Marsala

For other uses, see Marsala (disambiguation).

Marsala
—  Comune  —
Città di Marsala
Marsala salt ponds
Coat of arms
Marsala Location of Marsala in Italy
Coordinates: 37°48′N 12°26′E / 37.8°N 12.433°E / 37.8; 12.433
Country	Italy
Region	Sicily
Province	Trapani (TP)
Government
- Mayor	Lorenzo Carini
Area
- Total	241.6 km2 (93.3 sq mi)
Elevation	3 m (10 ft)
Population (30 November 2010)
- Total	82,765
- Density	342.6/km2 (887.3/sq mi)
Demonym	Marsalesi
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	91025
Dialing code	0923
Patron saint	Our Lady of the Cave (Madonna della Cava)
Saint day	January 19
Website	Official website

Church of the Purgatory.

Marsala is a seaport city located in the Province of Trapani on the island of Sicily in Italy. The low coast on which it is situated is the westernmost point of the island. It is best known as the source of Marsala wine.

History

Marsala occupies the site of Lilybaeum, the principal stronghold of the Carthaginians in Sicily, founded by Himilco in 396 BC after the abandonment of Motya. Neither Pyrrhus nor the Romans were able to reduce it by siege, but it was surrendered to the latter in 241 BC at the end of the First Punic War as a condition of the peace treaty. In the later wars it was a starting point for the Roman expeditions against Carthage, and under Roman rule it enjoyed considerable prosperity. It obtained municipal rights from Augustus and became a colony under either Pertinax or Septimius Severus.

The Arabs gave it its present name "Marsala," which perhaps is derived from the Arab "Marsa Allah" (port of Allah) or, more probably, from "Marsa ‘Alī" ("port of Ali", or "Marsa ‘āliyy", "great port"). The huge ancient harbor that lay on the northeast was destroyed by Charles V in the 16th century, to prevent its occupation by pirates. The modern harbor lies to the southeast.

On May 11, 1860, Giuseppe Garibaldi and his Expedition of the Thousand landed at Marsala and began his campaign to overthrow Bourbon rule in Sicily, during the Unification of Italy process.

Geography

The town is situated on the Mediterranean coast, in the south-western side of Sicily. It lies on the road between Trapani and Mazara del Vallo.

Main sights

Little remains of the ancient Lilybaeum. Fragments of the city walls, squared stones, and some foundations of buildings between the walls and the sea are visible. The so-called grotto and spring of the Sibyl is located under the church of San Giovanni Battista (1555), and is traditionally considered the tomb of the Cuman or Siculian Sibyl.

To the east of the town is a great fosse which defended it on the land side, and beyond this again are quarries like those of Syracuse on a small scale.

The modern town takes the shape of the Roman camp within the earlier city, one of the gates of which still existed in 1887. Sights include the campanile and convent of the Annunziata, and the Baroque Church of the Purgatory.

The main street (the Cassaro) perpetuates the name castrum. The Biagio Anselmi Archaeological Museum houses an example of Carthaginian ship used during the Battle of the Aegates Islands (241 BC), as well as other ancient remains from the area.

Natural sights include the stagnone ("Big Marsh") lagoon preserved area.

See also

• Florio
• Marsala Ship
• Phoenicians and wine

External links

Media related to Marsala at Wikimedia Commons