Altavilla Milicia

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Altavilla Milicia
coat of arms
Altavilla Milicia (Italy)
Altavilla Milicia
Country Italy
region Sicily
Metropolitan city Palermo  (PA)
Local name Altavilla Milicia
Coordinates 38 ° 2 '  N , 13 ° 33'  E Coordinates: 38 ° 2 '26 "  N , 13 ° 32' 52"  E
height 73  m slm
surface 23 km²
Residents 8,376 (Dec 31, 2019)
Population density 364 inhabitants / km²
Post Code 90010
prefix 091
ISTAT number 082004
Popular name Altavillesi
Patron saint Madonna della Milicia
Altavilla Milicia
Altavilla Milicia

Altavilla Milicia is a city in the metropolitan city of Palermo in the Sicily region in Italy with 8,376 inhabitants (as of December 31, 2019).

Location and dates

Altavilla Milicia is located 27 km east of Palermo . The residents mainly work in agriculture and tourism.

The neighboring municipalities are Casteldaccia and Trabia .

history

On September 15, 1621, Francesco Maria Beccadelli di Bologna bought the "Mìlicha" fief, in the center of which was a dilapidated property. A year later he was given the right to found a place and give it a name. He chose Alta Villa because the place was on a hill. In 1623 Altavilla Milicia became a parish. The further development of the place was planned like a chessboard. Altavilla Milicia still has this structure today.

Attractions

  • The central meeting point of Altavilla Milicia is the Belvedere. It offers a wide view of the Mediterranean Sea and was originally dedicated to the family of the town's founder, Beccadelli di Bologna . Today the dedication also extends to Aldo Moro and Rosario Livatino .
  • The Belvedere is also the forecourt of the pilgrimage church of Madonna della Milicia, the patron saint of the place.
  • In the museum of this pilgrimage church there is a collection with 400 votive pictures .
  • On a hill to the east of Altavilla Milicia are the ruins of the church of Santa Maria di Campogrosso. It was founded between 1066 and 1072 by Robert Guiskard, the Norman Duke of Apulia, as a Benedictine abbey and served as a road hospice.
  • A little further east, the Normans built a defensive tower at this time. Compared to the church of Santa Maria di Campogrosso, it is very well preserved.
  • Near the ruins of Santa Maria di Campogrosso you can find the Ponte Saraceno or Ponte Normanno, a bridge that was also built during the Norman era. It follows the construction of the Ponte dell'Ammiraglio in Palermo and is still in use today. The bridge connected the coastal road with the church and the hospice of Santa Maria di Campogrosso.

Festivals

Every year on September 8th there is a festival in honor of the patron saint, the Madonna della Milicia. The highlight of the festival is a procession during which two children, secured on ropes, represent angels above the heads of the processionists, praising the Madonna.

literature

  • Guida Storico Culturale dei Comuni di Santa Flavia e Altavilla Milicia . Aurelio Coppola Editore, Milano.
  • G. Brancato, S. Brancato, V. Scammacca: Uomini, lavoro e fede - Storia della Mìlicia Sottana (1398-1715) . Edizione Comune di Altavilla Milicia, Altavilla Milicia 2004.
  • Ernesto Oliva: Santa Maria di Campogrosso - Storia di una chiesa normanna nel territorio di Altavilla Milicia . EM Falcone, Bagheria 2008.
  • Gioacchino Ventimiglia: Altavilla Milicia - I cari luoghi della identità e della memoria . Publisicula, Palermo 2009.

Web links

Commons : Altavilla Milicia  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. Statistiche demografiche ISTAT. Monthly population statistics of the Istituto Nazionale di Statistica , as of December 31 of 2019.
  2. Examples of the votive pictures in the pilgrimage church (Italian)