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Home > Travel Italy > Italy Destinations > Sciacca
Sciacca
Italy, officially the Italian Republic or Repubblica Italiana, is a Southern European country comprising of the Po River valley, the Italian Peninsula and the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. It is shaped like a boot and for this reason Italians commonly call it lo Stivale, the boot or, due to its prevalent peninsular geographical nature, la Penisola, the Peninsula.
Sciacca is a town in the province of Agrigento on the southern coast of Sicily. It has noteworthy views of the Mediterranean Sea. Sciacca has a total population of 40,854 with density of 212 per square kilometers. Sciacca was founded in the 5th century BCE by the Greeks as a thermal spa for Selinunte, whose citizens came there to bathe in the sulphurous springs of Mt. Cronio, which rises up behind the town. Sciacca itself owes its origins to the Saracens, who settled there in the 9th century.
The Saracens built the original walls and laid out the street grid, which was later expanded by the Normans. Throughout much of the Middle Ages, the town was at the center of a bloody feud between rival baronial families and, it was the citizenry that bore the brunt of the fighting in less than 100 years over half the population was killed by one side or the other.
Sciacca still retains much of its medieval layout, which divided the town into quarters, each laid out on a strip of rock descending towards the sea. Sciacca has several points of interest, including such as the Cathedral of Maria SS. del Soccorso, the Castle of the Counts Luna. Of the Old Castle scarce remains can be still seen, church of Santa Margherita, Chiesa del Carmine, Church of San Domenico, Church of San Michele, Church of Santa Maria delle Giummare, Palazzo Steripinto, Palazzo Tagliavia, in Neo-Gothic style and Palazzo Perollo.
Sciacca's big festival is Carnevale which is celebrated during the week before the beginning of Lent. The highlight of the festival is the parade of bizarre figures mounted on floats, famous throughout Italy for their gaudy expressions. A city known for its historic myths and traditions, scenic beauty, cooperative people and luxurious hotels and cottages, Sciacca is one of the favorite holiday destinations for most of the vacation lovers.
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