Sambuca di Sicilia, Province of Agrigento, Sicily, Italy

History | Geography | Tourist Industry | Churches

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Sambuca di Sicilia is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Agrigento in the Italian region Sicily, located about 68 km (42ย mi) south-west of Palermo and about 89 km (55ย mi) north-west of Agrigento.

Sambuca di Sicilia borders the following municipalities; Bisacquino, Caltabellotta, Contessa Entellina, Giuliana, Menfi, Santa Margherita di Belice, and Sciacca.

History The origins of the name Sambuca are uncertain. The main assumptions: from the Greek stringed instrument Sambuca; or from Sambucus, commonly referred to as elderberry plants, widespread since antiquity in the valley of Lake Arancio. Leonardo Sciascia breaks down the name Sambuca in As-Sambuqah and interprets it as a "remote place". Until 1928 the town was called Sambuca Zabut. In 1928, Benito Mussolini removed "Zabut" and added "di Sicilia".

Sambuca, founded by ancient Greek colonists, rose to regional prominence as a trading hub after invading Arab Muslims took over around 830, a few years after their landing in Sicily. According to the folk tradition, It was called Zabuth, in remembrance of the emir Zabut ("The Splendid One") Al-Arab, who built a castle at that place, on the slopes of Mount Genuardo, between the rivers Belice and Sosius, 350 meters above sea level. Zabut Al-Maghrebi was a follower of the ascetic Ibn Mankud, "Burning Warrior of faith", Lord of the independent Kabyle of Trapani, Marsala, Sciacca.

Zabut was inhabited by a Muslim population until the 13th century, when it was conquered by Frederick II.

From the 15th to 19th centuries, Sambuca experienced alternating extremes of prosperity and poor economic times. The court passed the Roman family Barberini and new neighborhoods were built, the city wall was expanded, and palaces, baronial mansions, churches, monasteries, and convents were built. The Land of Sambuca was promoted from barony to marquessate with the privilege of Philip II of Spain (Madrid 15 November 1570). On 16 September 1666, the Marquessate of Sambuca passed to the Beccadelli family from Bologna, who had risen to the rank of princes of the Principality of Camporeale.

Sambuca in the 19th century was rich with culture, and in those years an enlightened middle class emerged. The writer, poet and patriot Vincenzo Navarro (it) died there in 1867.

The town's population declined in the 21st century due to its lacking economy and low birth rate. The population in the 2010s was 5834. Since the 2012 census, the town has seen a decrease of over 200 inhabitants.

Sambuca di Sicilia gained international media attention in January 2019 for selling homes in an auction with a starting price of โ‚ฌ1, in hopes of attracting foreign residents to stop the area's depopulation. This became the basis for the HGTV documentary television series shot there, My Big Italian Adventure, starring American actress Lorraine Bracco and chronicling her months-long effort to renovate a roughly 200-year-old โ‚ฌ1 townhouse at Via Guglielmo Marconi.

Geography The city has an area of 37 square miles (96ย kmยฒ). The territory of Sambuca di Sicilia is located in 42.25 miles (67.99ย km) from Palermo, about 21 miles (34ย km) from the archaeological park of Selinunte, and about 21 miles (34ย km) from Lido Fiori, location of a Blue Flag beach. Perched on a hill, with a Belvedere terrace at its peak, the town is surrounded by hills and woods, Mount Genuardo (3,305 feet - 1,007ย m), and the valleys of the river Carboj that form the reservoir of Lake Arancio.

Tourist Industry โ€ข Belvedere terrace โ€ข remains of the castle of the Emir. โ€ข palace Panitteri (17th century), home of the ethno-anthropological museum) โ€ข Palazzo dell'Arpa (town hall) โ€ข Palazzo Ciaccio โ€ข setti vaneddi (seven Saracen alleyways)

Outside the centre, are the ancient towers of Pandolfina and Cellaro, the Fortino di Mazzallakkar which emerge only in the summer months when the lake level is lowered. On Adranon mountain there is the 4th century BC archaeological complex. There is an old Arab house in the holiday area of Adragna.

Churches โ€ข Santuario di Maria SS. dell'Udienza and Carmelites convent โ—ฆ Church of the Carmine with Antonello Gagini's marble statue of the Our Lady of the Audience โ€ข Chiesa della Matrice โ€ข Chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo โ—ฆ Church of St. Michael Archangel with its wooden equestrian statue of St. George, patron Saint of Sambuca di Sicilia, slaying the dragon. โ€ข Chiesa del Rosario โ€ข Chiesa della Madonna dei Vassalli โ€ข Chiesa del Purgatorio โ€ข Chiesa di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria and Benedictine monastery โ€ข Chiesa della Concezione โ€ข Chiesa di Gesรน e Maria โ€ข Chiesa di San Giuseppe โ€ข Chiesa di San Calogero โ€ข Chiesa di Santa Lucia โ€ข Chiesa di Sant'Antonino โ€ข Chiesa della Bammina โ€ข Chiesa di San Giuseppe del Serrone โ€ข Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista โ€ข Convento dei Cappuccini โ€ข Collegio di Maria โ€ข Monastero di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria

Rome Time 
Rome Time
Image: Adobe Stock Valery Bareta #178878722

Sambuca di Sicilia has a population of over 5,878 people. Sambuca di Sicilia also forms part of the wider Agrigento Province which has a population of over 474,493 people. It is also a part of the larger Sicily Region. Sambuca di Sicilia is situated 68 km south-west of Palermo.

Twin Towns, Sister Cities Sambuca di Sicilia has links with:

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Winter Haven, USA
Text Atribution: Wikipedia Text under CC-BY-SA license

Antipodal to Sambuca di Sicilia is: -166.887,-37.649

Locations Near: Sambuca di Sicilia 13.1128,37.6488

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Palermo 13.362,38.115 d: 56.3  

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Mazara del Vallo 12.583,37.65 d: 46.6  

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Agrigento 13.586,37.303 d: 56.8  

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Trapani 12.515,38.019 d: 66.7  

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Caltanissetta 14.063,37.49 d: 85.6  

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Enna 14.267,37.55 d: 102.2  

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Caltagirone 14.5,37.233 d: 130.9  

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Vittoria 14.533,36.95 d: 147.7  

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Ragusa 14.732,36.926 d: 164.3  

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Modica 14.761,36.859 d: 170.3  

Antipodal to: Sambuca di Sicilia -166.887,-37.649

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ด Nuku'alofa -175.216,-21.136 d: 18011.7  

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ธ Pago Pago -170.701,-14.279 d: 17389.4  

๐Ÿ‡ผ๐Ÿ‡ธ Apia -171.76,-13.833 d: 17323.4  

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ซ Papeete -149.566,-17.537 d: 17212.4  

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Hilo -155.089,19.725 d: 13517  

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Maui -156.446,20.72 d: 13433.4  

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Maui County -156.617,20.868 d: 13420.2  

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Wailuku -156.505,20.894 d: 13415.4  

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Kahului -156.466,20.891 d: 13415  

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ Honolulu -157.85,21.3 d: 13392.4  

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