Villalba (
Sicilian: ''Villarba'') 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 Caltanissetta
The province of Caltanissetta (; or ; officially ''libero consorzio comunale di Caltanissetta'') is a Provinces of Italy, province in the southern part of Sicily, Italy. Following the suppression of the Sicilian provinces, it was replaced in 20 ...
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 northwest of
Caltanissetta
Caltanissetta (Sicilian language, Sicilian: ''Cartanissètta)'' is an Italian comune with a population of 58,012 inhabitants, serving as the capital of the Province of Caltanissetta, free municipal consortium of Caltanissetta in Sicily.
The earl ...
, about southeast 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 68 km from
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 ...
. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,852 and an area of .
[All demographics and other statistics: Italian statistical institute ]Istat
The Italian National Institute of Statistics (; Istat) is the primary source of official statistics in Italy. The institute conducts a variety of activities, including the census of population, economic censuses, and numerous social, economic, a ...
. It rises over an internal hilly area, 620 metres above sea-level.
The name Villalba has Spanish origins, and it means "the white city" because of the town's white houses. Villalba is known for the cultivation of cereals, grapes, vegetables, tomatoes, and lentils. The Sagra del Pomodoro (tomato festival) is held every year in the month of August.
Villalba borders the following municipalities:
Cammarata
Cammarata is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Agrigento in the Italian region Sicily, located about southeast of Palermo and about north of Agrigento on the eponymous mountain Mount Cammarata, which has an elevation above sea lev ...
,
Castellana Sicula,
Marianopoli
Marianopoli ( Sicilian: ''Manchi'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Caltanissetta in the Italian region Sicily, located about southeast of Palermo and about northwest of Caltanissetta.
Marianopoli borders the following municip ...
,
Mussomeli
Mussomeli (''Mussumeli'' in Sicilian language, Sicilian) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Caltanissetta, Sicily, Italy.
History
Mussomeli is claimed to have been founded in the 14th century by Chiaramonte, Manfredo III Chiaramonte wit ...
,
Petralia Sottana
Petralia Sottana () is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Palermo, in the island of Sicily, Southern Italy. The main characters in Emanuele Crialese's 2006 film of Sicilian immigration to America, '' Nuovomondo'', come from the tow ...
,
Polizzi Generosa
Polizzi Generosa ( Sicilian: ''Pulizzi'') is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Palermo on the island of Sicily, southern Italy. The town sits in the hills at above sea level.
History
The site of Polizzi shows signs of human o ...
,
Vallelunga Pratameno.
History
Since the 17th century, the
fief
A fief (; ) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form of feudal alle ...
was owned by the Miccichè family. In 1751, it was acquired by Nicolò Palmieri Calafato, who also obtained the approval to populate the area. The first houses were constructed in 1763.
During the 18th century the town experienced a remarkable urban and architectural growth. There are various important monuments, such as the Chiesa Madre built in 1700, and the Chiesa della Concezione erected in 1795, preserving a statue by artist
Filippo Quattrocchi
Filippo is an Italian male given name, which is the equivalent of the English name Philip, from the Greek ''Philippos'', meaning "horse lover".''Behind the Name''"Given Name Philip" Retrieved on 23 January 2016. The female variant is Filippa. T ...
(first half of the 18th century). Noteworthy is the Palace of baron Nicolò Palmieri Morillo, built during the 18th century.
Demographic evolution
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Notable people
*
Don Nicolò Vincenzo Palmeri Baron of Michiche Marquis Villalba d. 1914 NYC, NY) http://milioto.com/roots/historyOFvillalba.htm
*
Dennis Farina
Donaldo Gugliermo "Dennis" Farina (February 29, 1944 – July 22, 2013) was an American actor and Chicago police detective. Known for his roles as mobsters or police officers, his involvement in the entertainment industry began through his asso ...
American film actor and former police detective whose father was from Villalba.
*
Angelo Bruno
Angelo Bruno (born Angelo Annaloro, ; May 21, 1910 – March 21, 1980) was a Sicilian-American mobster who was boss of the Philadelphia crime family for two decades until his assassination. Bruno was known as "The Docile Don" due to his prefere ...
(1910–80), Sicilian-American mobster born in Villalba who ran the
for two decades.
*
Michele Pantaleone (1911–2002), journalist and expert on the
Sicilian Mafia
The Sicilian Mafia or Cosa Nostra (, ; "our thing"), also referred to as simply Mafia, is a secret society, criminal society and criminal organization originating on the island of Sicily and dates back to the mid-19th century. Emerging as a form of ...
and one of the first to shed light on the links between organized crime and political power.
*
Joe Plumeri
Joseph J. Plumeri II (born July 7, 1943) is vice chairman of the First Data Board of Directors. He was the chairman and CEO of Willis Group Holdings (Willis), a New York Stock Exchange-listed insurance broker, until July 2013. The company has 1 ...
(born 1944), the Chairman & CEO of
Willis Group Holdings
Willis Group Holdings plc was a multinational risk advisor, insurance brokerage and reinsurance brokerage company headquartered in the Willis Building in London. It was the third-largest insurance broker worldwide by revenues. In 2016, the com ...
and the owner of the
Trenton Thunder
The Trenton Thunder are a collegiate summer baseball team of the MLB Draft League. They are located in Trenton, New Jersey, and play their home games at Trenton Thunder Ballpark.
From 1994 to 2020, it was a Minor League Baseball team of the D ...
, is the descendant of grandparents who emigrated to the U.S. from Villalba
*
Patricia F. Russo Pat Russo (born June 12, 1952 in Trenton, New Jersey) is an American businessperson most widely known for having served as chief executive officer of Lucent Technologies and its successor, Alcatel-Lucent, a large communications equipment manufacturer. She currently serves on the board of directors of HP, General Motors, Merck & Co. and ALCOA, Inc. She serves as chairman of the nonprofit organization Partnership at Drugfree.org Forbes magazine rated Russo as the tenth on its list of the most powerful women in 2006. Pat's great-grandparents and grandparents emigrated from Villalba to the United States.
*
Calogero Vizzini
Calogero Vizzini (; 24 July 1877 – 10 July 1954), also commonly known as "Don Calò", was a Sicilian Mafia boss of Villalba, Sicily, Villalba in the province of Caltanissetta, Sicily. He was considered to be one of the most influential and leg ...
(1877–1954),
Mafia boss
A crime boss, also known as a crime lord, mafia don, mob boss, kingpin, or godfather is the leader of a criminal organization.
Description
A crime boss has absolute or nearly absolute control over the other members of the organization and is ...
considered to be one of the most influential bosses after World War II until his death. In the media he was often depicted as the "boss of bosses"–though such a position does not officially exist in the structure of
Cosa Nostra
The Sicilian Mafia or Cosa Nostra (, ; "our thing"), also referred to as simply Mafia, is a criminal society and criminal organization originating on the island of Sicily and dates back to the mid-19th century. Emerging as a form of local protect ...
.
References
External links
*
Comune di Villalba*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Villalba (Cl)
Cities and towns in Sicily
Populated places established in 1751
1751 establishments in Italy