Santa Margherita di Belice
Encyclopedia
Santa Margherita di Belice (Sicilian
: Santa Margarita) is a town in the Province of Agrigento
in the Italian
region of Sicily
.
It rises in south-west Sicily, 400 metres above sea level, near to where the borders of the Province of Agrigento, Province of Trapani
and Province of Palermo
meet. It is approximately 60 km southwest of the city of Palermo
, 60 km northwest of the city of Agrigento
and sits in the Belice valley among the rivers Belice
, Senore and Carboj.
, and the town had once been a mountaintop stronghold of Berbers and later of Arab
civilization. It is only thanks to them in this area who made the foundations of the hamlet "Casale of Manzil-Sindi" (named after their leader, Muhammed-ibi-as-Sindi).
Afterwards with the arrival of the Normans, the territory of Casale Manzil-Sindi was named "Misilindino" or "Misirindino”, then it became part of the feudal estate of a Spanish nobleman, Baron Antonio de Corbera, responsible for the first built-up area in 1572. Only in 1610 King Filippo III, releasing the "licentia populandi", authorized Baron Girolano Corbera, Baron Antonio's nephew, to establish the new village, who named it Santa Margherita, with an ambitious architectural program, the most spectacular result of which was the Palazzo Filangeri-Cutò
built around 1680.
The princes Filangeri, who succeeded the barons Corbera, gave impetus to the village by construction of several buildings and increasing the population. Among Filangeri of Santa Margherita di Belìce are included three viceroys of Sicily: Alessandro I, Alessandro II e Nicolò I. In 1812 for about three months, Nicolo I hosted King Ferdinando, Queen Maria Carolina (the Donnafugata) and Prince Leopoldo di Borbone in the Palazzo of Santa Margherita.
During the night of 15th January 1968, a violent and massive earthquake devastated Santa Margherita di Belice and the surrounding town in the Belice river area, forever changing the lifestyle of its inhabitants.
A new town was built adjacent to the old town. Many of the damaged structures from the earthquake are still standing, including the ruined palace of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
and the Palazzo Filangeri-Cutò
. The author immortalized the palace in his novel, The Leopard
, under the name Donnafugata.
Sicilian language
Sicilian is a Romance language. Its dialects make up the Extreme-Southern Italian language group, which are spoken on the island of Sicily and its satellite islands; in southern and central Calabria ; in the southern parts of Apulia, the Salento ; and Campania, on the Italian mainland, where it is...
: Santa Margarita) is a town in the Province of Agrigento
Province of Agrigento
Agrigento is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily in Italy. It has an area of 3,042 km², and a total population of 454,370...
in the Italian
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...
region of 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,...
.
It rises in south-west Sicily, 400 metres above sea level, near to where the borders of the Province of Agrigento, Province of Trapani
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...
and Province of Palermo
Province of Palermo
The Province of Palermo is a province in the autonomous region of Sicily, a major island in Southern Italy. Its capital is the city of Palermo. The Province of Palermo has 82 comuni , 1,239,272 inhabitants, and is 4,992 km² .-External links:...
meet. It is approximately 60 km southwest of the city of Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
, 60 km northwest of the city of Agrigento
Agrigento
Agrigento , is a city on the southern coast of Sicily, Italy, and capital of the province of Agrigento. It is renowned as the site of the ancient Greek city of Akragas , one of the leading cities of Magna Graecia during the golden...
and sits in the Belice valley among the rivers Belice
Belice
The Belice is a river, 77 km in length, of western Sicily. From its main source near Piana degli Albanesi it runs south and west for 45.5 km as the Belice Destra until it is joined on the left by its secondary branch, the 42 km Belice Sinistro , which rises on the slopes of Rocca Busambra...
, Senore and Carboj.
History
In this territory there is evidence of settlements and remains of Sicanians, Greeks and RomansAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
, and the town had once been a mountaintop stronghold of Berbers and later of Arab
Emirate of Sicily
The Emirate of Sicily was an Islamic state on the island of Sicily , which existed from 965 to 1072.-First Arab invasions of Sicily:...
civilization. It is only thanks to them in this area who made the foundations of the hamlet "Casale of Manzil-Sindi" (named after their leader, Muhammed-ibi-as-Sindi).
Afterwards with the arrival of the Normans, the territory of Casale Manzil-Sindi was named "Misilindino" or "Misirindino”, then it became part of the feudal estate of a Spanish nobleman, Baron Antonio de Corbera, responsible for the first built-up area in 1572. Only in 1610 King Filippo III, releasing the "licentia populandi", authorized Baron Girolano Corbera, Baron Antonio's nephew, to establish the new village, who named it Santa Margherita, with an ambitious architectural program, the most spectacular result of which was the Palazzo Filangeri-Cutò
Palazzo Filangeri-Cutò
The Palazzo Filangeri-Cutò was a palace built in the 17th century by the Corberas, a noble family of Spanish origin, in the small Sicilian town of Santa Margherita di Belice...
built around 1680.
The princes Filangeri, who succeeded the barons Corbera, gave impetus to the village by construction of several buildings and increasing the population. Among Filangeri of Santa Margherita di Belìce are included three viceroys of Sicily: Alessandro I, Alessandro II e Nicolò I. In 1812 for about three months, Nicolo I hosted King Ferdinando, Queen Maria Carolina (the Donnafugata) and Prince Leopoldo di Borbone in the Palazzo of Santa Margherita.
During the night of 15th January 1968, a violent and massive earthquake devastated Santa Margherita di Belice and the surrounding town in the Belice river area, forever changing the lifestyle of its inhabitants.
A new town was built adjacent to the old town. Many of the damaged structures from the earthquake are still standing, including the ruined palace of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa
Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa , was a Sicilian writer. He is most famous for his only novel, Il Gattopardo which is set in Sicily during the Risorgimento...
and the Palazzo Filangeri-Cutò
Palazzo Filangeri-Cutò
The Palazzo Filangeri-Cutò was a palace built in the 17th century by the Corberas, a noble family of Spanish origin, in the small Sicilian town of Santa Margherita di Belice...
. The author immortalized the palace in his novel, The Leopard
The Leopard
The Leopard is a novel by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa that chronicles the changes in Sicilian life and society during the Risorgimento...
, under the name Donnafugata.
Main sights
- Palazzo Filangeri di Cutò, best known as Palazzo Gattopardo. Only the façade survived the 1968 earthquake, and now has been partially rebuilt. It is currently home of the municipality, of the Gattopardo Museum, the St. Alexander Theatre and of the Literary Park Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa.
- Museum of the Memory, located in the remains of the former Mother Church. It houses historical photos about the Belice valley towns.
- Villa del Gattopardo, dating to the late 17th century and described by Tomasi di Lampedusa in his novel, I Ricordi d'Infanzia.
External links
- www.comune.santamargheritadibelice.ag.it/
- Donnafugata: "The Leopard" places in Santa Margherita Belice