Bagheria

Bagheria (Italian pronunciation: [baɡeˈriːa]; Sicilian: Baarìa [baːˈɾiːa]) is the second largest city and comune in the Metropolitan City of Palermo in Sicily, located approximately 13 km (8,07 miles) to the east of Palermo's city centre. The first residential areas date back to the 17th century, when the Sicilian nobles chose this territory to build their holiday estates. The multitude of noble residences in Baroque and Rococo style made the newly founded town of Bagheria known as "the city of villas". During the 19th century the town welcomed numerous working and middle class families and expanded demographically. The autonomous municipality was established in 1820, when Bagheria had completed its evolution from a holiday resort to a small suburban town. In 1852 there were 9,832 inhabitants, 3,664 more than those recorded in 1831. Today the town has over 53,000 inhabitants.