Capri Leone

Capri Leone (Sicilian: Capri Liuni) is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located about 120 kilometres (75 mi) east of Palermo and about 70 kilometres (43 mi) west of Messina. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 4,240 and an area of 6.6 square kilometres (2.5 sq mi).

Map of 98070 Capri Leone Province of Messina, Italy

The town was originally called just “Capri”. The “Leone” was added only in 1862 after the formation of the Italian federation so as to distinguish it from other Italian Capris. It was apparently founded only in the medieval times and it is known in 1320 to have been in the fiefdom of Count Vitale de Aloysio. It subsequently passed through the hands of several Baronial families, including those of the Lancellotto di Larcan, the Filangeri di Mirto, the Balsamo, the Branciforte, and the Cordona. In 1620, it again passed into the hands of the Filangeri di Mirto family. It apparently remained in their possession until the reforms of the early 19th century.

Capri Leone sits in the foothills of the Nebroli mountains and is about 2000 kilometers above the coastal plain. Its coastal outpost, Rocca di Capri Leone ("Rocca" means fortress in Italian), was originally established to guard the approaches to the town. It is separated from Capri Leone by several kilometers, but is administered as an integral part of the municipality. Rocca di Capri Leone has come to have the majority of the population of the combined municipality.

Capri Leone borders the following municipalities: Capo d'Orlando, Frazzanò, Mirto, San Marco d'Alunzio, Torrenova.