Alghero

Alghero L'Alguer (Catalan) S'Alighèra (Sardinian)
Comune
Città di Alghero (in Italian) Ciutat de l'Alguer (in Catalan)
16th-century Aragonese Crown city walls
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Alghero
Alghero Location of Alghero in Sardinia Show map of Italy Alghero Alghero (Sardinia) Show map of Sardinia
Coordinates: 40°33′36″N 08°18′54″E / 40.56000°N 8.31500°E / 40.56000; 8.31500
Country	Italy
Region	Sardinia
Province	SS
Frazioni	Fertilia, Guardia Grande, I Piani, Loretella, Maristella, Sa Segada, Santa Maria La Palma, Tramariglio, Villassunta
Government
• Mayor	Mario Conoci (centre-right)
Area [1]
• Total	224.43 km2 (86.65 sq mi)
Elevation	7 m (23 ft)
Population  (2018-01-01)[2]
• Total	43,945
• Density	200/km2 (510/sq mi)
Demonyms	Algheresi Algueresos
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	07041
Dialing code	079
Patron saint	St. Michael
Saint day	29 September
Website	Official website

Alghero (Italian: [alˈɡɛːɾo]; Alguerese: L'Alguer [lalˈɣe]; Sardinian: S'Alighèra [saliˈɣɛɾa]; Sassarese: L'Aliera [laˈljɛːɾa]) is a city of about 45,000 inhabitants in the Italian insular province of Sassari in northwestern Sardinia, next to the Mediterranean Sea. The city's name comes from Aleguerium, which is a mediaeval Latin word meaning "stagnation of algae" (Posidonia oceanica).^[3]

The population is noted for having retained the language of the Crown of Aragon rulers from the end of the Middle Ages, when Sardinia was part of the Crown of Aragon; hence, Alguerese (the Catalan dialect spoken there) is officially recognized as a minority language.

Alghero is the third 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.