Editing Alcamo (section)

==History==

===Etymology===
There are discordances about the etymology of the toponym "Alcamo".<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Regina|1972|p= 20.}}</ref> According to some scholars, the name Alcamo would derive from ''caccamu'', a dialectal word referring to the plant ''[[Citrullus colocynthis]]''.<ref name="Reg16">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Regina|1972|p=16.}}</ref>

=== Prehistory ===
Though there is little information about it, there are evidences that territory of Alcamo was inhabited even in prehistoric times; in one of the most ancient sites, near "contrada" Molinello (a country district), they discovered archaeological findings dating back to the [[Mesolithic]], approximately 9,000–6,000 BC<ref name=hist/> and other very old ones dating back to the [[Neolithic]] during the archaeological excavations done by the archaeologist [[Paolo Orsi]] (1899) and the marquis [[Antonio De Gregorio]] (1917) near the river [[Fiume Freddo]].<ref name="drep17-18">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Gruppo Archeologico Drepanon|2014|pp= 17–18.}}</ref> One of the most important finds is an [[axe]] from the Neolithic, kept at the [[Museo archeologico regionale Paolo Orsi]] of Syracuse.<ref name=hist>[http://www.alqamah.it/2014/07/01/historia-alcami-reperti-archeologici-piccole-tracce-della-storia-di-alcamo/ AlqamaH – Historia Alcami: Reperti archeologici. Piccole tracce della storia di Alcamo]</ref>

=== Longuro and Longarico ===
From the quotations by [[Lycophron]] we know that in old times there was an inhabited centre called "Longuro" on Mount Bonifato.<ref name=long>{{Cite web |url=http://www.eventitrapani.it/longuro-longarico-e-le-origini-di-alcamo/ |title=Alcamo e le origini da Longuro, Longarico |access-date=14 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150104062407/http://www.eventitrapani.it/longuro-longarico-e-le-origini-di-alcamo/ |archive-date=4 January 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> According to an old story, this settlement was founded by a Greek colony which had escaped from the destruction of the town of Troy.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Orlandi|1770|p= 204.}}</ref>

During the Roman period the inhabitants of Longuro moved to the foot of the mountain so they could practice agriculture in the surrounding lands.<ref name=long/> The town was called [[Longaricum]];<ref name=long/> this name appears in the ''Itinerario di Antonino Pio'' (=Itinerary of Antoninus Pius, in the 3rd century AD)<ref name=long/> and would coincide with the Latin name of Longuro.<ref>[http://www.forgottenbooks.com/readbook_text/Nuove_Effemeridi_Siciliane_v3_1300020835/169 Nuove effemeridi siciliane]</ref>

According to a supposition the two hillocks appearing on the gonfalon of Alcamo would represent both the towns of Longaricum and Longuro.

=== Origins ===

The first document mentioning Alcamo is dating back to 1154, in a paper written by the Berber geographer Idrisi who was given this task by [[Roger II of Sicily]]<ref name="Reg15">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Regina|1972|p= 15.}}</ref> in order to get a collection of geographic maps. From a distance longer than a mile, the writer describes the position of Alcamo viewed from the [[Castle of Calatubo]] (visible even today from the town territory) and defines it as a hamlet or a group of houses with rich soil and a flourishing market.<ref name="Reg15" />

=== Medieval age ===
[[File:Fontana araba (Alcamo) - Vista laterale.jpg|thumb|left|[[Arab fountain of Alcamo]]]]

Alcamo was divided into four hamlets named San Vito, San Leonardo, Sant'Ippolito and San Nicolò del Vauso.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Calia|Craparo|Baldassano Cataldo|1991|p= 4.}}</ref> but a series of  revolts between 1221 and 1243 led King [[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick II]] to move most of the population<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Orlandi|1770|pp= 204–205.}}</ref> to a colony at [[Lucera]], while Christians from [[Bonifato]] came to inhabit the town. In this period the poet Ciullo or [[Cielo d'Alcamo]] was born.

