Burgio ( Sicilian: ''Burgiu'') is a ''

comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...

'' (municipality) in the

Province of Agrigento The province of Agrigento (; ) is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily, Italy, situated on its south-western coast. Following the suppression of the Sicilian provinces, it was replaced in 2015 by the Free Municipal Consortium of Ag ...

in the

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

region

Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...

, located about south of

Palermo Palermo ( ; ; , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The ...

and about northwest of

Agrigento Agrigento (; or ) is a city on the southern coast of Sicily, Italy and capital of the province of Agrigento. Founded around 582 BC by Greek colonists from Gela, Agrigento, then known as Akragas, was one of the leading cities during the golden ...

. Burgio borders the following municipalities:

Caltabellotta Caltabellotta (Sicilian language, Sicilian: ''Cataviḍḍotta'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Agrigento, in the Italy, Italian region Sicily, located about south of Palermo and about northwest of Agrigento. In addition to ...

Chiusa Sclafani Chiusa Sclafani is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Palermo in the Italian region Sicily, located about south of Palermo. Chiusa Sclafani borders the following municipalities: Bisacquino, Burgio, Caltabellotta, Corleone ...

Lucca Sicula Lucca Sicula () is an Italian ''comune'' (municipality) founded in 1621. Located in the Province of Agrigento in Sicily, it is about south of Palermo and about northwest of Agrigento. Lucca Sicula borders the following municipalities: Bivona ...

Palazzo Adriano Palazzo Adriano ( IPA: , , Gasca Queirazza, Giuliano (ed.) (1990). ''Dizionario di toponomastica. Storia e significato dei nomi geografici italiani'', p. 468. UTET. ) is a town and ''comune'' of Arbëresh origin in the Metropolitan City of Paler ...

, Villafranca Sicula.

History

The exact date of the founding of Burgio is not known. However, it is known that it already existed in the 14th century, when the inhabitants of the nearby Scirtea joined those of Burgio. The first sultan of Burgio was Ali Bin Chema (King Amir, of the

Idrisid dynasty The Idrisid dynasty or Idrisids ( ') were an Arabs, Arab Muslims, Muslim dynasty from 788 to 974, ruling most of present-day Morocco and parts of present-day western Algeria. Named after the founder, Idris I of Morocco, Idris I, the Idrisids were ...

), who left his kingdom in inheritance to Hamud. Hamud lost his kingdom in 1087 during the war against

Roger I of Sicily Roger I (; ; ; Norse: ''Rogeirr''; 1031 – 22 June 1101), nicknamed "Roger Bosso" and "Grand Count Roger", was a Norman nobleman who became the first Grand Count of Sicily from 1071 to 1101. As a member of the House of Hauteville, he parti ...

. In 1282 Burgio's mayor was among several mayors invited to the Sicilian parliament by Peter I of Aragon, King of Sicily.

Main sights

*Baronial Castle *Virgadamo Bell Foundry *Ceramic Museum of Burgio - MUCIB *Museum of Mummies *Mother Church, standing in the highest part of the town. Dedicated to St. Anthony the Abbot (the patron saint), it was built in the 12th century and restored in the 14th century. It has a Renaissance external portal on the left side, with a lunette niche with a statue of the Madonna with Child, surrounded by small saints. Inside the church, in the chapel dedicated to the Madonna of Trapani, is a 16th-century statue of Madonna with Child by Vincenzo Gagini. The walls of the building are entirely decorated with stuccoes. The church is also home to a large wooden crucifix dating from the 13th century. *Church of San Rocco *Church of San Giuseppe *Church of San Vito *Church of San Luca

References

External links

Official website

Page at Italian Heritage website
Cities and towns in Sicily {{Sicily-geo-stub