Marsala
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Marsala | |
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| City of Marsala | |
 View of the city's harbour and part of the Saline di Marsala in the background | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
Location of Marsala  | |
  Marsala Location of Marsala in Italy  Marsala Marsala (Sicily) | |
| Coordinates:37°47′53″N12°26′03″E/ 37.79806°N 12.43417°E | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Sicily |
| Province | Trapani(TP) |
| Founded | 396 BC[2] |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Massimo Grillo |
| Area | |
| • Total | 243.26 km2(93.92 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 3 m (10 ft) |
| Population (30 September 2021)[4] | |
| • Total | 80,158[1] |
| Demonym(s) | Marsalese Lilibetano |
| Time zone | UTC+1(CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2(CEST) |
| Postal code | 91025 |
| Dialing code | 0923 |
| ISTATcode | 081011 |
| Patron saint | Our Lady of the Cave (Madonna della Cava) and Saint John the Baptist |
| Saint day | respectively 19 January and 24 June |
| Website | comune.marsala.tp.it |
Marsala(Italian:[marˈsaːla],MaissalalocalSicilian:[maɪsˈsaːla];Latin:Lilybaeum) is an Italian comune located in theProvince of Trapaniin the westernmost part ofSicily.Marsala is the most populated town in its province and the fifth in Sicily.
The town is famous for the docking ofGiuseppe Garibaldion 11 May 1860 (theExpedition of the Thousand) and for itsMarsala wine.A feature of the area is theStagnone LagoonNatural Reserve – a marine area with salt ponds.
Marsala is built on the ruins of the ancientCarthaginiancity of Lilybaeum, and includes in its territory the archaeological site of the island ofMotya,an ancient Phoenician town. The modern name likely derived from the Arabicمَرْسَى عَلِيّ(marsā ʿaliyy,"Ali's harbor" ), or possiblyمَرْسَى اللّٰه(marsā llāh,"God's harbor" ).[5]
Geography[edit]
Situated at the extreme western point ofSicily,the town was founded on Lilibeo Cape from where theAegadian Islandsand theStagnone Lagooncan be seen.
Territory[edit]
The territory of Marsala, 241 square kilometres (93 sq mi), has a rich cultural and landscape heritage; its area includes theStagnone Lagoon,a Natural Reserve in which is located the island ofMozia.
The city of Marsala had a population of about 86,000 until the end of 1970, whenPetrosino,a village formerly part of Marsala, decided to become a self-governing town after a local referendum.
The area of Marsala is classified as aseismic zone2 (medium). In the last 200 years three earthquakes of medium-high intensity were recorded:
- 18 May 1828 – magnitude 5.17 (about VIMercalliscale).
- 15 January 1968 –Belice earthquakewhich in Marsala reached VII Mercalli scale (although its intensity was as high as X in other locations).
- 7 June 1981 – magnitude 4.60 (IV–V scala Mercalli scale) with epicentre in Borgo Elefante inMazara del Vallo,about 20 kilometres (12 mi) from the town-centre of Marsala.
Climate[edit]
Marsala has ahot-summer mediterranean climate(Köppen:Csa), similar to mostcoastaltowns inSicily,with hot and drysummerscoupled with moderately wet and mild winters.Weatherin Marsala is similar to that of nearbyTrapani.
Summers are generally warm with a record maximumtemperatureof 37 °C (99 °F) in August 2017.[6]In the summer, due to how dry it is, it is not unusual to experience the effect ofSiroccowind, which brings dust and sand from the Sahara.