In 1340 [[Raimondo Peralta]] acquired the feud and barony of Alcamo from [[Peter II of Aragon]].<ref name="trecc">[http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/alcamo_%28Enciclopedia_Italiana%29/ "Alcamo", Enciclopedia Italiana (1929)]</ref><ref name=Spu50>{{Harvard citation no brackets|San Martino De Spucches|Gregorio|2013|p= 50.}}</ref> Then the barony passed to his son [[Guglielmo Peralta Sclafani]], called "Guglielmone".<ref name=Spu50/> and afterwards to the Ventimiglia family (up to 1397), [[Giaimo de Prades]] (1407), the Cabrera family, the Speciale family, Pietro Balsamo prince of [[Roccafiorita]] (1618) and finally to [[Giuseppe Alvarez]] (1777).<ref name=trecc/>

In the 14th century Alcamo had several thousands of inhabitants<ref name=bell6>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Calia|Craparo|Baldassano Cataldo|1991|p= 6.}}</ref> and hundreds of them had immigrated from different parts of Sicily and Italy (in particular: [[Pisa]], [[Amalfi]], [[Bologna]], [[Calabria]], [[Liguria]]), and some also from Spain.<ref name=bell6/> During this period, [[Antonello da Messina]] moved to Alcamo for three years (around 1438–1441) in order to learn the [[Tanning (leather)|tanning]] techniques from the tanner master [[Guglielmo Adragna]] di Alcamo,<ref name=bell6/> in fact the town was an important pole of development for commerce and handicraft.<ref name=bell8>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Calia|Craparo|Baldassano Cataldo|1991|p= 8.}}</ref> In particular, it had a massive exchange of wheat and wine with the nearby towns<ref name=bell8/> and there were also expert artisans such as bakers, blacksmiths, tanners and weavers.<ref name=bell8/> During this century Alcamo was an important centre for wheat storage and sorting.<ref name=bell8/> In the same period the writer [[Giacomo Adragna]] transcribed the ''Commentarii in Persium'' and Pietro d'Alcamo many works from the library of San Martino.<ref name=bell14>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Calia|Craparo|Baldassano Cataldo|1991|p= 14.}}</ref>

=== Modern age ===

[[File:Porta Palermo (stampa antica del 1900).jpg|thumb|Porta Palermo in a print of 1900]]
At about the year 1500, Alcamo was under the [[jurisdiction]] of the captain of justice Ferdinando Vega, who fought against the raiding Turkish pirates. The town was surrounded by defensive embattled walls provided with four gates:<ref name=bell10>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Calia|Craparo|Baldassano Cataldo|1991|p= 10.}}</ref>
* ''Porta Palermo'' (afterwards called ''Porta Saccari''), at the end of the present via Rossotti;
* ''Porta Corleone'', at the end of the present via Commendatore Navarra;
* ''Porta di Gesù'', opposite the [[church of Saint Mary of Jesus]], next to the Franciscan friary;
* ''Porta Trapani'' (later called ''Porta del Collegio''), at the beginning of via Commendatore Navarra.

During this period, the town was divided into four-quarters, each one associated with the name of the main church in that area:<ref name=bell12>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Calia|Craparo|Baldassano Cataldo|1991|p= 12.}}</ref><ref name=stor>{{Cite web |url=http://www.comune.alcamo.tp.it/in-citta/storia-e-tradizioni/20-la-citta.html |title=Comune di Alcamo – Storia e tradizioni |access-date=14 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141226053207/http://www.comune.alcamo.tp.it/in-citta/storia-e-tradizioni/20-la-citta.html |archive-date=26 December 2014 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
* San Giacomo de la Spada
* San Calogero
* San Francesco d'Assisi (or "Terra nuova"<ref name=palazzi>[http://www.alqamah.it/2014/01/13/historia-alcami-i-palazzi-storici/ Historia Alcami: I Palazzi storici – Intervista al Prof. Roberto Calìa, storico.]</ref>)
* Maggiore Chiesa.
The division between these quarters was coincident with the main streets of the town, that are the present Corso 6 Aprile and Via Rossotti and its continuation via dei Baroni Emanuele di San Giuseppe<ref name=bell12/> (called incorrectly "Via Barone di San Giuseppe"<ref name=palazzi/>).

