Italiano 
Taormina is one of the most fascinating places in Sicily, located on the eastern coast of the island, overlooking the Ionian Sea and at the foot of the Etna volcano. Its history has its roots in ancient times, and its natural beauty, combined with cultural and historical wealth, has made it an important tourist and cultural center.
Brief historical notes
The Greeks are believed to have founded the city in the 4th century BC, although some historical sources suggest that the site was already inhabited. They gave the city the name “Tauromenion”, a name that may derive from the god Taurus. In the Greek era, Taormina became an important commercial and cultural center. Its theater, one of the most representative symbols of the city, was built during that period. The city continued to prosper even after the conquest of Sicily by the Romans, in 242 BC.
In the 6th century AD, after the fall of the Roman Empire, Taormina came under the control of the Byzantines, who used it as a defense center.
From the 9th to the 11th century the Arabs enriched the urban landscape, leaving traces of their presence in some structures.
From Norman rule until the modern age, Taormina was a state city, subject to direct control by the Crown.
The origins of international fame
In the 19th century, with the Romantic movement that attracted many artists and writers to Sicily, Taormina began to become a destination for many travelers who, attracted by its beauty, began to visit it regularly. The city became famous thanks to personalities such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who visited Taormina in 1787 and described the place as “the most beautiful view in the world”.
Thus, in the second half of the nineteenth century, Taormina began to transform itself into a high-class tourist destination, attracting many intellectuals and artists, including Oscar Wilde, D.H. Lawrence, Giorgio de Chirico and Wilhelm von Gloeden.
Today, Taormina is one of the most visited tourist destinations in Sicily. The city is a reference point for numerous cultural events, such as the Taormina Film Fest and the Taormina Opera Festival.
Documentary sources for genealogical research in Taormina
Civil Status records (births, marriages, deaths)
The oldest civil registrations of birth, marriage and death of Taormina date back to the year 1820. In 1819 Ferdinand I, King of the Two Sicilies, instituted the Civil State in Sicily on the model of the Napoleonic one already in force in the other regions of the kingdom, but the recordings began the following year. The civil registrars compiled the following registers in two originals: births, births of abandoned children, marriage banns, marriages, deaths and various documents. The annexes to the birth and marriage certificates were collected in separate files. With the royal decree of November 15, 1865, the new order was introduced which provided for the compilation of citizenship registers.
Consulting the civil status documents is usually the first phase of a genealogical research. If you want to start researching your family history in Taormina, contact us for more information!
Parish records (baptisms, marriages, deaths, numbering of souls)
In the 24th session (November 11, 1563), the Council of Trent imposed on all parish priests the obligation to compile special registers of baptisms and marriages. Starting in 1614, a provision contained in the Rituale Romanum of Pope Paul V ordered parish priests to also register burials and draw up actual censuses of parishioners: the Status Animarum (Status of Souls or Numbering of Souls).
Parish registers are certainly an invaluable source for genealogical research, but they are not easy to read (they are written in Latin, with spellings and abbreviations that are difficult for non-experts to understand. Therefore, we recommend that you rely on professionals for a fruitful search in parish registers. The oldest parish registers in Taormina date back to the year 1591 for baptisms, 1605 for marriages and 1592 for the deceased.
“Riveli di beni ed anime”
The Riveli di beni ed anime (Revelation of goods and souls) were censuses compiled by individual municipal administrations. They concern almost all Sicilian municipalities and cover the period between the 16th and 18th centuries. Thanks to them we can know not only the composition of individual families but also their socio-economic status and are therefore an irreplaceable source of research. The Riveli of Taormina are available for the years 1584, 1593, 1607, 1616, 1623, 1636, 1651, 1681, 1748.
Notarial deeds
The notarial documentation kept in the State Archives and Notarial Archives is very useful for reconstructing a genealogy. Sometimes these are much older documents than ecclesiastical ones and therefore allow family history to be reconstructed even further back in time. In fact, some deeds, for example wills or dowry contracts, are rich in information of genealogical interest. Furthermore, even the consultation of notarial deeds allows us to know the socio-economic status of the family.
The most ancient notarial deeds of Taormina date back to the year 1799.
WHY RELY ON A PROFESSIONAL GENEALOGIST?
Reconstructing one’s family history is a fascinating adventure, a journey through time to discover places, facts and ancestors. From what you have read so far, you will have understood that it is very difficult to obtain valid results without the help and method of a professional genealogist who knows how to identify the sources necessary for research and correctly interpret ancient documents.
If your family also comes from Acquaviva Platani and you want to entrust us with your genealogical research, CONTACT US! Consultation and preliminary research are free!
Finally, a gallery of old postcards from Taormina:
