Terrasini

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Comune di Terrasini
Image:Terrasini-Stemma.png Municipal coat of arms
Country	Italy
Region	Sicily
Province	Palermo (PA)
Mayor

Elevation	32 m
Area	km²
Population
- Total (as of 2005 May 31)	10,847
- Density	/km²
Time zone	CET, UTC+1
Coordinates	°′″, °′″
Gentilic
Dialing code
Postal code

Piazza Duomo & Chiesa Madre

Terrasini is a town in the Province of Palermo on the island of Sicily in Italy.

1 Data
2 History
3 Sights
- 3.1 Culture
- 3.2 Nature
4 Festivals
5 Gallery
6 External links

[edit] Data

Terrasini is located 30 km west of Palermo at the motorway between Palermo and Trapani, between the mountains and the Gulf of Castellammare near the Palermo International Airport.

Terrasini's population mainly work in the fields of fishing and tourism. Tourism triples the population the summer months, not only for the location of the town but also for the hospitality of its people.

Bounding communes are: Carini, Cinisi, Partinico and Trappeto.

[edit] History

The name Terrasini probably derives from Latin "terra sinus" = "land at the gulf" (the Gulf of Castellamare) or from "terra sinorum" = "land of the bays" due to the strongly curved coastline with a large number of larger and smaller bays. The name was first cited for the region in a letter of saint Martin della Scale of November 24, 1350 as "terras vocatas li Terrasini".

The grottoes in the area of Terrasini were inhabited already in the late paleolithic times. On different sites, tracks of Roman settlers were found.

The origin of the town goes back to the late medieval times to a small settlement (called Favarotta) of agricultural workers on the large-scale landed property of the family "La Grua Talamanca" from Carini.

In the 17th century, fishermen settled at the coast. When the former feudal property was left to the agricultural workers for cultivation, a florishing agriculture developed around the fishers' village.

The date of birth of Terrasini as a commune of its own was October 24, 1836 when King Ferdinand II issued a decree that the village Favarotta should no longer be part of the commune Cinisi, but shall be a commune of its own with the Name of Terrasini.

[edit] Sights

[edit] Culture

Chiesa Madre "Maria SS delle Grazie", (18th century, facade of 1901)
Chiesa "Maria SS della Provvidenza"
Chiesa "Maria SS del Rosario"
Chiesa "S Rosalia", (18th century)
Palazzo Grua, (18th century), now seat of the town administration
Palazzo Cataldi, (18th century), now seat of the town library
Palazzo Aumale, built in the 19th century as a winery by Henri d'Orléans, duc d'Aumale, the son of king Louis-Philippe of France, now comprising the three sections of the Museo Civico:
- Museo del Caretto (ethno-anthropological section)
- Antiquarium (archeological section)
- Museum of history of nature
Old watchtowers along the coast: Torre Alba (16th century), Torre di Capo Rama (15th century), Torre Toledo or Paternella (16th century)
Villa Fassini
Fishers and tourists port

[edit] Nature

Grotta Perciata, a large grottoe in the cliffs
Cala Rossa (=red bay, due to the red colour of the rocks)
Natural Park (Riserva Naturale) Capo Rama

[edit] Festivals

Festa di li schietti (on Easter Sunday)
Festa di San Pietro (in August)
Festa di Maria Santissima delle Grazie (beginning of September)
Estate Terrasinense (June - September): Season of theater and concert performances throughout the town