The beautiful town of Cefalù is located on the northern coast of Sicily, right at the foot of a rocky promontory. A famous tourist destination, the town is one of the major seaside resorts in the region and is also part of the Madonie Regional Park. In today’s article, however, in addition to learning about the history of the town, we will also talk about the settlements in Cefalù.
The town’s cathedral, which has been included in the regional site of Arab-Norman Palermo along with the similar cathedral of Monreale, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015. But now, focusing on the history of this beautiful town, we can say that traces of human presence on the site date back to the distant prehistoric era, especially in two caves that open on the northern side of the promontory on which Cefalù stands.
In the 4th century BC, the Greeks gave the indigenous center a name in Greek, which literally means “head, cape,” and was probably referring to its promontory. But it was in 307 BC that the town was conquered by the Syracusans and later by the Romans, who gave it the Latin name of Cephaloedium.
In 858, following a long siege, we know that it was conquered by the Arabs, who gave it the name Gafludi, although during this period there is really scarce information due to the lack of monumental evidence. The definitive turning point came in the year 1063 when the town was conquered by the Normans led by Roger I, and then refounded years later by Roger II. It was during this period that the cloister of the cathedral, the church of San Giorgio, and the medieval washhouse were built.
How many inhabitants does Cefalù have today, and what are they called?
As for the subsequent history of Cefalù, if we want, we can liken it to the history of Sicily and the rest of Italy. In fact, we know that in 1752, foreign consulates began to establish themselves there, making the city a destination for the Grand Tour. During the Risorgimento, the patriot Salvatore Spinuzza was executed there, and then, following Garibaldi’s landing, the city proclaimed its adherence to the Kingdom of Italy.
But what are the typical traditions of the inhabitants of Cefalù? First of all, from August 2nd to 6th, every year, the feast of SS. Salvatore, the city’s patron saint, takes place, and although the Immaculate Conception is actually the official patroness, SS. Salvatore has always been celebrated as if he were the patron saint.
In conjunction with these festivities, on the afternoon of the last day, a competition called “Antinna a mari” takes place. It’s a competition where young and old fishermen compete to capture a colored flag attached to the tip of a very long trunk, which is made slippery with grease and soap and placed horizontally in the sea but securely fixed to the quay.
As for the inhabitants of Cefalù, they are called “cefaludesi” in Italian and “cefalutani” in Sicilian dialect. The number of actual residents in the city corresponds to approximately 14,400 for an area of ??66 km².
