Favara, Sicily, Italy

Favara, Sicily, Italy

Favara, Sicily Italy

Favara is a town and comune in south-central Sicily, in the province of Agrigento, about 8 kilometres (5 miles) north-east of Agrigento by road, with which it forms a conurbation. The town has a significant agricultural trade, and there are sulphur and other mines in the surrounding area. It is regionally renowned for the Easter Lamb, a local pastry made from almonds and pistachios. The first signs of human habitation in the area date back to the late Copper Age (2400–1990 BC), with monochrome red pottery in the Malpasso style found in a cave in contrada Ticchiara. An excavation of a later burial site (1900–1450 BC) in contrada Grazia Vicina has yielded grey achromatic ceramics linked to the Conca d’Oro style (late Copper Age in the Palermo area) and to early forms of the Castelluccio style (Early Bronze Age in central-southern Sicily). Another burial site has been identified in contrada San Vincenzo, which can be dated to the Middle Bronze Age (around 1450 BC). Remains of a fortification dating from the period of the Greek colonies in Sicily can be found in contrada Caltafaraci. After Roman and Byzantine rule, the Saracens established themselves in Sicily in the 9th and 10th centuries. A settlement flourished in contrada Saraceno, and many traces of their presence remain in local place names. The town’s own name comes from the Arabic fawwāra (Arabic: ﻓﻮﺍﺭة), meaning “gurgling pool of water”. During the subsequent Norman rule, several large buildings were erected, including Chiaramonte Castle, also known as the Medieval Palace. In the 14th century the castle passed to the Chiaramonte family, from whom it takes its present name. In the 15th century, despite being protected by city walls, the town went through a period of population decline, particularly between 1439 and 1464. This trend reversed between 1478 and 1497. In the 16th century, the efforts of the De Marinis family contributed to Favara’s further development. In the 19th century, against the backdrop of Italian unification and up to 1883, Favara was the main hub of a large criminal organisation known as the Fratellanza di Favara. In more recent history, the mayor of Favara, Gaetano Guarino, was murdered on 16 May 1946 by unknown perpetrators. Calogero Marrone (1889–1945), recognised as Righteous Among the Nations, was born and grew up in Favara.
Recommended airport
Comiso (CIY)
Nearby destinations
  • Sicily a 44.11 km
  • Agrigento, Sicily a 7.05 km
  • Licata, Sicily a 34.41 km