In 1535, in coincidence with the visit of the emperor [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]], coming back from [[Tunisia]], the old Porta Trapani was closed and four gates were opened:<ref name=bell10/>
* new ''Porta Trapani'', near the beginning of the present Corso 6 Aprile (that was called "Corso Imperiale");
* new ''Porta Palermo'' (initially called ''Porta San Francesco''), at the end of today's Corso 6 Aprile;
* ''Porta Stella'', at the corner between Via Stella and [[Piazza Ciullo]]; this name derives from the name of the ''Church of Our Lady of the Star (in Italian "Madonna della Stella"), near there;
* ''Porta Nuova'', between the present ''Discesa al Santuario'' and ''Piazza della Libertà''.

[[File:Santuario della Madonna dei Miracoli (Alcamo) - Facciata.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Sanctuary of Madonna of Miracles]]]]
During the 16th century there was a development in education in Alcamo because of the construction of new schools and the activity of expert teachers, in particular the poet and scholar [[Sebastiano Bagolino]] (1562–1604).<ref name=bell14/><ref name=stor/> In 1547 the Madonna appeared to some women of the people and an image of Madonna ''Fons Misericordiae'' was discovered and worshipped as "[[Our Lady of Miracles]]".<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Calia|Craparo|Baldassano Cataldo|1991|p= 15.}}</ref>

In the late 16th century, the population was decimated by an infectious disease.<ref name=bell16>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Calia|Craparo|Baldassano Cataldo|1991|p= 16.}}</ref> and the victims were buried in the cemetery of Saint Ippolito.<ref name=bell16/>

In 1667 Mariano Ballo ordered the construction of a theatre, called "teatro Ferrigno", later demolished and rebuilt during the 1960s; after the reconstruction it was first called "cine-teatro Euro" and later "Teatro Cielo d'Alcamo".

[[File:Antica mappa di Alcamo (1725).jpg|thumb|Map of Alcamo in a painting of 1725]]
During the 18th century, pestilence and popular rebellions occurred in Alcamo again.<ref name=bell16/> On the other hand, this age was important for art because of the construction of the [[Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption]] (1699), designed by the architects [[Angelo Italia]] and [[Giuseppe Diamante]].<ref name="trecc"/> Its interior was also decorated with 38 [[frescoes]] made by the Flemish painter [[Guglielmo Borremans]] between 1736 and 1737.<ref name=trecc/> In the same period the [[Church of Saint Olivia]] was renovated, [[Saints Paul and Bartholomew's Church (Alcamo)|Saint Paul and Bartholomew's Church]] was rebuilt (1689),<ref name=bell16/> and the [[Church of the Holy Crucifix (or saint Francis of Paola)]] was completed (1699)<ref name=bell18/> together with the monumental [[church of College]] some decades later(1767).<ref name=bell18>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Calia|Craparo|Baldassano Cataldo|1991|p= 18.}}</ref>

Between 1752 and 1780, [[Ignazio De Blasi]], an Alcamese nobleman, wrote the first book on Alcamo's history, entitled: ''Discorso storico della opulenta città di Alcamo situata a piè del Monte Bonifato, e dell'antichissima città di Longarico ossia Lacarico, dopo detta Alcamo, su di esso monte''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.drepanon.org/Bonifato005.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2016-11-07 |archive-date=2015-01-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150105033807/http://www.drepanon.org/Bonifato005.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The population of the town, gradually recovered from the pestilence and increased to 13,000 in 1798.<ref name=bell16/>

=== Contemporary age ===

At the beginning of the 19th century Alcamo's feudal status was abolished (1812)<ref name=trecc/> and the town became a direct royal possession.<ref name=stor/>

