Alcamo
Encyclopedia
Alcamo is the fourth largest city in the province of Trapani
, in north-western Sicily
, southern Italy
.
The first document mentioning Alcamo is from 1154, a document by the Arab geographer Idrisi
. Not many years later, ibn Jubayr
describes the city as a beleda (town with mosques and a market). In the Middle Ages Alcamo was largely inhabited by Muslim people, whose numbers declined however after the Norman conquest of Sicily, begun in 1060. A series of Arab revolts between 1221 and 1243 led King Frederick II
to move much of the Arab population to a colony at Lucera
, while Christians from Bonifato came to inhabit the city. In this period was born the famous poet Ciullo or Cielo d'Alcamo
.
Several feudataries of the Kingdom of Naples
succeeded in the rule of the city until in 1618 Vittoria Colonna
sold Alcamo to Pietro Balsamo, prince of Roccafiorita
, for 2,000 scudi.
In the 14th century Alcamo had some 3,000 inhabitants. In the late 16th-century the population was decimated by a pestilence
, but gradually recovered, increasing to 13,000 in 1798. Four years later its feudal status was abolished and the city became a direct royal possession. In 1829 an outbreak of cholera
again killed much of the population, a misfortune which was repeated in 1918, this time due to the Spanish flu
.
In 1860 a revolt broke out and numerous Alcamesi were active in the unification of Italy, supporting and fighting under Garibaldi's expedition
to southern Italy. The Allied troops entered Alcamo without opposition on July 21, 1943, freeing the city from Fascist
and German forces.
The surrounding areas include interesting tourist and historical locations like Segesta
and Gibellina
. The old fishing village of Scopello, 20 km from Alcamo, has been referred to as having a remarkable seaside. Another village considered worth visiting is Castellammare del Golfo
which is between these two places.
Province of Trapani
Trapani is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily in Italy. Its capital is the city of Trapani.It has an area of 2,460 km², and a total population of 425,121...
, in north-western Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
History
Alcamo was founded in 828 by the Muslim commander al-Kamuk (after whom it is named), though other sources date its origin to c. 972. The original Christian settlement, definitively abandoned in the 14th century, was located where remains of a tower and a water reservoir (Funtanazza) can be seen in the neighbourhood.The first document mentioning Alcamo is from 1154, a document by the Arab geographer Idrisi
Idrisi
Idrisi may refer to:*Muhammad al-Idrisi, a 12th century explorer, geographer and writer*Idris I of Libya, a 20th century Libyan king*IDRISI, a GIS computer program*İdrisqışlaq, Azerbaijan*The former ruling family of the Emirate of Asir...
. Not many years later, ibn Jubayr
Ibn Jubayr
Ibn Jubayr was a geographer, traveler and poet from al-Andalus.-Early life:Born in Valencia in Spain, then the seat of an independent emirate. Ibn Jubayr was descendant of a tribe of Andalusian origins, Jubayr was the son of a civil servant...
describes the city as a beleda (town with mosques and a market). In the Middle Ages Alcamo was largely inhabited by Muslim people, whose numbers declined however after the Norman conquest of Sicily, begun in 1060. A series of Arab revolts between 1221 and 1243 led King Frederick II
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
to move much of the Arab population to a colony at Lucera
Lucera
Lucera is a town and comune in the Province of Foggia, in the Apulia region of southern Italy.-Ancient era and early Middle Ages :Lucera is an ancient city founded in Daunia, the centre of Dauni territory . Archeological excavations show the presence of a bronze age village inside the city boundaries...
, while Christians from Bonifato came to inhabit the city. In this period was born the famous poet Ciullo or Cielo d'Alcamo
Cielo d'Alcamo
Cielo d'Alcamo was an Italian Sicilian poet, born in the early 13th century. He is one of the main exponents of the Italian medieval jester poetry...
.
Several feudataries of the Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
succeeded in the rule of the city until in 1618 Vittoria Colonna
Vittoria Colonna
Vittoria Colonna , marchioness of Pescara, was an Italian noblewoman and poet.-Biography:The daughter of Fabrizio Colonna, grand constable of the kingdom of Naples, and of Agnese da Montefeltro, Vittoria Colonna was born at Marinoa fief of the Colonna family in the Alban Hills near Rome.Betrothed...
sold Alcamo to Pietro Balsamo, prince of Roccafiorita
Roccafiorita
Roccafiorita is a comune in the Province of Messina in the Italian region Sicily, located about 170 km east of Palermo and about 35 km southwest of Messina.-External links:*...
, for 2,000 scudi.
In the 14th century Alcamo had some 3,000 inhabitants. In the late 16th-century the population was decimated by a pestilence
Infectious disease
Infectious diseases, also known as communicable diseases, contagious diseases or transmissible diseases comprise clinically evident illness resulting from the infection, presence and growth of pathogenic biological agents in an individual host organism...
