Favignana
Favignana is one of the Egadi islands in the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Sicily. Politically also the largest part of the community Favignana island forms the province of Trapani in Sicily region of Italy with 4162 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012).
Location and data
The island of Favignana, with an area of 19.8 km ² the largest of the Egadi Islands. Your highest elevations are the Monte Santa Caterina ( 314 m) and a hill with a height of 252 m.
To the municipality of Favignana also includes situated on the islands Levanzo and Marettimo districts of the same name. Jobs are in tourism and fisheries. In the summer months live up to 30,000 tourists in the community.
From Trapani run several times a day liners that take over the goods and transport vehicles, and hydrofoils that take over the transport. The liners need for the crossing an hour hydrofoils 30 minutes.
The tuna fishing off the coast of Favignana was performed traditionally in the form of mattanza to the beginning of this century. The tunas ( Italian for " tonno " ) was further processed on land in the former " Tonnara " ( tuna fishery ).
History
In ancient times the island was called " Aegusa " ( Butterfly), which alludes to its form. Of these, the name of the island group derives. Another used in ancient name was " Aponiana insula ". Your current name has wind called the island of the " Favonio " ( hair dryer ).
According to a tradition Favignana was the goat island of Odysseus, from which he to the mainland, where he encountered the Cyclops Polyphemus drove.
The last naval battle of the First Punic War, the Battle of the Ägatischen islands, found in 241 BC near the Cala Rossa off the coast of Favignana instead.
Attractions
- Tonnara (former tuna factory) with the Museum " stabilimento "
- Caves where already to ancient times people lived, including the Grotta del Genovese on Levanzo Palaeolithic engravings and paintings