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Mazara del Vallo (TP)

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Mazara del Vallo (Trapani Province) is 52 km from Trapani, alt. 8 m, on the west coast of the island, at the mouth of the River Mazaro, area 275.4 sq km, pop. over 48,600, post-code 91026, tel. 0923. Economy: agriculture (grapes); industries (wine, furniture, fishing and derivatives). Mazara has always been a seaport of great importance and even today its fishing fleet is the biggest in Italy.

It was initially a Phoenician port (6th, 5th, centuries BC) allied with Selinunte. When Selinunte was destroyed by the Carthaginians, Mazara was also seized. After the Second Punic War, it passed to the Romans. It went through a period of decline, but began to prosper again after 827, when the Arabs first set foot on the island at Mazara. The period of splendor continued throughout the Norman age, and Mazara was made the capital of the Val di Masara. Later, the town declined slowly.

Of interest is the Collegio dei Gesuiti (18th century).

The Diocese Archives of the Diocese of Mazara del Vallo are located here in the Palazzo Arcivescovile (16th century).

The Diocese Archives are located at:
Curia Vescovile
Diocese di Mazara del Vallo
Piazza della Repubblica, 6
91026 Mazara del Vallo (TP)

Churches (Mazara del Vallo Diocese) include the following:
SS. Salvatore (Cathedral; 11th century)
Chiesa della Madonna dell'Alto or Santa Maria delle Giummare (historic)
Chiesa di San Francesco (13th century, rebuilt 17th century, historic)
Chiesa di San Michele (16th century, historic)
Chiesa di San Nicolo Regale (Norman, historic)
Chiesa di Sant'Ignazio (historic)
Chiesa di Santa Caterina (14th century, historic)
Chiesa di Santa Veneranda (17th century, historic)
Cristo Re
Maria SS. del Paradiso
Maria SS. delle Grazie
S. Antonio di Padova
S. Chiara
S. Gemma Galgani
S. Lorenzo
S. Pietro
S. Rosalia Vergine
Sacro Cuore in S. Maria di Gesu'
Seminario dei Chierici (16th century, historic)
S. Giuseppe (Borgata Costiera - suburb of Mazara del Vallo)

Families researched in these records include the following:
Abrignoni
Asaro
Calandrino
Carrato
Ciaramitaro
Garretano
Giacalone
Ingargiola
la Rosa
Lombardo
Marrone
Mulone
Orlando
Palazzolo
Passalacqua
Porcello
Puglise
Titone

Links to other sites about Mazara del Vallo include:
Sicilia
Sicilian Net
Sicily Web
Italian Wikipedia
Italian Towns
Italian Postal Codes

My latest book on CD is titled Sicily - A Reference for Researchers and is now available. With a file for each town (plus many other files), it relates the history of Sicily as reflected in the photos, records and festivals of its towns. It contains over 2500 text and photo files and can be ordered at CD order.


Order Italy Kathy Kirkpatrick

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© Kathy Kirkpatrick 1997-2008