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It is anagricultural andfishing centre and itsport gives shelter to the largest fishing fleet in Italy. The city is also one of the most historically significant inSicily.
Mazara was founded by thePhoenicians in the 9th century BC[citation needed] with the name ofMazar[3] who made it an important mercantile emporium. The discovery of Phoenician vases demonstrate the existence of a Phoenician port built between the 6th and 5th centuries BC. Other evidence is in the palace of the Knights of Malta, where finds show the existence of the ancient Punic trading post. Also, a stone slab engraved with a Phoenician inscription found in the channel of the river Màzaro is now preserved in the Museum of the Dancing Satyr.
After the death of EmperorFrederick II, Sicily passed to theAngevins, then followed by theCatalans of theAragon Crown. The Aragon period (1282–1409) is characterized by a political, economic and demographic decline of Mazara. The city passed under the control of theHouse of Savoy in 1713, a reign which lasted only five years, being replaced by theHabsburg Empire (for 16 years) followed by theBourbons. In 1860 the city was finally conquered byGiuseppe Garibaldi and theMille, thus joining the then newly formedKingdom of Italy.
The city was known asMazzara del Vallo until theWorld War II period, following which the spelling was changed toMazara del Vallo.
Today Mazara is widely considered to be one of the most important fishing centres of Italy;[4] tussles about fishing rights, especially with the North-African countries, figure large in the town's recent history, boat sequestrations being a common event. Currently the fishing business in the city seems to be less significant, mainly because of the increasing lack of younger people willing to work in the industry.
Mazara made national news in March 1998, when a bronze statue called theDancing Satyr (Satiro Danzante) was found off the port, at a depth of 500 metres (1,600 ft) in theStrait of Sicily by a local fishing boat. The statue is believed to have been sculpted byGreek artistPraxiteles and is now on display to the public in a dedicated museum in the city, after having been on show at theChamber of Deputies ofRome, and inAichi,Japan. After this event, the city quickly gained in terms of visiting tourists and a national advertising campaign was mounted with the sloganMazara del Satiro.
Other attractions include theNorman Arc, that is the remains of the old Norman Castle built in 1073 and demolished in 1880, and a number of churches, including the Royal Saint Nicholas (San Nicolò Regale) Church, a rare example of Norman architecture built in 1124, the Seminary, built in 1710, which surrounds the main localpiazza,Piazza della Repubblica, and St. Vitus on the Sea (San Vito a Mare) Church. In honour ofSt. Vitus, the official patronal saint as well as a native of Mazara del Vallo, the St. Vitus Feast (Lu Fistinu di Santu Vitu) is held every year.
Mazara del Vallo is connected to the rest of Sicily by a regionaltrain service (run byTrenitalia), a private bus service (only to Palermo), and by car, via theA29 highway (also known asPalermo-Mazara del Vallo). It is reachable fromTrapani-Birgi Airport by an infrequent bus service or by taxi (€20 per person) and fromPalermo by car or taxi.
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