Bronte is located over a hillside with a landscape of the valley of Simeto; it is an important cultural and historical center, rich in monuments. It gained importance in 1520 when Charles V merged the inhabitants of several neighboring villages; it was destroyed by lava in 1651, 1832 and 1843, and in 1799 Ferdinand III gave it as a feud to Admiral Nelson, as a gift for his help during the repression of uprisings in Naples.
The historical center includes many palaces and churches built from the second half of the 16th century to the second half of the 18th century. All these buildings are rich in decorations, frescoes and peculiarities, hence they worth a visit. Capizzi College, the Church of the Sacred Heart, the Rosary church and the church of San Giovanni are just a few of them. The Mother Church (Trinity Church) is the result of the unification of two adjacent churches which took place in the sixteenth century: SS. Trinity and Santa Maria.