Tonnara of Portopalo di Capo Ppassero
The Tonnara di Portopalo di Capopassero is a fascinating monument of industrial archeology.
The loggia, the large furnace, the walls of the warehouses and the remains of the church dating back to the 17th century, bear witness to a structure that has supported the economy of Portopalo since ancient times.
The trap of Portopalo, as well as that of Marzamemi, was a return trap, that is, a trap that fished tuna and mackerel which after the mating season returned to the open sea.
The right to fish from which the current tonnara originates from the medieval period, granted as a feudal barony subject to investiture, vassalage and the obligation to equip an armed horse every twenty ounces of income. The owners had to give the exercise to merchants in a gabelle, interested because they had the possibility of obtaining substantial earnings with very few financial commitments. In 1774 the property was passed to the prince of Villadorata Corradino Nicolaci, who modernized the plant and invested in new mobile and fixed equipment