The archpriests Stefano Triolo Galifi and Giuseppe Virgilio, together with the baron [[Felice Pastore]] were members of the Sicilian Parliament as representatives of Alcamo.<ref name=bell18/> In 1820, during a revolt, there were different murders, sacks, release of criminals from prison and a fire in the municipal archives.<ref name=bell20>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Calia|Craparo|Baldassano Cataldo|1991|p= 20}}</ref> and in 1829 many people died of [[cholera]].<ref name=bell20/> 
In 1843 the construction of the present Town Hall started, on a land of the baron Felice Pastore.

On 6 April 1860, Stefano and Giuseppe Triolo let the Italian [[Flag of Italy|Tricolour]] wave on the town hall,<ref name=bell20/> creating groups of volunteers in order to help [[Giuseppe Garibaldi]] in the [[battle of Calatafimi]] and from Alcamo some dictatorial [[edicts]] on [[Victor Emmanuel II]]'s behalf were issued. Some time later [[Francesco Crispi]] prepared the Constitution for the lands set free. Further to this event, Corso Imperiale was named Corso 6 Aprile, in memory of 6 April, in which the volunteers started to be enlisted in Alcamo.<ref name="stor"/>

During the [[Unification of Italy]] the brothers [[Triolo of Sant'Anna]] and Giuseppe Coppola of [[Monte San Giuliano]] enlisted many citizens to fight with the ''Garibaldians'' in 1860.<ref name=trecc/>

[[File:Monumento ai caduti (Alcamo).jpg|thumb|left|The Great War Memorial (1915–1918), inaugurated in 1929.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Chiarelli|Cocchiara|2005|p= 96.}}</ref>]]
At the end of the 19th century, in 1897, public lighting was inaugurated in Alcamo during the traditional feast of [[Our Lady of Miracles]]. Among the most important people of this period we have to remind Don [[Giuseppe Rizzo]], a priest who founded the bank called "Cassa Rurale e Artigiana Don Rizzo" (1902).<ref name="Chiarelli, Andrea 2005">Chiarelli, Andrea; Cocchiara, Dario (2005). Alcamo nel XX secolo, Volume I: 1900–1943 (in Italian). Campo Edizioni.</ref>

At the beginning of the 20th century (1901–1911) the number of citizens in Alcamo diminished abruptly, partially because of the emigration of 36,718 Sicilians abroad and in particular to the United States,<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Chiarelli|Cocchiara|2005|page= 42}}</ref> but it is possible that the statistics about this year and the previous years were not reliable because the census was carried out without following certain criteria.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Chiarelli|Cocchiara|2005|p= 61.}}</ref> In the same period the cultivations in the territory of Alcamo were affected by [[phylloxera]] and two banks ("Cooperativa" and "Segestana") went bankrupt with subsequent economic difficulties for its citizens.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Chiarelli|Cocchiara|2005|p= 43.}}</ref>

There were also some events linked to [[Sicilian Mafia|the Mafia]], such as the murder of Gaspare Cottone, a carter (1899)<ref name="Chiarelli, Andrea 2005"/> and the death of the 19-years-old Benedetto Guastella during a fire conflict with [[carabinieri]] in 1900.<ref name="Chiarelli, Andrea 2005"/>
As the Mafia had taken power in the districts of [[Trapani]] and Alcamo,<ref name="Chiarelli, Andrea 2005"/> the commissary [[Cesare Mori]] intervened with a series of arrests and charges against the material executors of the crimes occurred in the area<ref name="Chiarelli, Andrea 2005"/> and finally they arrested Vincenzo and Michele Tedesco, brothers, and Baldassare Adragna, considered the heads of the [[gangs]] in Trapani's territory.<ref name="Chiarelli, Andrea 2005"/>

