BAGHERIA

town, Palermo province, northwestern Sicily, Italy, 8 miles (13 km) east-southeast of the city of Palermo. A resort of wealthy Palermitans, Bagheria is noted for several historic villas. The best-known are Villa Palagonia (1715), containing more than 60 Byzantine statues of beggars, dwarfs, monsters, and other oddities; the Villa Butera, with wax figures of monks wearing the Carthusian habit (1639); and the Villa Valguarnera (1721). Formerly called Bagaria, the town is in a fruit-growing area, principally of citrus and grapes. Pop. (1984 est.) mun., 41,583.