Wintersare generally rainy and cooler with temperatures ranging between minimum of 1 °C (34 °F) (in December 2014) and 21 °C (70 °F).Snowfalloccurs very rarely, since the temperature has never dropped belowfreezing,although snow has fallen before, for example in December 2014.[7]
| Climate data for Marsala, Sicily (Temperatures 1961–1990; humidity, sunlight and precipitation 1973–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 22.0 (71.6) |
21.6 (70.9) |
23.2 (73.8) |
26.0 (78.8) |
30.4 (86.7) |
34.0 (93.2) |
35.0 (95.0) |
37.0 (98.6) |
32.5 (90.5) |
31.0 (87.8) |
26.2 (79.2) |
24.8 (76.6) |
37.0 (98.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 16.0 (60.8) |
16.2 (61.2) |
18.1 (64.6) |
21.0 (69.8) |
22.9 (73.2) |
26.9 (80.4) |
29.4 (84.9) |
30.3 (86.5) |
28.0 (82.4) |
24.3 (75.7) |
20.4 (68.7) |
17.1 (62.8) |
22.4 (72.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 11.8 (53.2) |
12.0 (53.6) |
13.6 (56.5) |
16.3 (61.3) |
18.2 (64.8) |
21.9 (71.4) |
24.1 (75.4) |
24.7 (76.5) |
23.0 (73.4) |
19.6 (67.3) |
16.2 (61.2) |
13.1 (55.6) |
17.7 (63.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 7.7 (45.9) |
7.8 (46.0) |
9.1 (48.4) |
11.6 (52.9) |
13.6 (56.5) |
16.8 (62.2) |
18.8 (65.8) |
19.2 (66.6) |
18.0 (64.4) |
14.8 (58.6) |
12.0 (53.6) |
9.1 (48.4) |
13.1 (55.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 1.2 (34.2) |
2.0 (35.6) |
2.0 (35.6) |
5.5 (41.9) |
8.7 (47.7) |
12.0 (53.6) |
13.6 (56.5) |
14.3 (57.7) |
12.0 (53.6) |
9.0 (48.2) |
5.5 (41.9) |
3.2 (37.8) |
1.2 (34.2) |
| Averageprecipitationmm (inches) | 56 (2.2) |
46 (1.8) |
45 (1.8) |
37 (1.5) |
17 (0.7) |
5 (0.2) |
2 (0.1) |
9 (0.4) |
42 (1.7) |
61 (2.4) |
65 (2.6) |
65 (2.6) |
450 (17.7) |
| Averagerelative humidity(%)(daily average) | 82 | 81 | 80 | 76 | 74 | 72 | 72 | 74 | 76 | 79 | 82 | 82 | 77.5 |
| Mean dailysunshine hours | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 7.58 |
| Source 1: Archivio Climatico - Enea[8] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Clima Marsala - Medie climatiche[9] | |||||||||||||
Mythology[edit]
In Greek mythology,Buteswas the onlyArgonautwho jumped in the sea while sailing past theSirensbecause he couldn't resist the charm of their singing, butAphroditesaved him and transferred him to Lilybaeum.[10]
History[edit]
Carthaginian Period[edit]
The Carthaginian army sent to conquerSelinuntein 409 BC landed and camped near the site of the later Lilybaeum. In 397 BC when thePhoeniciancolony ofMotyaon the southwestern coast of Sicily was invaded and destroyed by theSyracusantyrantDionysius I,the survivors founded a town on the mainland nearby, the site of modern-day Marsala, which they called by aPunicname, recorded in Greek asLilýbaion(Λιλύβαιον) and in Latin asLilybaeum.Over the following two centuries, it became a trade centre for manufactured goods and served as a strategic port between Carthage and Carthaginian territories inSardinia.It was built with strong defensive walls[11]from the beginning and had three linked harbours. Punic Lilybaion was never conquered although it was besieged several times e.g. byPyrrhus of Epirusand theRomans.The walls were ultimately over 10m high and 7m thick. They were strengthened for Pyrrhus'Siege of Lilybaeumin278 BCby a second wall 10m from the first. The siege lasted 2 months before he withdrew.[12]It was the only city which Pyrrhus could not conquer during his campaign at Sicily.[13]
TheFirst Punic Warbegan here when thePunicarmy landed at Lilybaion in 265–264 BC, then marched across Sicily toMessina,where theopening clashof the war took place.[14]
In 250 BC the Romans sent a huge naval expedition of up to 240 ships towards Lilybaeum, the Carthaginian headquarters. A massive Roman army of 4 legions under the two consuls was also sent.[15]The Carthaginians also understood the importance of this port and put their whole force together to save the city including about 10,000 mercenaries (Celts and Greeks). The Carthaginians sailed 50 ships from Africa under the command of Hannibal to try to save the city by charging towards the centre of the harbour. The Romans did not attempt to stop the entry of the fleet because of their sudden appearance and unfavourable winds in a foreign port.
