism-Italy-Taormina-History' I'

Title. II. Series.

DG975;I2R48 2000945''811-dc2'

o0-056086

This is volume 4 in the continuing series

Mellen Studies in GeographyVolume 4 ISBN 0-7734-76784MSG Series ISBN 0-7734-8048-X

A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the British Library.

Copyrght @ 2000 GiusePPe Restifo

All rights reserved. For information contact

The Edwin Mellen Press The Edwin Mellen Press

Box 450 Box67Lewiston, New York Queenston' Ontario

USA 14092-0450 CANADA LOS ILO

The Edwin Mellen Press, Ltd.Lampeter, Ceredigion, Wales

TINITED KINGDOM SA48 8LT

Printed in the United States of America

ofcontents

Preface

Imoduction

f . Mapping Taormina

2. Becoming aTown

3. Taonnina in Soft Focus - Foreigrr Views of the Town

4. Taormina: Roads and Railways

5. Taking Care of Taormina

6. A Cortury of Hotels and the Changing Town

7. Taormina over the Last Two Centuries

8. The Tourist Wave Submerges Taormina

Notes

Inder( of names

5

27

51

6l

7l

99

129

l4l

153

175

Taormina, an Icon with a History

Ever since mass tourism began, a few spots on the planet have enjoyed the

privilege of becoming powerful points of attraction. Be it the Alhambra in Grana-

da or the Parthenon in Greece, the city of Venice or the Great Pyramids, people

were (and are) attracted by such places like iron filings by a magnet, enthralled,

certainly, by the magic feeling of the place, but to a no lesser degree by the cultu-

ral constructions associated with them. As a matter of fact, there is a history to

each of those cities or monuments: they all have become in time the quintessential

image of a civilization, of a stage in development, or the focussing point of a way

of life: in short, icons of a culture. Very rarely this is only due to the intrinsic

beauty and fascination of a landscape or monument. [nnumerable travel accounts,

engravings, sketches, paintings, and lastly photogfaphs and films, have contribu-

ted, decade after decade, century after century, to establish those icons, even those

points of view which appear to us as the "natural" way of looking at them. Histo-

rians of tourism, literary historians and editors of travel diaries have made suffi-

cient clear the process of cultural accumulation by which such icons are created.

Taormina, on the eastern coast of Sicily, is one of such places, and has been

for almost three centuries now, first as the resort of a few English and German

eccentrics and naturists, later as the gravitation center of Northerners - crowned

heads, diplomats, noblemen, artists and retired tycoons - in search of sunshine, ofsexual transglession, of the picturesque or just of a warm climate. It has been a

source of inspiration to innumerable artisS and writers like Paul Klee and D. H.

Lawrence.This is, however, only a comparatively recent development. The frst articu-

late Eaveller to Italy who has teft a literary account of his journey, namely wil-liam Thomas (1549) did not dare to go south of Naples, nor did most of the young

gentlemen on their Grand Tour in Elizabethan or Jacobean times. One of them,

though, visited Sicily in 1550 with a purposeful mind; he went all the way down

to Syracuse, and took accurate notes. This was Sir Thomas Hoby, who is credited

with the English translation of Castiglione's Courtesan. While describing at

length mount Etna and the city of Messina, Hoby has not much to say about <<Tau-

romina>> except that <<Cicero maketh oft mention of this towne in his orations

against Verres>> and that <<abowt yt are verie antient ruines>>.

Ancient ruins, or the quest for the sources of classical antiquity, were in fact

the driving force behind a new urge to <<go south>> at the dawn of the 18th Cen-

tury. Improvements in routes, roads, inns, and especially in the public security

made journeys to Sicily, if not quite easy, at least reasonably so. Travellers brou-

ght back home fascinating memories, and a quantity of etchings, watercolours and

drawings to show around and be published: this was the age of Baron von Riede-

sel, inspired by Winckelmann, or Richard Payne Knight (1777), of Wolfgang

Goethe, of John Dryden jr. and many, many others. The publication of Jean

Houel's Voyage pittoresque dzs isles de Sicile, de Maha et de Lipari (1781-86)

did most to establish the European image of Sicily, the way of looking at its peo-

ple and monuments, the fairest points of observation. One of these was invariably

the Greek Theatre at Taormina, wonderful in itself, and a place from which Etna

could be viewed at its bst.Taormina, then, was a creature of Europe or, as the popular saying goes, was

