Alcamo

Àrcamu
Comune
Comune di Alcamo
Alcamo is located in Italy
Alcamo
Alcamo
Location o Alcamo in Italy
Coordinates: 37°58′N 12°58′E / 37.967°N 12.967°E / 37.967; 12.967
KintraItaly
RegionSicily
ProvinceTrapani (TP)
FrazioniAlcamo Marina
Govrenment
 • MayorSebastiano Bonventre
Area
 • Total130 km2 (50 sq mi)
Elevation
256 m (840 ft)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total45,985
 • Density350/km2 (920/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Alcamesi
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
91011
Diallin code0924
Patron sauntMadonna o the Miracles
Saunt day21 Juin
WebsiteOffeecial wabsteid

Alcamo (Sicilian: Àrcamu) is the fowert lairgest ceety in the province o Trapani, in north-wastren Sicily, soothren Italy.

History

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Alcamo wis foondit in 828 bi the Muslim commander al-Kamuk (efter whom it is namit), though ither sources date its oreegin tae c. 972. The oreeginal Christian dounset, definitively abandoned in the 14t century, wis locatit whare remains o a touer an a watter reservoir (Funtanazza) can be seen in the neebourheid.

Castle o the coonts o Modica.

The first document mentionin Alcamo is frae 1154, a document bi the Arab geographer Idrisi. No mony years later, ibn Jubayr describes the ceety as a beleda (toun wi mosques an a mercat). In the Middle Ages Alcamo wis lairgely inhabitit bi Muslim fowk, whose numbers declined housomeivver efter the Norman conquest o Sicily, begun in 1060. A series o Arab revolts atween 1221 an 1243 led Keeng Frederick II tae muive hinte o the Arab population tae a colony at Lucera, while Christians frae Bonifato came tae inhabit the ceety. In this period wis born the famous poet Ciullo or Cielo d'Alcamo.

Several feudataries o the Kinrick o Naples succeedit in the rule o the ceety till in 1618 Vittoria Colonna sauld Alcamo tae Pietro Balsamo, prince o Roccafiorita, for 2,000 scudi.

In the 14t century Alcamo haed some 3,000 indwallers. In the late 16t-century the population wis decimatit bi a pestilence, but gradually recovered, increasin tae 13,000 in 1798. Fower years later its feudal status wis abolished an the ceety became a direct ryal possession. In 1829 an ootbreak o cholera again killed hintle o the population, a misfortune which wis repeatit in 1918, this time due tae the Spainyie flu.

In 1860 a revolt broke oot an numerous Alcamesi wur active in the unification o Italy, supportin an fechtin unner Garibaldi's expedition tae soothren Italy. The Allied troops entered Alcamo athoot opposition on 21 Julie 1943, freein the ceety frae Fascist an German forces.

Main sichts

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The surroondin auries include interestin tourist an historical locations like Segesta an Gibellina. The auld fishing veelage o Scopello, 20 km frae Alcamo, haes been referred tae as having a remarkable seaside. Another veelage considered worth visiting is Castellammare del Golfo which is atween these twa places.

Fowk frae Alcamo

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Twin touns

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Freemit airtins

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