Page 4 - The_Egadi_Islands

https://www.thethinkingtraveller.com/italy/sicily/areas-of-sicily/islands-and-archipelagos

The hydrofoils from Trapani and Marsala arrive at Favignana
Town's bustling little harbour, which, for centuries, was protected

by the Fort of Santa Caterina. Originally built by the Arabs as a
watchtower, subsequently enlarged by the Normans, and later used
as a prison by the Bourbon Kings, the fort offers wonderful views
for those willing to hike up the hill on which it sits. With its two
piazzas, its pedestrianised streets, and its lovely sandy beach,
Favignana Town has an easy, unpretentious charm and a relaxing
atmosphere.

Favignana Town is also home to two buildings that give us an
insight into the archipelagos' history. The first, Palazzo Florio, is a
grand mansion overlooking the harbour built by Ignazio Florio, once
one of Italy’s richest and most powerful industrialists. Ignazio Florio
didn’t just build and invest in Favignana, however, he actually
purchased the whole island in 1874, along with all commercial
fishing rights.

Favignana's community jealously guards a treasure trove of
myths, legends, and peculiar stories handed down over generations.

Florio quickly began work on enlarging and beautifying an
existing tuna processing plant situated across the bay from
his palazzo. One of Palermo’s foremost architects, Giuseppe Damiani

Almeyda, was engaged to carry out this work, ensuring that the
building was not only highly functional but also aesthetically
pleasing. The tonnara on Favignana was one of several owned by
the Florios in Sicily, but arguably their most important, for it was
here that they trialled and perfected new industrial processes,
including a groundbreaking technique for preserving tuna in olive
oil, and the invention of a key-opened tin can.

After the demise of the Florio empire in the early 20th
century, the tonnara continued to function under a variety of
owners until the late 1980s. In the early years of the 21st century, it

was completely restored by the regional government of Sicily and
since 2010 has hosted a museum dedicated to the island’s tuna
industry and the mattanza (the traditional tuna cull).