The Roman fleet was defeated atDrepanain 249 BC when attempting a surprise attack there, followed by the destruction of the rest of the fleet soon afterwards in a storm. This forced the Romans to settle in for a long siege.[16]
TheSiege of Lilybaeum (250 BC)lasted for 9 years without Roman success. Carthage was able to reinforce and re-supply Lilybaeum during the war. Some of the Gallic mercenaries planned to betray the city butAlexon,who had previously savedAgrigentumfrom similar treachery, foiled the plot by informing the Carthaginian commander Himilco.[17]
In 241 BC the city was given to the Romans as part of the peace treaty ending the First Punic War and then became one of the most important cities in Sicily.
Roman Lilybaeum[edit]
In 218 BC, in theSecond Punic War,theBattle of Lilybaeumwas fought between the navies of Carthage and Rome when Carthage attempted a secret raid on the city to re-establish a base. Marcus Amellius, the praetor at Lilybaeum, was told about the impending raid and prepared his 20 ships which managed to defeat the 50 opposing quinqueremes.
In therepublican periodthe city was enriched with mansions and public buildings and dubbedsplendidissima urbsbyCicero,who served asquaestorin the region between 76 and 75 BC. During the Civil Wars Lilybaeum was twice besieged, in 43 BC bySextus Pompeiusand 38 byLepidusduring which the walls were further strengthened as shown by an inscription.
The city walls were abandoned in the 4th c. AD as shown by buildings erected over or beside the walls.
Post-Roman Period[edit]
The city was the seat of theDiocese of Lilybaeumfrom at least the early 5th century AD. Ravaged byVandalsduring the 5th century AD, the town was annexed in the 6th century toJustinian'sByzantine Empire.In this period the town was struck by dysentery, raided by pirates, and neglected byConstantinople.The arrival of theArabsat the nearby Granitola mount in the 8th century entailed the resumption of commerce and the start of the rebirth of the town. The town was renamedMarsa ʿAlī"ʿAlī's harbour" or maybe,Marsa ʿāliyy,"Big harbour", for the width of the ancient harbour, placed near Punta d'Alga. Another possible derivation isMarsa Allāh,"God's harbour".
Since the end of the 11th century, the area has been conquered byNorman,AngevinandAragonesetroops. During this time, Marsala became wealthy, primarily through trade. However the blocking up of the harbour of Punta Alga, decreed by EmperorCharles Vso as to stopSaracenforays, brought an end to this period of prosperity.
The development ofMarsala wineat the end of the 18th century, headed by English merchants settled in Sicily, considerably improved local trade. This triggered an economic expansion in Marsala, including the funding of infrastructure projects such as the current harbour of Margitello.
On 11 May 1860Giuseppe Garibaldilanded at Marsala,beginning the process ofItalian unification.
On 11 May 1943, in the lead-up to theWorld War IIAllied invasion of Sicily,an Allied bombardment of the town permanently damaged itsBaroquecentre and claimed many victims: "Marsala Wiped Off the Map" titled the New York Times on 13 May 1943.[18]
Archaeology[edit]
The archaeological area of Marsala has been investigated both throughexcavationsandtopographic studies.Lilybaeum,the ancient town, took up a rectangular area on Capo Boeo, a low and rockypromontorysloping gently down towards the sea. The urban layout of the town can be dated back to the 2nd century BC with modern-dayViale Vittorio VenetotheDecumanus MaximusandViale Cesare BattistitheCardo Maximus.[19]
Based on the archaeological findings at Capo Boeo, Lilybaeum was rebuilt twice, in the 1st century BC and in the 3rd century AD. There is not enough evidence to associate the latter with the365 Crete earthquake,even though literature and archaeological discoveries elsewhere show that other Sicilian towns, such asSelinunte,wereaffected.[20]
Several fragments of the city walls and floors and walls of public and private buildings are visible. Excavations in several places under the modern city have revealed rich mosaic floors in town houses.