<<invented by Germans>>. The story of such invention has been retraced even

recently by writers, sometimes with taste and learning, as in Roccuzzo's Island inthe Sun. But is this all the truth? Giuseppe Restifo shows convincingly that itwould be a gross mistake to suppose that the people in Taormina were just <<nati-

ves>>, aS in most of 18th Century illustrations, unaware of the classical treasures

they were threading under their feet, while carrying water or baskets of fruit. Aprofessional historian by education and by fiade, Restifo has researched a variety

of subjects ranging from demographic history to the development of plague on

both sides of the Mediterranean. His long practice with tocal archives puts him inthe best position to inquire into the history of the real Taormina. The resulting

image, though by no means opposed but rather complementary to that of foreign

visitors, is the portrait of a fierce and independent town rnthe ancien régime.

Taormina may have appeared to foreigners as a small place inhabited by

ignorant peasants. In fact the town, small as it was, was the lady of a number oflands and villages (its casali); many of them are nowadays small cities. It counted

over 6,000 inhabitants between 1596 and 1616, although it suffered a blow when

the King of Spain, always in heavy financial need, sold the casali into feudal lord-

ship; but the population rose again in the 18th Century. A military stronghold, and

well placed at a crucial crossing of roads north of Mount Etna, Taormina was the

seat of a town aristocracy, had its Senate and oligarchy and a complex class

system. The jurisdiction of the local arch-priest was so large that he was conside-

red as having almost episcopal dignity, with his own insignia; as late as 1818 a

petition was advanced to establish an episcopal see in the city. Four monasteries

and a convent for nuns opened their doors to scions ofthe nobility, and played an

important role in the economy and civil life of the place (ttre former monastery ofSan Domenico is now a first class international hotel, and the subject of many

literary works).In short, Taormina under Spanish rule was no lesser town than, say, Bath or

Windsor in Augustan Britain. It had a flourishing economy, based on a variety ofsoluces, from agriculture to fisheries, to the export ofa fine variety ofmarble, and

even small mines of silver. In due course, a new professional middle class appea-

red, clamouring for political representation, and the town followed its way into

the Risorgimento and modem Italy along with the rest of the country. Shottly after

the unification of Italy, new railroads connected it directly with Catania (1867)

and with the North (1875) enhancing the touristic vocation - the destiny, perhaps

- of Taormina.The book has an important - and original - chapter on the care of the past,

based on fresh research in the National Central Archives. The <<antient ruins>> seen

by Hoby in 1550 began to be excavated rather early, by noblemen with an <<enli-

rr-ù-uotfthtfiEtEHr l?f"&rd dE rt60 &.;{rfOfcaOlpfiftcdbrrlrb,irr5rc-5brcffigErlrrfrEfi;bn f,ifo, I sd 'tlp IlFoebridhdqcdmrrG[rmfomes,ÉmddbdrysismiHeh*a it wu po§'dlÈ - GdE' a Ee cltr rrrr i*tdealiehcdbytrg,l

ImHsrgfsEdre of ùe city, tuy(dbtrsof the locdflb ftÉstrve and iryrwc lE hIlood, hcirof l-cdIffind the Thete bc plqÉ,id sunset «l-ocals» rrrhrEsffiE; hrt ùcy.ls UDIYiry- Th€re ue lmdrùh a case in ptÉfioutnlleg€dary HoelTim- llriost rrnd€r Ée Crretlh,ùe building of rr rilrrùecourse, dmeha<tlrnipat of tbe landsc4cdarmd foreigners, as Rcrihlway of sriking I 'nif !]tion of «Gqmans», hdfinsightonfoumisJl

Iqtbit or erplicit mir b ÉJ

- R§-Pine4otro. *W{t- WilliullmsTbHifrtjry- TbTravlsordl4b{Srlb

noyet ff*qicat Soclry B Etrl- SelvalseRm,To-,f:

image of Sicily, the way of looking at its peo-inrs of observation. One of these was invariably

rmderful in itself, and a place from which Etna

ofEurope or, as the popular saying goes, wassry of such invention has been retraced even

tasE and learning, as in Roccuzzo's Island inClusqee Restifo shows convincingly that it

that the people in Thormina were just <<nati-

illustrations, unaware of the classical freasuresftet, while carrying water or baskets of fruit. A

and by trade, Restifo has researched a varietyhistory to the development of plague on

