Favara, Sicily, Italy

Favara, Sicily, Italy

Favara, Sicily Italy

Favara is a town and comune in south-central Sicily, Italy, in the Province of Agrigento, about 5 miles (8 km) northeast of the city of Agrigento, with which it forms a conurbation. Favara has a significant agricultural economy, and the surrounding area includes sulfur and other mineral mines. The town is regionally renowned for its traditional Easter Lamb, a local confection made from almonds and pistachios. The area has been inhabited since at least the late Copper Age (c. 2400–1990 BC), as shown by monochrome red Malpasso-style pottery discovered in a cave in the Ticchiara district. A later burial site (c. 1900–1450 BC) excavated in the Grazia Vicina district yielded gray 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 area from the Middle Bronze Age (around 1450 BC) has been identified in the San Vincenzo district. Remains of a fortification dating to the era of the Greek colonies in Sicily can be seen in the Caltafaraci district. After Roman and Byzantine rule, the Saracens settled in Sicily in the 9th and 10th centuries. A settlement flourished in the Saraceno district, and many local place names still reflect this period. The town’s own name derives from the Arabic word “fawwāra” (ﻓﻮﺍﺭة), meaning “gurgling pool of water.” Under subsequent Norman rule, several major structures were built, 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 its defensive walls, Favara experienced a demographic decline, particularly between 1439 and 1464, before recovering between 1478 and 1497. In the 16th century the De Marinis family played a key role in the town’s development. In the 19th century, during and after the unification of Italy and up to 1883, Favara became the main center of a large criminal organization known as the Fratellanza di Favara. In more recent history, Favara’s mayor, Gaetano Guarino, was assassinated by unknown perpetrators on May 16, 1946. Calogero Marrone (1889–1945), honored as Righteous Among the Nations for his role in saving Jews during the Holocaust, was born and raised 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