The Baglio Anselmi Archaeological Museum houses an example ofCarthaginianship possibly used during theBattle of the Aegates Islands(241 BC) found on the seabed off the coast of Marsala, as well as other ancient remains from the area, such as pottery, marble sculptures and mosaics.[21]Many fine painted tombs and funerary monuments have been excavated showing unique preservation of colours.
The three entrance gates into the town dating fromNorman times:Porta Nuova, Porta di Mare and Porta Mazara were rebuilt in the 17th and 18th centuries in a much grander form: Porta Mazara, (English:"Mazara Gate") rebuilt in 1572,[22]located in the south-east; Porta di Mare (English:"Sea Gate") (renamed to Porta Garibaldi), rebuilt in 1685,[23]located in the south-west of the town; Porta Nuova (English:"New Gate") was rebuilt in 1790,[24]and is located in the north-west of the town. Thecity councildecided todemolishthe city walls in 1887 to make way for the rapidly-expanding town. Along with this demolition was demolished the north-east gate called Porta Trapani, constructed in the early 17th century, nicknamed "Porticella" due to its small size in comparison to the other three gates of the town; it used to be located at the intersection ofVia PellegrinoandVia Sardegna.[25]
Economy[edit]
The economy of Marsala still depends on the production of wine, althoughtourismis a growing industry and it too is becoming an important source of income for the city. With its 14-kilometre (8.7 mi) coastline[26]of sandy beaches and clear sea, access to the nearbyAegadian Islandsand the natural environment of the Saline Della Laguna andStagnone Lagoon,Marsala is an important Sicilian tourist destination.[citation needed]
Notable people[edit]
- Giulia Adamo
- Alborosie
- Ignazio Boschetto,tenor of the Italian operatic pop groupIl Volo
- Michele Genna
- Angelo "Bloody Angelo" Genna
- Vincenzo Genna
- Antonio Genna Jr.
- Joe Masseria
Main sights[edit]
Religious architecture[edit]
- Marsala Cathedral(17th century), dedicated toSaint Thomas of Canterburyand built on the site of a Norman predecessor from 1176. There is an organ with 4,317 pipes.
- Church of Purgatorio.
- Church of Addolorata.
- Church of Itriella.
- Convent, church and belfry of the Carmine.
- Church of Saint Matthew.
- Church and monastery of Saint Peter.
- Church of Saint John the Baptist.
Civil architecture[edit]
- Spanish Quarters (Town Hall).
- VII April Palace (16th–17th century), built on the site of the Lodge of Pisani.
- Fici Palace.
- Grignani Palace.
- Spanò-Burgio Palace.
- Communal theatre, built in 19th Century, consists in 300 seats, reopened in 1994 and dedicated to Eliodoro Sollima.
- Cine Teatro Impero, built during Fascism.
- Agricultural Technical Institute With Specialized School Wine "Abele Damiani" Marsala – Aggregate IPSAA Strasatti With Hospitality Section (state public high school).
Military architecture[edit]
- Villa Araba, Carabinieri (military police, and public security), Command Company and Operative Centre.
- Castle of Marsala (formerly a State Prison up to a few years ago).
- Ancient Gates and walls of Marsala.
Culture[edit]
Large-scale wine production started in 1773, encouraged by English trader John Woodhouse. Important winemaking establishments include Ingham-Whitaker, le Cantine Florio, Martinez, Pellegrino, Rallo, Mineo, Bianchi, Baglio Hopps, Donnafugata, Alagna, Caruso e Minini. Marsala cellars produce also red and white wines. Varieties include Alcesti, De Bartoli, Fina, Vinci, Birgi, Mothia, Paolini e Baglio Oro. In 2012, Marsala was named the European Capital of Wine.[27]
Twin towns – sister cities[edit]
Marsala istwinnedwith:
References[edit]
- ^"Popolazione residente al 31 Marzo 2020: Sicilia".I.Stat.2020.Retrieved7 July2018.
- ^"Marsala, Sicily, Italy".enchantingitaly.com.Retrieved7 July2018.
- ^"Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011".Italian National Institute of Statistics.Retrieved16 March2019.
- ^"Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018".Italian National Institute of Statistics.Retrieved16 March2019.
- ^"marsala | Origin and meaning of the name marsala by Online Etymology Dictionary".etymonline.com.Retrieved3 January2018.
