Teramo

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Teramo is a town in the central Italian region of Abruzzo, the capital of the province of Teramo.

The town is situated near the confluence of the Vezzola torrent with the Tordino River (the position between the two streams was expressed in the town's Latin name, "Interamnia", meaning between rivers), and is a very old city, founded in pre-Roman time, though the general aspect is more recent, due to many 19th and 20th-century buildings.

Since for a long time it was a border place between the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the Papal States, it acquired a really special identity and, because of the difficult communications with the other parts of Italy, it stayed isolated for long periods of time. The Gran Sasso tunnel recently allowed Teramo to get out of its isolation.

The economy of the town is mostly based on activities connected with agriculture and commerce, as well as a sound industrial sector: textiles, foods, engineering, building materials and ceramics. Teramo can easily be reached from the A14 autostrada or, in about two hours by car from Rome via the A24 Autostrada.

History

Founded by the Italic population of the Praetutii (who, according to some scholars, were connected to the Phoenicians), the town was known in ancient times as Interamnia and, conquered by consul Manius Curius Dentatus in 290 BCE, in Roman times was an important Municipium. The name referred to the two rivers Vezzola and Tordino, between which it lies. During the Social War (91-88 BCE) it sided against Sulla, who deprived it of its municipum status. Tha latter was given back by Julius Caesar.

It rapidly declined after the fall of the Western Empire and, following Goth and Byzantine domination, became part of the territories of the Lombard Duchy of Spoleto. In 1156 it was put on fire by Norman Count Robert of Loretello and then rebuilt thanks to Bishop Guido II. In the 14th and 15th centuries it was plagued by feuds between local families which finally ended under the Aragonese dominion. After that it shared the fortunes of the Kingdom of Naples, until in 1860 it was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy.

During World War II the people of Teramo rebelled against the German occupation. This deed earned the province of Teramo the Gold Medal for Civil Valour, assigned by Carlo Azeglio Ciampi on September 15, 2005. The town was liberated from forces of the Nazis and fascists of Salò on June 14, 1944.

Main sights and culture

The main monuments of the city are:

• the majestic Cathedral of Saint Berardo, built in 1158 by bishop Guido II, in Romanesque style. Noteworthy is the great portal in Gothic style, finished in 1332 by the Roman master Deodato di Cosma. It houses a precious silver paliotto by Nicola of Guardagriele (with 35 scenes of the life of Jesus) and a polyptych by the Venetian artist Jacobello del Fiore depicting the Incoronation of the Virgin. Annexed is a 50 m bell tower.
• the Romanesque church of Sant'Antonio (1127), with a fine portal. The interior, with a single nave, was renovated along Baroque lines.
• the church of San Getulio, built in the early Middle Ages on the ruins of a Roman temple, finally destroyed in 1155 by the Normans. Only the presbyterium and some Romanesque elements remain of the original building.
• the church of San Domenico (14th century) with a fine Virgin with Child.
• the sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie, next to a Franciscan convent in the Frondarola borough. It has a notable Romanesque cloister and a 15th century miraculous wooden statue of the Virgin, attributed to Silvestro dell'Aquila.
• the Palazzo Vescovile ("Bishops Palace"), from the 14th century.
• the remains of the Roman theatre (built about 30 BCE) and of the amphiteatre (about 3rd-4th century CE). The former still today hosts sports and cultural events.

A pedestrian street closed to traffic, Corso San Giorgio, runs from the Piazza Garibaldi to the Piazza della Liberta. Another important piazza is the Piazza Dante, where a high school, the Liceo Classico, dedicated to the philosopher Melchiorre Delfico, was founded in 1813.

An art exhibit, Maggio Festeggiante, is held each May. The summer calendar of events is very rich, with the Teramo Literary Prize and the Interamnia Handball Cup, an international event with athletes coming from all over the world. A week in October is dedicated to an important international photography of film show.

The territory of Teramo houses an important astronomical observatory, entitled to Vincenzo Cerulli.

Notable people

People born in or around Teramo include:

• Berardo da Pagliara, (?-1123), bishop and patron saint of the city and diocese
• Melchiorre Delfico, (1744-1835), Enlightenment philosopher
• Giacinto Pannella, (1847-1927), author
• Ivan Graziani, (1945-1997), singer-songwriter
• Giacinto Pannella, detto Marco (1930-now), europolitician
• Francesco Possenti, (1838-1861), also known as Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows. Patron saint of Abruzzo
• Marco Reginelli, (1897-1956) underworld boss

Fractions

• Cannelli, Caprafico, Castagneto, Castrogno, Cavuccio, Cerreto, Chiareto, Colle Caruno, Colleatterrato Alto, Colleminuccio, Colle Santa Maria, Forcella (located about 11 kilometers from Teramo and dominating the Vomano Valley, Frondarola, Galeotti, Garrano, Garrano Basso, Magnanella, Miano, Monticelli, Nepezzano, Pantaneto, Poggio Cono, Piano D'Accio, Piano della Lenta, Poggio San Vittorino, Ponzano, Putignano, Rapino, Rocciano, Rupo, Sardinara, Saccoccia, San Nicolò a Tordino (important industrial zone located along the axis joining Teramo to the sea), San Pietro ad Lacum, Sant'Atto, Scapriano, Sciusciano, Sorrenti, Spiano, Tofo Sant'Eleuterio, Tordinia, Turri, Valle San Giovanni, Valle Soprana, Varano, Villa Falchini, Villa Gesso, Villa Ripa, Villa Romita, Villa Stanghieri, Villa Taraschi, Villa Viola, Villa Vomano (located in the Vomano valley and an important link to the autostrada).

Sister cities

• - Berane (former Ivangrad), Serbia and Montenegro
• - Memmingen, Germany
• - Praha, Czech Republic
• - Rishon Le Zion, Israel

Gastronomy

The provincial Teramo gastronomy is known for its variety and richness. Typical ingrediants include agnello (lamb), hot peppers (pepperoncini), sheep milk cheeses, and slow roasted pork. Common wines are Montepulciano and Trebbiano d'Abruzzo.

Of note

In 2005 the Italian Ministry of Health found that Teramo, along with Rome, had the best drinking water to be found in Italy.

External links

[Teramo Wikitravel Site]