Alia, Sicily
Alia is a town in the province of Palermo in Sicily in Italy with 3795 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012).
Location and data
Alia is located 77 km southeast of Palermo. The inhabitants work mainly in agriculture and crafts.
The neighboring municipalities are Caccamo, Castronovo di Sicilia, Monte Belsito, Roccapalumba, Sclafani Bagni and Valledolmo.
History
During the Arab rule in this area, the Feudal Lalia was founded. From this it came the feudal houses Yhale, Gurfa, Ottumarano and Kharse.
In 1296, the assets of the house Yhale is transferred to the feudal lord of Lalia. 1366 the aristocratic of Lalia and the associated end due to Reinaldo da Messina Crispo is bought, the land was farmed and the house remained uninhabited for years. 1408 the aristocratic inhabited again.
1537 the fief of Vincenzo Imbarbara is taken, again in 1568 by Giovanni Crispo e Villarant Baron of Prizzi, 1600 by Pietro Celestri Marquis of Santa Croce. 1617 Donna Francesca Cifuentes ( widowed Celestri ), Baroness of Lalia, the Spanish King Philip III. get them to colonize on their request the estate to build the authorization, houses, prison and churches to appoint the supreme commander, Captain, judges and other officers. That was the birth of ALIA.
1820 there is an uprising of coal workers against the Bourbons, which led to the storming of the district judge and the destruction of the notarization. 1848 there is a popular uprising, which led to the burning of the law books of Alia. 1857 transfer to the Prince of Sant'Elia.
On August 2, 1862 Giuseppe Garibaldi came to a halt in Alia, on the way to unite Italy.
Attractions
- Church of Santa Rosalia from the 19th century, here was earlier a Christian church
- Parish church from the 17th century, later the aisles were added. The church is dedicated to Our Lady of Grace
- Gurfa Grottoes, from antiquity, from the Phoenicians chiselled into the rock dwellings