- ^Samson, Tony."Marsala in Agosto 2018 - Clima, Meteo e Temperature in agosto".Dove e Quando andare?(in Italian).Retrieved7 July2018.
- ^"Anche a Marsala arriva la neve".Itaca Notizie(in Italian). 31 December 2014.Retrieved7 July2018.
- ^"Archivio Climatico".Enea.Retrieved7 July2018.
- ^"Clima Marsala - Medie climatiche".ilmeteo.it(in Italian).Retrieved7 July2018.
- ^Apollodorus, Library, 1.9.25
- ^Merola, Pasquale; Allegrini, A; Bajocco, Sofia (6 October 2005). Ehlers, Manfred; Michel, Ulrich (eds.)."Hyperspectral MIVIS data to investigate the Lilybaeum (Marsala) Archaeological Park".Proceedings of SPIE.Remote Sensing for Environmental Monitoring, GIS Applications, and Geology V.5983:59830W.Bibcode:2005SPIE.5983..212M.doi:10.1117/12.627629.S2CID129386884.
- ^Cowan, Ross (2007). For the glory of Rome:a history of warriors and warfare. MBI Publishing Company.ISBN9781853677335p 66
- ^"ToposText".topostext.org.
- ^Diodorus Siculus, Biblioteca Historica,23.1.2
- ^Rickard, J: Siege of Lilybaeum, 250-241 BC,http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/siege_lilybaeum.html
- ^Lazenby, John Francis (1996). The First Punic War: A Military History. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.ISBN0-8047-2673-6.p 148.
- ^Polybius, i. 43, ii. 7
- ^"TUNISIAN RESISTANCE ENDS IN ROUT OF GERMANS; GEN. VON ARNIM AND 150,000 MEN CAPTURED (5/13/43)".freerepublic.com.
- ^Vento, Maurizio (1999).La topografia di Lilybaeum.Italy.
{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^Bottari, Carla; Stiros, Stathis C.; Teramo, Antonio (6 February 2009)."Archaeological evidence for destructive earthquakes in Sicily between 400 B.C. and A.D. 600".Geoarchaeology.24(2): 149.doi:10.1002/gea.20260.ISSN0883-6353.S2CID128640363.
- ^"Regione Siciliana Assessorato Beni Culturali".regione.sicilia.it.Retrieved10 July2018.
- ^Mirabile, Totò."Porta Mazara".museomirabilesicilia.it(in Italian).Retrieved8 July2018.
- ^S.r.l., El-edrisi."Porta Garibaldi | Altri luoghi | Marsala Turismo - Portale turistico della Città di Marsala | Parole, immagini e atmosfere di una città senza tempo".Marsala Turismo - Portale turistico della Città di Marsala.Retrieved8 July2018.
- ^Mirabile, Totò."Porta Nuova".museomirabilesicilia.it(in Italian).Retrieved8 July2018.
- ^"Top Sites to See in Marsala | Visit Sicily".Amazing World in Pictures.Retrieved9 July2018.
- ^"DESCRIZIONE DELLA CITTA' // COME ARRIVARE A MARSALA".eurocasa-marsala.it(in Italian).Retrieved4 January2019.
- ^ideafutura.com, Idea Futura srl -."Comune di Marsala - 13 Novembre 2012 - MARSALA CITTA EUROPEA DEL VINO PER L'ANNO 2013".comune.marsala.tp.it(in Italian).Retrieved7 July2018.
- ^"Coopération Internationale".nabeul.gov.tn(in French). Gouvernorat de Nabeul.Retrieved2 November2020.
- ^"I SINDACI DI MARSALA E MODICA GETTANO LE BASI PER UN GEMELLAGGIO".comune.marsala.tp.it(in Italian). Marsala.Retrieved2 November2020.
- ^"Regiony partnerskie".powiat.nysa.pl(in Polish). Powiat Nysa.Retrieved2 November2020.
- ^"Marsala e Porto stringono un gemellaggio:" Insieme per la cultura "".Itaca Notizie(in Italian). 13 May 2016.Retrieved2 November2020.
External links[edit]
- Official website(in Italian)
- About Marsala production
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