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Alghero

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Alghero
L'Alguer
Comune
[Città di Alghero] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) Template:It icon
[Ciutat de l'Alguer] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) Template:Ca icon
16th century Aragonese Crown city walls
16th century Aragonese Crown city walls
Flag of Alghero
Flag
Location of Alghero
Map
CountryItaly
RegionSardinia
ProvinceSassari (SS)
FrazioniFertilia, Guardia Grande, I Piani, Loretella, Maristella, Sa Segada, Santa Maria La Palma, Tramariglio, Villassunta
Government
 • MayorMario Bruno (Centre)
Area
[1]
 • Total224.43 km2 (86.65 sq mi)
Elevation
7 m (23 ft)
Population
 (31 December 2011)[2]
 • Total40,641
 • Density180/km2 (470/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Algheresi
Algueresos
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
07041
Dialing code079
Patron saintSt. Michael
Saint day29 September
WebsiteOfficial website

Alghero (Italian pronunciation: [alˈɡɛːro]; Catalan: L'Alguer, pronounced [ɫəɫˈɣe], locally [lalˈɣe]; Template:Lang-sc; Template:Lang-sdc), is a town and episcopal see of about 44,000 inhabitants in the Italian insular province of Sassari in northwestern Sardinia, next to the Mediterranean Sea.

The name Alghero comes from the medieval Latin Aleguerium, meaning stagnation of algae (Posidonia oceanica.[3] The Catalan language is co-official in the city, unique in Italy.

History

For ecclesiastical history, see Roman Catholic Diocese of Alghero-Bosa
Nuraghe Palmavera near Alghero.

The area of today's Alghero has been settled since pre-historic times. The Ozieri culture was present here in the 4th millennium BC (Necropolis of Anghelu Ruju), while the Nuraghe civilization settled in the area around 1,500 BC.

The Phoenicians had arrived by the 8th century BC and the metalworking town of Sant'Imbenia, with a mixed Phoenician and Nuragic population, engaged in trade with the Etruscans on the Italian mainland.[4]

Due to its strategic position on the Mediterranean Sea, Alghero had been developed into a fortified port town by 1102, built by the Genoese Doria family. The Dorias ruled Alghero for centuries, apart from a brief period under the rule of Pisa between 1283–84. In 1353 it was captured by the forces of the Crown of Aragon under Bernardo de Cabrera; in 1372, following several revolts, the Genoese and indigenous Sardinian population were expelled.[5] Alghero's population later grew because of the arrival of Catalan colonists. In the early 16th century Alghero received papal recognition as a bishopric and the status of King's City (ciutat de l'Alguer) and developed economically.

The Aragonese were followed by the Spanish Habsburgs, who ruled until 1702, brought some stylish elegance to the town.

In 1720 Alghero, along with the rest of Sardinia, was handed over to the Piedmont-based House of Savoy. In 1821 a famine led to a revolt by the population, which was bloodily suppressed. At the end of the same century Alghero was de-militarised.

During the Fascist era, part of the surrounding marshes were reclaimed and the suburbs of Fertilia and S.M. La Palma were founded. During World War II (1943) Alghero was bombed, and its historical centre suffered heavy damage. The presence of malaria in the countryside was finally overcome in the 1950s.

Since then, Alghero has become a popular tourist resort.

Climate

Climate data for Alghero (1971–2000, extremes 1946–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 20.6
(69.1) 		23.9
(75.0) 		28.4
(83.1) 		31.9
(89.4) 		37.0
(98.6) 		39.8
(103.6) 		41.8
(107.2) 		40.4
(104.7) 		38.0
(100.4) 		33.1
(91.6) 		27.8
(82.0) 		22.6
(72.7) 		41.8
(107.2)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 13.8
(56.8) 		14.0
(57.2) 		15.5
(59.9) 		17.6
(63.7) 		22.0
(71.6) 		26.0
(78.8) 		29.4
(84.9) 		29.8
(85.6) 		26.6
(79.9) 		22.3
(72.1) 		17.6
(63.7) 		14.7
(58.5) 		20.8
(69.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) 9.8
(49.6) 		9.8
(49.6) 		11.0
(51.8) 		13.0
(55.4) 		16.7
(62.1) 		20.5
(68.9) 		23.4
(74.1) 		23.9
(75.0) 		21.2
(70.2) 		17.6
(63.7) 		13.4
(56.1) 		10.8
(51.4) 		15.9
(60.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 5.8
(42.4) 		5.7
(42.3) 		6.5
(43.7) 		8.3
(46.9) 		11.5
(52.7) 		15.0
(59.0) 		17.4
(63.3) 		18.0
(64.4) 		15.8
(60.4) 		12.8
(55.0) 		9.1
(48.4) 		6.8
(44.2) 		11.1
(52.0)
Record low °C (°F) −4.8
(23.4) 		−3.8
(25.2) 		−2.8
(27.0) 		−2.4
(27.7) 		4.0
(39.2) 		7.6
(45.7) 		9.6
(49.3) 		10.2
(50.4) 		5.8
(42.4) 		1.8
(35.2) 		−1.1
(30.0) 		−3.4
(25.9) 		−4.8
(23.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 71.7
(2.82) 		56.2
(2.21) 		61.8
(2.43) 		49.2
(1.94) 		27.2
(1.07) 		17.0
(0.67) 		5.3
(0.21) 		24.7
(0.97) 		38.1
(1.50) 		80.1
(3.15) 		78.9
(3.11) 		63.2
(2.49) 		573.4
(22.57)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 8.1 7.7 6.9 7.1 4.2 2.3 0.7 1.5 4.3 6.7 8.3 7.4 65.2
Average relative humidity (%) 80 79 77 76 74 70 66 69 72 76 79 80 75
Mean monthly sunshine hours 127.1 137.2 186.0 216.0 269.7 300.0 350.3 316.2 249.0 201.5 138.0 114.7 2,605.7
Source 1: Servizio Meteorologico[6][7]
Source 2: NOAA (sun and humidity, 1961–1990)[8]

