Alcamo

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

Alcamo Àrcamu
Comune
Comune di Alcamo
Alcamo Location o Alcamo in Italy
Coordinates: 37°58′N 12°58′E
Kintra	Italy
Region	Sicily
Province	Trapani (TP)
Frazioni	Alcamo Marina
Govrenment
• Mayor	Sebastiano Bonventre
Area
• Total	130 km2 (50 sq mi)
Elevation	256 m (840 ft)
Population  (2010)
• Total	45,985
• Density	350/km2 (920/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Alcamesi
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	91011
Diallin code	0924
Patron saunt	Madonna o the Miracles
Saunt day	21 Juin
Website	Offeecial wabsteid

History

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

• The Castle o the Coonts o Modica (14t century). It haes a rhomboidal plan, wi fower touers; twa are quadrangular, twa are cylindrical. In the northren pairt a mullioned windae in Gothic style can be seen.
• Cathedral (18t century) haes wirks o airt bi Giacomo Gagini an Giacomo Serpotta, as well as frescos bi Guglielmo Borremans.

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

• Cielo d'Alcamo
• Franca Viola
• Antonino Asta
• Giuseppe Scurto
• Vito Bongiorno

Twin touns

• Jelgava, Latvie

Freemit airtins

• Alcamo - Offeecial wabsteid (in Italian)
• Alcamo.it
• Notizie storiche, foto di Alcamo, informazioni, curiosità, etc.
• Financial Club - Associazione Culturale per la promozione della cultura d'impresa Archived 2019-08-18 at the Wayback Machine
• Alcamo Information
• Al centro delle colline Alcamo D.o.c.