, but gradually recovered, increasing to 13,000 in 1798. Four years later its feudal status was abolished and the city became a direct royal possession. In 1829 an outbreak of cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
again killed much of the population, a misfortune which was repeated in 1918, this time due to the Spanish flu
Spanish flu
The 1918 flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic, and the first of the two pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus . It was an unusually severe and deadly pandemic that spread across the world. Historical and epidemiological data are inadequate to identify the geographic origin...
.
In 1860 a revolt broke out and numerous Alcamesi were active in the unification of Italy, supporting and fighting under Garibaldi's expedition
Expedition of the Thousand
The Expedition of the Thousand was a military campaign led by the revolutionary general Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1860. A force of volunteers defeated the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, leading to its dissolution and annexation by the Kingdom of Sardinia, an important step in the creation of a newly...
to southern Italy. The Allied troops entered Alcamo without opposition on July 21, 1943, freeing the city from Fascist
Italian Fascism
Italian Fascism also known as Fascism with a capital "F" refers to the original fascist ideology in Italy. This ideology is associated with the National Fascist Party which under Benito Mussolini ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1922 until 1943, the Republican Fascist Party which ruled the Italian...
and German forces.
Main sights
- The Castle of the Counts of ModicaCounty of ModicaThe County of Modica was a semi-independent feudal territory within the Kingdom of Sicily from 1296 to 1812. Its capital was Modica, on the southern tip of the island, although the cities of Ragusa and Scicli housed some government offices for a period...
(14th century). It has a rhomboidal plan, with four towers; two are quadrangular, two are cylindrical. In the northern part a mullioned window in Gothic style can be seen. - Cathedral (18th century) has works of art by Giacomo Gagini and Giacomo SerpottaGiacomo SerpottaGiacomo Serpotta was an Italian sculptor, active in a Rococo style and mainly working in stucco.Serpotta was born and died in Palermo; and may have never left Sicily. His skill and facility with stucco sculpture appears to arise without mentorship or direct exposures to the mainstream of Italian...
, as well as frescos by Guglielmo BorremansGuglielmo BorremansGuglielmo Borremans was a painter, born in Antwerp. He was mainly active in Italy, especially in Naples and Sicily, where he frescoed the walls and ceilings of several churches.- Life :...
.
The surrounding areas include interesting tourist and historical locations like Segesta
Segesta
Segesta was the political center of the Elymian people, located in the northwestern part of Sicily, in what are now the province of Trapani and the comune of Calatafimi-Segesta....
and Gibellina
Gibellina
Gibellina is a small city and comune in the mountains of central Sicily, Italy in the Province of Trapani. It was destroyed by the 1968 earthquake....
. The old fishing village of Scopello, 20 km from Alcamo, has been referred to as having a remarkable seaside. Another village considered worth visiting is Castellammare del Golfo
Castellammare del Golfo
Castellammare del Golfo is a town and comune in the Trapani Province of Sicily. The name is roughly translated "Sea- Fortress of the Gulf", deriving from the medieval fortress in the harbor...
which is between these two places.
People from Alcamo
- Cielo d'AlcamoCielo d'AlcamoCielo d'Alcamo was an Italian Sicilian poet, born in the early 13th century. He is one of the main exponents of the Italian medieval jester poetry...
- Franca ViolaFranca ViolaFranca Viola is a Sicilian woman that became famous in the 1960s in Italy for refusing a "rehabilitating wedding" after suffering kidnapping and rape. Instead, she and her family successfully appealed to the law to prosecute the rapists...
- Antonino AstaAntonino AstaAntonino Asta is a former Italian footballer.Asta, a midfielder, played mostly at the amateur level in his early footballing years. The 1994/1995 season, played with Saronno, was his first one in a professional league...
- Giuseppe ScurtoGiuseppe ScurtoGiuseppe Scurto is an Italian footballer. He plays for Triestina.He made his Serie A debut on 7 November 2004, A.C. Milan 1-1 A.S. Roma. He joined Chievo in 2005 and Chievo bought the remain 50% rights for €100,000 on 20 June 2007...
- Vito BongiornoVito Bongiorno- Biography :He moved to Rome at a young age where, while studying art, he met the aero-painter Mino delle Site, who had already been highly praised by Marinetti.He then lived in Monaco where he worked hard for two years....
External links
- Alcamo - Official website
- Alcamo.it
- Notizie storiche, foto di Alcamo, informazioni, curiosità, etc.
- Financial Club - Associazione Culturale per la promozione della cultura d'impresa
- Alcamo Information
- Al centro delle colline Alcamo D.o.c.