Capaci

Capaci is a small coastal town in the Province of Palermo, set between the hilly littoral and the Tyrrhenian Sea, at about 75 metres above sea level. Close to the Sicilian capital, it combines a compact historic centre marked by Sicilian Baroque character with a shoreline that gives the town much of its everyday rhythm.

Its name is said to derive from the Sicilian word *Capa*, meaning “head”. Although the area has ancient origins, the present settlement was founded on 18 March 1517, after a long medieval phase as a feudal territory. From the early 17th century until 1860, Capaci was linked to the Pilo family, before becoming an autonomous municipality.

Alongside its coastal identity, Capaci carries a powerful place in contemporary Italian memory: on 23 May 1992, the massacre that killed anti-mafia magistrate Giovanni Falcone, his wife and escort agents took place here. This combination of seaside town, feudal past and modern civil memory gives Capaci a distinct identity within the Palermo area.