Alia
Discovering Alia: The City
Welcome to Alia, a Sicilian municipality located in the metropolitan city of Palermo, in the southwestern part of the Madonie. The city is home to approximately 3,364 people and is renowned for its history and culture.
Physical Geography
Alia is located on the southwestern side of the Madonie, in the Diocese of Cefalù and the Valle del Torto and dei Feudi union. The terrain is hilly and very picturesque, with breathtaking natural landscapes and places of great historical and artistic interest.
History
The history of Alia dates back to the Islamic era, when the suburbs of Yhale', Gurfa, Ottumarrano, and Kharse developed in that area. The first settlement of Yhale' was recorded in the feudal census in 1296. After several changes in ownership, Donna Francesca Cifuentes became the Baroness of Lalia in 1617 and obtained a license from the Spanish King Philip III to found the municipality of Alia.
During the 19th century, Alia joined the movements for the reunification of Italy, and in 1860, the city raised the Italian tricolor flag. Giuseppe Garibaldi visited Alia in 1862 and spent the night there. In 1901, lawyer Matteo Teresi reported some events that occurred in the city, on which Andrea Camilleri wrote the novel "The Sect of Angels." In 1946, there was an attack in the house of the Secretary of the Labor Chamber, which caused the death of two farmers and the injury of 13 others.
Symbols
The coat of arms of the city of Alia was granted in 1886 and is very representative of the city and its history. It features a gold crown open by four doors, topped by eight merlons in the same material (five visible) and connected by silver battlements. The crown used is the one adopted by municipalities with a population of more than 3,000 inhabitants between 1870 and 1905.
What to Visit in Alia
If you are in Alia, you cannot miss its historical and cultural sites, such as the city museum, the Chapel of Santa Rosalia (also known as "La Nica") where the saint is represented holding the Italian tricolor flag, the Church of San Giuseppe, the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, and the Castle of Alia.
The City Museum traces the history of Alia through its art and culture, allowing visitors to learn about the city's history from its origins to the present day. The Chapel of Santa Rosalia is a very impressive sacred place that shows the devotion of the people of Alia to their patron saint.
The Church of San Giuseppe, located in the historic center, is a masterpiece of Baroque architecture and houses some extraordinary works of art, such as the statue of San Giuseppe and the painting of San Francesco di Paola. The Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, on the other hand, is a very suggestive and very old place of worship, dating back to the 15th century. Finally, the Castle of Alia is another place of great historical interest, built in 1119 and was the residence of many nobles of the time.
If you have the opportunity to visit Alia, do not hesitate to do so: the city will win you over with its beauty, its history, and its culture rich in charm and mystery.
