Villalba (CL)
Encyclopedia
Villalba is a comune
(municipality) in the Province of Caltanissetta
in the Italian
region Sicily
, located about 51 km northwest of Caltanissetta
, about 98 km southeast of Palermo
and 68 km from Agrigento
. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,852 and an area of 41.5 km². It rises over an internal hilly area, 620 meters above sea-level.
The name Villalba has Spanish origins, and it means "the white city" because of town's white houses. Villalba is known for the cultivation of cereals, grapes, vegetables, tomatoes, and lentils. The Sagra del Pomodoro (tomato festival) is held every year in the month of August.
Villalba borders the following municipalities: Cammarata
, Castellana Sicula
, Marianopoli
, Mussomeli
, Petralia Sottana
, Polizzi Generosa
, Vallelunga Pratameno
.
During the 18th century the town experienced a remarkable urban and architectural growth. There are various important monuments, such as the Chiesa Madre built in 1700, and the Chiesa della Concezione erected in 1795, preserving a statue by artist Filippo Quattrocchi (first half of the 18th century). Noteworthy is the Palace of baron Nicolò Palmieri Morillo, built during the 18th century.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
(municipality) in the Province of Caltanissetta
Province of Caltanissetta
The Province of Caltanissetta is a province in the southern part of Sicily, Italy...
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 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,...
, located about 51 km northwest of Caltanissetta
Caltanissetta
Caltanissetta is a city and comune located on the western interior of Sicily, capital of the province of Caltanissetta...
, about 98 km southeast 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...
and 68 km from 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...
. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,852 and an area of 41.5 km². It rises over an internal hilly area, 620 meters above sea-level.
The name Villalba has Spanish origins, and it means "the white city" because of town's white houses. Villalba is known for the cultivation of cereals, grapes, vegetables, tomatoes, and lentils. The Sagra del Pomodoro (tomato festival) is held every year in the month of August.
Villalba borders the following municipalities: Cammarata
Cammarata
Cammarata is a comune in the Province of Agrigento in the Italian region Sicily, located about 60 km southeast of Palermo and about 35 km north of Agrigento on the eponymous mountain in a territory rich of forests....
, Castellana Sicula
Castellana Sicula
Castellana Sicula is a comune in the Province of Palermo in the Italian region Sicily, located about 70 km southeast of Palermo...
, Marianopoli
Marianopoli
Marianopoli is a comune in the Province of Caltanissetta in the Italian region Sicily, located about 80 km southeast of Palermo and about 20 km northwest of Caltanissetta....
, Mussomeli
Mussomeli
Mussomeli is a town and comune in the province of Caltanissetta, Sicily, Italy.-History:Mussomeli was founded in the 14th century by Manfredo III Chiaramonte with the name Manfredi, but later the current name, probable of Arab origin, was reimposed. In 1549 it became a county under the Lanza family...
, Petralia Sottana
Petralia Sottana
Petralia Sottana is a town and comune in the Province of Palermo, in the island of Sicily, Italy.-Geography:...
, Polizzi Generosa
Polizzi Generosa
Polizzi Generosa is a town and comune in the Province of Palermo on the island of Sicily, southern Italy...
, Vallelunga Pratameno
Vallelunga Pratameno
Vallelunga Pratameno is a comune in the Province of Caltanissetta in the Italian region Sicily, located about 60 km southeast of Palermo and about 30 km northwest of Caltanissetta...
.
History
Since the 17th century, the fief was owned by the Miccichè family. In 1751, it was acquired by Nicolò Palmieri Calafato, who also obtained the approval to populate the area. The first houses were constructed in 1763.During the 18th century the town experienced a remarkable urban and architectural growth. There are various important monuments, such as the Chiesa Madre built in 1700, and the Chiesa della Concezione erected in 1795, preserving a statue by artist Filippo Quattrocchi (first half of the 18th century). Noteworthy is the Palace of baron Nicolò Palmieri Morillo, built during the 18th century.
Notable people from Villalba
- Angelo BrunoAngelo BrunoAngelo "The Gentle Don" Bruno was a Sicilian-American mobster who ran the Philadelphia crime family for two decades. Bruno gained his nickname and reputation due to his preference for conciliation over violence.-Early years:Born in Villalba, Sicily, Bruno emigrated to the United States in his...
(1910–80), Sicilian-American mobster born in Villalba who ran the Philadelphia crime familyPhiladelphia crime familyThe Philadelphia crime family, also known as the Scarfo crime family, Bruno crime family, Philadelphia Mafia, or Philly Mob, is an Italian American criminal organization based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is one of the most active American Mafia families outside of the Five Families of New York...
for two decades. - Michele PantaleoneMichele PantaleoneMichele Pantaleone was a respected journalist and expert on the Sicilian Mafia and one of the first to shed light on the links between organized crime and political power....
(1911–2002), journalist and expert on the Sicilian MafiaMafiaThe Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
and one of the first to shed light on the links between organized crime and political power. - Joe Plumeri (born 1944), the Chairman & CEO of Willis Group HoldingsWillis Group HoldingsWillis Group Holdings is a global insurance broker headquartered in the Willis Building, London, United Kingdom. It has more than 400 offices in 120 countries, and approximately 17,000 employees...
and the owner of the Trenton ThunderTrenton ThunderThe Trenton Thunder are an American Minor League Baseball team and are the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. The Thunder play in the Eastern Division of the Eastern League, and are the two-time defending league champions...
, is the descendant of grandparents who emigrated to the U.S. from Villalba - Calogero VizziniCalogero VizziniCalogero Don Calò Vizzini was a historical Mafia boss of Villalba in the Province of Caltanissetta, Sicily. Vizzini was considered to be one of the most influential and legendary Mafia bosses of Sicily after World War II until his death in 1954...
(1877–1954), MafiaMafiaThe Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
boss considered to be one of the most influential bosses after World War II until his death. In the media he was often depicted as the "boss of bosses"–though such a position does not exist in the loose structure of Cosa Nostra.