[[File:Cine-Marconi, Alcamo.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1|Façade of the cinema-theatre Marconi; today a congress centre]]
During the [[First World War]], four hundred citizens from Alcamo died<ref name=bell20/> and the following period was characterized by poverty because of [[monetary inflation]] and [[banditry]]. In 1918 about five hundred people died because of [[Spanish flu]]<ref name=bell20/> and in the [[Second World War]] 213 citizens from Alcamo died or were lost.<ref name=bell20/> In 1927, Don Vincenzo Giovenco (1880–1954) operated and opened the first cinema in Alcamo, 'Cinema Marconi'. It subsequently closed less than ten years after opening, due to a fire <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.alpauno.com/alcamo-il-cinema-tradizioni-e-oggi-multisala-2/ | title=Alcamo, il cinema: Tradizioni e oggi multisala | date=26 November 2019 }}</ref>

[[File:SGES Alcamo.jpg|thumb|The entrance to ''Società Generale Elettrica della Sicilia'' (SGES) in Alcamo (in the '40s)]]
The foundation of ''Società Elettrotecnica Palermitana'',<ref name="tp24.it">{{Cite web|url=http://www.tp24.it/2015/08/17/inchieste/la-storia-della-prima-officina-elettrica-di-alcamo/93500|title=La storia della prima Officina Elettrica di Alcamo|date=17 August 2015}}</ref> whose name was changed into ''Società Generale Electrica della Sicilia'' (SGES) and which installed an important electric workroom in the district of [[Saint Augustine]] in Alcamo, dates back to the twenties.<ref name="tp24.it"/> The jobs inside this firm were very longed-for because it was the only firm in [[Trapani Province]] which had a [[Health insurance]] fund and granted holidays.<ref name="tp24.it"/> The electric workroom existed until 1963, when it was acquired by [[Enel]] and demolished.<ref name="tp24.it"/> During the years in which SGES operated, there was an improvement of the electric services in Alcamo's territory, owing also to the realization of several artificial lakes.<ref name="tp24.it"/>

During [[Italian Fascism|Fascism]], the citizens asked the government to appoint Alcamo as the [[capital of the province]] (1930), but this request was not satisfied.<ref name=bell20/>  
[[File:Teatro Ferrigno ad Alcamo.jpg|thumb|The old theatre Ferrigno in Alcamo (early 20th century)]]
On 19 August 1937 the fascist leader [[Benito Mussolini]] visited the town, crossing Corso 6 Aprile by an open car and parading through the crowd of his supporters.<ref name=Chiar120>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Chiarelli|Cocchiara|2005|p= 120.}}</ref> The visit was due to the inauguration of the [[railway line]] between [[Trapani]] and Alcamo, completed in the same year.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Chiarelli|Cocchiara|2005|p= 143.}}</ref> Some weeks later, [[Umberto II of Italy|prince Umberto]] visited Alcamo too.<ref name=Chiar120/>

On 21 July 1943 the American troops entered Alcamo without any opposition,<ref name=bell20/> freeing the town from [[Italian Fascism]].
On 18 December 1944, because of the economic and social discomfort, the citizens raised up, occupied the [[Town Hall]] and put its archives on fire.<ref name=bell20/>
Since 1960 the town [[planning system]] has been greatly expanding, particularly at the foot of [[Mount Bonifato]] with the construction of ''Viale Europa'', which is one of the most important street in Alcamo.

At about the end of the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s there was a bloody [[Sicilian Mafia|Mafia]] war between the [[clan]] Greco (related to the Rimi family) and the members of the emergent Mafia of [[Corleone]], led by the boss Vincenzo Milazzo in the territory of Alcamo. Vincenzo Milazzo received orders from [[Totò Riina]] to eliminate members of the old Mafia (in particular the member of the clan Greco) and put in command only his trusted men. 
Just for this reason the Greco family represented an obstacle: the cause which roused the conflict was the approaching of some members of [[Cosa Nostra]] to the rival clan of Grecos. The war bathed the town in blood for about five years and provoked tens of victims. The new [[Corleone]]'s [[Sicilian Mafia|Mafia]] prevailed, but the cost to be paid was very high, because a lot of members of this clan died.
During the same period, in which there were armed clashes between the Mafia families, at contrada Virgini in Alcamo, they discovered the biggest heroin refinery in Sicily. (1985)<ref>[http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/1985/05/03/un-colpo-all-eroina-spa.html la Repubblica.it, "Un colpo all'eroina SpA"]</ref> Tens of people died in five years, and at the end the Mafia of Corleone prevailed.