Itrs long practice with local archives puts him inùe history of the real Taormina. The resulting

ht rattrer complementary to that of foreignad i@endent town inthe ancien régime.

to foreigners as a small place inhabited bysrnall as it was, was the lady of a number ofof them are nowadays small cities. It counted

1596 and 1616, although it suffered a blow whenfinancial need, sold the casali into feudal lord-in ùe 18th Century. A military stronghold, and

d rmds north of Mount Etna, Taormina was theits Senate and oligarchy and a complex class

uch-priest was so large that he was conside-.xgrt'ty, with his own insignia; as late as 1818 a

an episcopal see in the city. Four monasteriesirdoors to scions of the nobility, and played an

civil life of ttre place (ttre former monastery ofinrernational hotel, and the subject of many

nrle was no lesser town than, say, Bath orH a flourishing economy, based on a variety of

to the export of a fine variety of marble, and

oourse, a new professional middle class appea-ion, and the town followed its way into

along with the rest of the country. Shortly afterconnecred it directly wiùr Catania (1867)

the ouristic vocation - the destiny, perhaps

- and original - chapter on the care of the past,

C-entral Archives. The <<antient ruins>> seenrather early, by noblemen with an <<enli-

ulghtened» sensibility for classical antiquity: the fust restoration of the Greek Thea-tre goes back to 1740. The reign of the House of Bourbon saw further progress,and after 1860 the newly-founded reign of Italy entrusted Commissions andDirectorships with the care of old monuments. All sorts of restoration works werethen made, in many cases defacing or destroying the building they were supposedto restore. Expanding (rnaybe illicitly) on the documentary evidence produced byRestifo, I would argue that this kind of governmental activity was not bound toproduce by itself better results than in other areas of Sicily and Italy, where land-scape and monuments were left to decay. The sack or destruction of inscriptions,sculptures, pieces of architecture, had been going on for decades, and even in ourdays is considered a lucrative activity. What happened then, that preserved - as faras it was possible in each historical age - the precious character ofTaormina, so

that we can now admire the medieval borough grafted on classical foundations,and enlightened by flowers, etreenery and quaint houses?

I would suggest that while foreigners flocked to Thormina and made the for-tune of the city, they entered in a complicated dialogue with the cleverest mem-bers of the local élite. Foreign visitors (often naturalized in Sicily) wished to pre-serve and improve the beauty of the places: in 1897, for instance, G. NelsonHood, heir of I-ord Nelson's Duchy of Bronte, proposed that the times of openingof the Theatre be pfolonged, in order to allow visitors to enjoy the beautiful viewof sunset. <<Locals>> understood well that it was in their interest to preserve and torestore; but they also had to live in a town with an expanding population and acti-vity. There are lots of anecdotes, which Restifo recounts often with gentle irony;but a case in point concerns one of the symbols of the imagery of Taormina, thelegendary Hoùel Timeo. Its owner opened it in 1883, a small hotel with ten rooms,just under the Greek Theatre. In 1900 it had already more than doubled, entailingthe building ofnew wings and a controversy whether it ruined or not the sight. Indue course, time has thrown its mantle over Hotel Timeo as well, so that it is nowpart of the landscape and a museum in itself. The relationship between Taorminesiand foreigners, as Restifo makes clear, was not idyllic; but somehow they found a

way of striking a unique balance. [n this sense, Taormina was not just the inven-tion of <<Germans>>, but of Taorminesi alike. And this book gives us a documentedinsight on four centuries oflife of a very very old town.

Nino RecuperoState Universìty in Milm, March 2000.

Implicit or explicit mention is made of the following (in this order):

- R.S. Pine-Coffin, Bibliography of British and AmqicanTravel in haly to l860,Frqze1974.- William Thomas The History of ltaly ( 1549), ed-by G. B. Parks, New York 1963.- TheTrovelsaadLifeofSirThorusHobyKt.ofBislnnAbtul,WriltenbyHimself. 1547-1564,ed.forthe

Royal Historical Socie§ by Blgar Powell, Inndon 1902.- Salvatore Roccuzzo,Taormina,l'isola nel sole, Caania 1991. (An English translation is forthcoming).