Marsala of Motya, an ancient Phoenician town. The modern name likely derived from the Arabic مَرْسَى عَلِيّ (marsā ʿaliyy, “Ali's harbor”), or possibly مَرْسَى اللّٰه (marsā llāh, “God's harbor”). Situated at the extreme western point of Sicily, the town was founded on Lilibeo Cape from where the Aegadian Islands and the Stagnone Lagoon can be seen. The territory of Marsala, , has a rich cultural and landscape heritage; its area includes the Stagnone Lagoon, a Natural Reserve in which is located the island of Mozia. The city of Marsala had a population of about 86,000 until the end of 1970, when
Italian cruiser Marsala Italian cruiser Marsala Marsala was a protected cruiser built by the Italian "Regia Marina" (Royal Navy) in the 1910s. She was the second and final member of the , which were built as scouts for the main Italian fleet. She was equipped with a main battery of six guns and had a top speed in excess of , but her engines proved to be troublesome in service. "Marsala" spent World War I based at Brindisi; she was involved in the Battle of the Otranto Straits in May 1917, where she briefly engaged Austro-Hungarian cruisers. "Marsala"s career was cut short in