[[File:Ingresso della Chiesa Gesù Cristo Redentore.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Church of Jesus Christ the Redeemer (Alcamo)|Church of Jesus Christ the Redeemer]]]]
While the crimes of the Mafia went on and tens of people disappeared as victims of "[[lupara bianca]]",<ref>{{harv|Chiarelli|Cocchiara|2005|p=297}}</ref> there was a religious revival which led to the birth of several [[Catholic]] associations such as ''Rinnovamento nello Spirito Santo'', [[Neocatechumenal Way]] and the movement of [[Comunione e Liberazione]].<ref name="Ch299-300">{{harv|Chiarelli|Cocchiara|2005|pp=299–300}}</ref> From the last one the parish community of the [[Church of Jesus Christ the Redeemer (Alcamo)|Church of Jesus Christ the Redeemer]] originated in the district of Sant'Anna (2006).<ref name="Ch299-300"/> This religious revival was followed by a new interest into the town's old traditions, mentioned in the works of Roberto Calia and [[Carlo Cataldo]], historians from Alcamo.<ref name="Ch299-300"/> [[Carlo Cataldo]] has also been prized several times both for his historical works and for his dialectal poems which tell Alcamo's folklore.<ref name="Ch299-300"/>
[[File:Cuba delle rose.jpg|thumb|The Cuba delle rose after its restoration]]
In the 21st century there was a renovation of Alcamo's architectural context, thanks to the restoration of some important historical buildings such as the [[Castle of the Counts of Modica (Alcamo)|Castle of the Counts of Modica]], the Theatre Cielo d'Alcamo, the Cine-Theatre Marconi, the [[Ex Jesuits' College]], the [[Cuba delle rose]] (in 2013), the [[church of College]] (in 2014), the façade of [[Badia Nuova]] (in 2014) and the [[Arab fountain of Alcamo|old Arab fountain]] (in 2016). Thanks also to the intervention of [[Fondo Ambiente Italiano]], it is expected the restoration of the [[Castle of Calatubo]]; its chapel and the path leading to the castle have already been cleaned by the volunteers' association "Salviamo il Castello di Calatubo" (in 2015).<ref>[http://www.alpauno.com/alcamo-castello-calatubo-volontari-ripuliscono-la-cappella/#.VafGPUFPh2E AlpaUno, "Alcamo: Castello Calatubo, volontari ripuliscono la cappella"]</ref>

Among the works of revaluation of the [[urban areas]] there are the restoration of [[Piazza Ciullo]] by the architect [[Gae Aulenti]] (1996)<ref>[http://www.alqamah.it/2012/11/01/muore-gae-aulenti-aveva-riqualificato-piazza-ciullo/ AlqamaH, "Muore Gae Aulenti, aveva riqualificato Piazza Ciullo"]</ref> and the realization of an underground car park in [[Piazza Bagolino]], together with the creation of the near [[Parco suburbano San Francesco|suburban park San Francesco]].
The interest in environment is also associated with that in the territory, in fact, after the adhesion to the initiative "Rifiuti Zero" (Zero Rubbish), Alcamo has been considered an example to be followed for the results got between 2010 and 2013 in the field of [[waste sorting]] (raccolta differenziata).<ref>[http://trapani.gds.it/2013/05/31/raccolta-differenziata-al-50-per-cento-alcamo-nel-club-dei-comuni-virtuosi-264543_170132/ Raccolta differenziata al 50 per cento, Alcamo nel club dei Comuni virtuosi]</ref>