Language

Poster for a Catalan language literary festival in Alghero.

A dialect of Catalan is spoken in Alghero, introduced when Catalonians settled in the town.[9] Catalan was replaced as the official language of the Island by Spanish in the 17th century, then by Italian. The most recent linguistic research showed that 22% of the population speak Algherese Catalan as a first language and around 90% have some understanding of the language.[citation needed] Currently, there has been a revival of the arts in Algherese Catalan, with singers such as Franca Masu performing original compositions in the language.[10]

Following a rural exodus from the surrounding villages towards the city, much of the population speaks or has some proficiency in Sardinian, in addition to Italian and Catalan. Historically, the spread of Catalan was limited to the city and part of the coast, as the surrounding countryside has always been populated by Sardinian speaking people.

Main sights

  • Palazzo Carcassona.
  • Alghero Cathedral (Cattedrale di Santa Maria Immacolata di Alghero) is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Alghero-Bosa (initially bishopric of Alghero). Construction started in 1570, and although it was opened in 1593, it wasn't until 1730 until it was finished and consecrated. The original church was in the Catalan-Gothic style, as can be seen in the five chapels of the presbytery, which also include the base of the bell tower. The nave and the two aisles are of late Renaissance style. In the 20th century a Neo-Classical narthex was added to the façade, radically altering its appearance.
  • The church of St. Francis (1360, rebuilt in the late 16th century). Original Catalan-Gothic parts can be seen over the high altar, the presbytery chapels and the San Sacramento Chapel. The bell tower is from the first half of the 16th century.
  • The church of St. Michael.
  • The Madonna del Santo Rosario.
  • The Torre del Portal, built at the expense of the Jewish community in Alghero in 1360, and the Tower dell'Esperò Reial (16th century).
  • Palazzo D'Albis (16th century), a typical example of the Aragonese architecture of the 16th century. In October 1541 it housed the Emperor Charles V.
  • Neptune's Grotto, a large cave discovered in the 19th century.
  • Porto Conte
  • Capo Caccia

Archeology

Some 100 remains from the Nuraghe era and a Phoenician necropolis can be seen in the neighbouring area of Sant'Imbenia and Roman remains have been found near the Alghero airport).

Books

In the 1930s the Swedish writer Amelie Posse Brazdova wrote a book entitled Sardinia Side Show, where she told the complete story of two years she spent "interned" in Alghero old town during World War I.

  • The Cathedral of Santa Maria
    The Cathedral of Santa Maria
  • Bilingual street signs in Catalan and Italian
    Bilingual street signs in Catalan and Italian
  • A street in Alghero
    A street in Alghero
  • Neptune's Grotto
    Neptune's Grotto

Twin towns

See also

References

  1. ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. ^ Population data from Istat
  3. ^ Alghero city guide
  4. ^ Miles, Richard (2010). Carthage Must Be Destroyed: The Rise and Fall of an Ancient Civilization. United States: Penguin Books. pp. 42–43. ISBN 978-0-14-312129-9.
  5. ^ L’Alguer and Alguerese Catalan - Oral Corpus of Alguerese
  6. ^ "Alghero/Fertilia (SS)" (PDF). Atlante climatico. Servizio Meteorologico. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  7. ^ "Alghero Fertilia: Record mensili dal 1946" (in Italian). Servizio Meteorologico dell’Aeronautica Militare. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  8. ^ "Alghero Climate Normals 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  9. ^ Sardegna Cultura - L'algherese
  10. ^ Songs in Algherese available on official website francamasu.com


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