Chronology by events

Before the foundation of Acitrezza (end XVII sec.) there was in these places an ancient posada where the travellers had some rest.
The name of Acitrezza would derive from " latruzza " that comes from the owner of the posada who, in the middle of the night, stole her customers who slept there.

At north of Acitrezza existed ancient factories for the construction of lateritious of cooked clay, perhaps built during the roman domination. According to someone, the name of Acitrezza would come from this: Lateritious Acis lateritiae = lateritious of Aci = trizza of Aci = Acitrezza (supposition of name's evolution)

In 1091, the anchorite Saint John “L’anacoreta” choosed as his dormitory the Lachea Island, it’s still today visible his residence in the cliff.

In January of 1672, Don Stefano Reggio, Prince of Campofranco and Campofiorito bought in feud of R. Corte, from Marquis Don Nicolò Diana of Cefalà, for 36000 shields, the cities of Aci SS. Antonio and Filippo,  which it made part the territory of the modern Acitrezza of. He was owner by the payment of others 500 shields for its representative Don Petro Rao Tomes, the 23rd February 1672.We can say that Acitrezza had its foundation about this period thanks to the prince.

The first church of Acitrezza was dedicated to Saint Joseph. It was destroyed by the earthquake of the 1693 it was not rebuilt anymore. It was probably founded at north of the town in the zone of “via Feudo”, to confirm it there would be the discoveries of wall pieces found out in March of 1908.

14 October of 1696 was blessed the small "church" dedicated to Saint John Baptist.

The wooden statue of Saint John Baptist is work of an unknown craftsman of the place that realized it in the first half of 1700 having like model Gilletti, Acitrezza's inhabitant. The artist remained closed for long time in a house in order to carve the statue. He didn’t want to have distractions, he got some food taking the roof of the house off.

It is February of 1749 when Prince Don Luigi Reggio, Don Stefano's successor, made in Acitrezza a majestic palace in front of the Faraglioni. When his son Stefano died (13/02/1790), last descendant of the Reggio’s family, the palace passed to the hands of Giuseppe Castorina until when passed to further hands becoming divided in state lotteries and then it completely disappeared. It was still visible, but in ruin, at the beginning of 1900. The palace was used as church after the earthquake of the 28/10/1908.

The pantomime " u pisci a mari " it was probably  started at the half of 1700.

At the end of 1700 the populations close to Acireale began to having problems with this town for various reasons, for example, it remembered the war of the “Gurne” commanded by the inhabitants of Acitrezza.
The “Gurne” were manufactured walls like a tub in which they macerated linens and hemps. The exhalations and the water inside of that, they rendered those systems a source of malaria and other diseases. The “Gurne” was situated in Reitana, Santa Venera al Pozzo, Anzalone and between Capomulini and Acitrezza.The inhabitants of Acitrezza were first to send a petition to the health officer of Catania to eliminate the Gurne. Later, the populations of Aci S. Filippo, Acicatena, and Aci S. Antonio did the same thing. However, the end of the controversy was only a century after, when at the beginning of 1800 the “Gurne” was ordered to be destroyed.

The representation of "the Conquest of Algiers" (La Conquista di Algeri) by Carl V, acted by trezzoti, was born in the first years of 1800.

The name given to the district of Acitrezza located at the end of the town going to Acireale, it comes from the name of the old factory of the street barrier made during the Bourbon time.

Acitrezza was annexed to Commune of Acicastello on the 15th September of the 1828 by a decree of Francesco I, King of the Reign of the two Sicilies.

Lachea island was donated in 1869 by Senator Luigi Gravina, who was the owner, to the University of Catania of which was chancellor the Prof. Andrea Capparelli.

The aedicule of "Madonna della Buona Nuova" that is located at the north of the town, it was built on 1871 with the contribution of the fishermen of Acitrezza.

The foundation of the parish of Acitrezza was made on the 5th November 1889 by Episcopal bull.

The washbasin representing AciTrezza that is in the shrine and it was carved in 1891 by Domenico Alati.

It was 1900 when the statue of S.John Baptiste was located on the facade of the church.

The Post Office of Acitrezza was instituted on the 01/07/1908, using as first building a room of the prince Reggio's Palace.

At the beginning of 1900, in front of the bastionello, during the construction of some houses, they have been found some rhomboidals marble tile pieces, probably making part of tombs. Hypothesis would want Acitrezza as burial place of the Sicani.

The 27th February 1918 Father De Maria bought a land in Via Scalazza to build the church of the “Madonna della Buona Nuova”.

The 19/07/1920 died in Acitrezza, in Villa Zappalà, which was destroyed, the Honourable Giuseppe De Felice protagonist of the sicilian “fasci” of the workers. He died with 6 Liras in the money pocket.

In 1922, the beach of Acitrezza was the marine colony of Acireale. The sea of Acitrezza was useful for its iodine to the sick children of that time.

The donation of the collection of father De Maria to the Zelantea occurred on the 20th June 1933.

High relief that is in the G.Verga’s square, representing a scene of the novel "the Malavoglia" thanks to Mimmo Lazzaro. It was made in 1939.

On 18/10/1943, in a villa of Acitrezza, there was sanctioned the reconciliation between the ally military authorities and the religious authorities of Catania. English had occupied Catania the 05/08/1943, but the religious authorities of the sicilian city didn’t welcome them and after that, there were some problems which were conclused by “la pace di trezza” (The peace of Trezza).

It was 1954 when the statue of the “Madonna della Buona Novella”, saint of the fishermen, was located on the Great Rock.