Tourist information - Trapani
Trapani, (Zip Code 91100), chief town, is 173 km. distant from Agrigento, 241 km. from Caltanissetta, 348 km. from Catania, 260 km. from Enna, 358 km. from Messina, 99 km. from Palermo, 309 km. from Ragusa, 390 km. from Siracusa.
The municipality has 69.497 residents and its area is 27.165 hectares for a density of population of 256 residents per square kilometre. The city rises on a plan zone and it is 3 metres above sea-level.
The continuing development of the city is prevalently tertiary, it is rather essential as a harbour and trading centre. In the industrial field it takes place activities of marble processing, tunny fishing, salt and wine productions.
The city arose from a village peopled by Sicilian, the Greek named it Drepanon and it means sickle, simply because the shape of the promontory on which the old city was placed is actuated. The promontory ends along with the current Torre di Ligny (Tower of Ligny).
Trapani within the Phoenician period, in the VIII century B.C. was an emporium and also a strategic call on trading Mediterranean routes, then it became one of the main base for the Carthaginians. It was conquered by the Romans in 241 B.C. and for the city began a slow decline lasted till the end of Byzantine period.
Surrounded into quadrangular walls, the city knew a period of great economic abundance under the Arabs and it also continued under the Normans who brought up it to royal city. So, the jeweller's art and coral industry flourished; and also the maritime and trading activities.
Trapani became a halting-place on the way for the Crusades following the XIII century with Pietro of Aragona and in 1817 it was elevated to chief city. In 1860 it furnished an elevated group of volunteers to the expedition of Garibaldi
Valuable and well-known is the marble statue of Madonna col Bambino (Madonna with Baby), known as Trapani's Madonna, placed into the Sanctuary of Virgin Mary. Various and exquisite churches can be found in this city. Apart from the previous sanctuary, there is St. Lorenzo Cathedral, erected in 1635 on a anterior church of 1300. Its baroque front is very elegant with its portico.
One of many marvels of Trapani is the Procession of the Mysteries which takes place on the Good Friday night. Throughout it different episodes of Jesus' Passion and Death are performed. It is a very evocative manifestation and twenty wood groups (Mysteries) of the XIII century pass all night through the town's streets. They're followed by the believers dressing sailor-suits and through bands.
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