Alghero

Alghero L'Alguer
Comune
Città di Alghero (Italian) Ciutat de l'Alguer (Catalan)
16th century Aragonese Crown city walls
Flag Coat of arms
Alghero Location of Alghero in Sardinia
Coordinates: 40°33′N 08°19′E / 40.550°N 8.317°E / 40.550; 8.317
Country	Italy
Region	Sardinia
Province / Metropolitan city	Sassari (SS)
Frazioni	Fertilia, Guardia Grande, I Piani, Loretella, Maristella, Sa Segada, Santa Maria La Palma, Tramariglio, Villassunta
Government
• Mayor	Mario Bruno (Centre)
Area
• Total	224.43 km2 (86.65 sq mi)
Elevation	7 m (23 ft)
Population (31 December 2015)
• Total	44,200
• Density	200/km2 (510/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Algheresi Algueresos
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	07041
Dialing code	079
Patron saint	St. Michael
Saint day	29 September
Website	Official website

Alghero (Italian pronunciation: [alˈɡɛːro]; Catalan: L'Alguer, pronounced: [ɫəɫˈɣe], locally: [lalˈɣe]; Sardinian: S'Alighèra; Sassarese: La Liéra), is a town of about 44,000 inhabitants in the Italian insular province of Sassari in northwestern Sardinia, next to the Mediterranean Sea. Part of its population descends from Catalan conquerors from the end of the Middle Ages, when Sardinia was part of the Crown of Aragon. That is why the Catalan language is co-official in the city, unique in Italy, taking the name of alguerès dialect. The name Alghero comes from the medieval Latin Aleguerium, meaning stagnation of algae (Posidonia oceanica) .

Alghero is the fifth university center in the island, coming after Cagliari and Sassari. It hosts the headquarters of the Università degli Studi di Sassari’s Architecture and Design department. In 2012 it was the 10th most visited city by tourists in Italy.

The area of today's Alghero has been settled since pre-historic times. The Ozieri culture was present here in the 4th millennium BC (Necropolis of Anghelu Ruju), while the Nuraghe civilization settled in the area around 1,500 BC.