Civitavecchia
Civitavecchia | |
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Saint Fermina | |
Website | www |
Civitavecchia (pronounced [ˌtʃivitaˈvɛkkja]; meaning "ancient town") is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, in the Italian region of Lazio. A sea port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, it is located 60 kilometres (37 miles) west-north-west of Rome. The harbour is formed by two piers and a breakwater, on which stands a lighthouse.
History
Etruscan era
The whole territory of Civitavecchia is dotted with the remains of Etruscan tombs and it is likely that in the centre of the current city a small Etruscan settlement thrived. The Etruscan necropolis of Mattonara, not far from the Molinari factory, is almost certainly from the 7th - 6th century BC and was most likely connected with the nearby necropolis of Scaglia. An ancient port formed by small parallel basins capable of accommodating single vessels was still visible at the end of the 19th century near Fort Michelangelo.
An Etruscan settlement on the hill of Ficoncella can still be seen where the first baths were built before 70 BC, known by the Romans as Aquae Tauri.
Roman era
The nearby monumental baths at Terme Taurine were built originally in the Roman Republican era, possibly by Titus Statilius Taurus, prefect of Rome.
The harbour was greatly enlarged by the
Inscriptions from between the 2nd and 3rd centuries from a cemetery near the Roman harbour prove the presence of classiari, sailors from the navy, and also of a noble class. They also tell of the number and type of ships which were detachments of the fleets of Ravenna and of Misenum.[9]
In 251 Pope Cornelius was imprisoned in Centumcellae during the persecutions of Decius and his successor Trebonianus Gallus and died there in 253.
In the 4th and 5th centuries the city and port became even more prosperous and busy, as
In the 530s, Centumcellae was a
Later history
It became part of the
The place became a
The French novelist Stendhal served as consul for a time in Civitavecchia.
On 16 April 1859 the
The Papal troops opened the gates of the fortress to the Italian general Nino Bixio in 1870. This permanently removed the port from papal control.
During World War II, the Allies launched several bombing raids against Civitavecchia, which damaged the city and inflicted several civilian casualties.[14] On June 27, 1944, two American soldiers from the 379th Port Battalion, Fred A. McMurray and Louis Till, allegedly raped two Italian women in Civitavecchia and murdered a third. McMurray and Till were subsequently both executed by the United States Army by hanging five months later.[15]
Economy
Civitavecchia is today a major cruise and ferry port, the main starting point for sea connection from central Italy to Sardinia, Sicily, Tunis and Barcelona. Fishing has a secondary importance.
The city is also the seat of two thermal power stations. The conversion of one of them to coal has raised the population's protests, as it is feared it could create heavy pollution.
Main sights
Roman city
The modern inner harbour (darsena) rests on the ancient foundations many of which can be seen and whose shape is still very much the same as it was in Trajan's time. It had a curved breakwater on the southern side and a straight one to the north with arches to reduce the waves which still exist.
The Torre di Lazzaretto is on the end of the north mole and the only one remaining of four large Roman round towers around the ancient harbour that served as beacons. Remains of warehouses can be seen between the large basin and the inner harbour (darsena), still used during the middle ages.
A section of the Via Aurelia running along the harbour, 6 m wide and at a depth of 3 m, was excavated.
Some of the Roman city wall is visible in the basement of the Fraternity of the Banner in the Piazza Leandra.
Remains of an aqueduct and a large cistern, possibly part of Trajan's villa, are preserved.[16]
North of the city at Ficoncella are the Terme Taurine baths frequented by Romans and still popular with the Civitavecchiesi. The modern name stems from the common fig plants among the various pools.
Also at Ficoncella nearby are the baths of Aquae Tauri from the earlier Etruscan and early Roman settlement.[17] A larger building of 160x100 m enclosed the baths and is being excavated.[18]
Other sights
The massive Forte Michelangelo was first commissioned from Donato Bramante by
Major cruise lines start and end their cruises at this location, and others stop for shore excursion days to visit Rome and the Vatican, which are ninety minutes away.
Geography
Climate
Civitavecchia experiences a
Climate data for Civitavecchia (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 13.5 (56.3) |
13.8 (56.8) |
15.5 (59.9) |
17.8 (64.0) |
21.7 (71.1) |
25.4 (77.7) |
28.0 (82.4) |
28.6 (83.5) |
25.4 (77.7) |
22.0 (71.6) |
18.2 (64.8) |
14.7 (58.5) |
20.4 (68.7) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 10.4 (50.7) |
10.5 (50.9) |
12.3 (54.1) |
14.7 (58.5) |
18.3 (64.9) |
22.2 (72.0) |
24.7 (76.5) |
25.3 (77.5) |
22.2 (72.0) |
19.0 (66.2) |
15.2 (59.4) |
11.6 (52.9) |
17.2 (63.0) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 7.5 (45.5) |
7.3 (45.1) |
9.0 (48.2) |
11.5 (52.7) |
15.1 (59.2) |
18.8 (65.8) |
21.4 (70.5) |
21.9 (71.4) |
18.9 (66.0) |
15.9 (60.6) |
12.2 (54.0) |
8.6 (47.5) |
14.0 (57.2) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 66.4 (2.61) |
63.3 (2.49) |
73.2 (2.88) |
57.9 (2.28) |
43.9 (1.73) |
27.5 (1.08) |
13.6 (0.54) |
17.5 (0.69) |
72.6 (2.86) |
113.7 (4.48) |
116.5 (4.59) |
93.1 (3.67) |
759.1 (29.89) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) | 6.9 | 6.1 | 6.0 | 6.2 | 5.0 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 4.6 | 6.8 | 9.0 | 7.8 | 64.0 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
73.7 | 73.1 | 74.9 | 75.4 | 75.1 | 74.7 | 73.3 | 73.4 | 73.4 | 73.4 | 75.9 | 72.6 | 74.2 |
Average dew point °C (°F) | 6.2 (43.2) |
6.1 (43.0) |
8.2 (46.8) |
10.7 (51.3) |
14.3 (57.7) |
18.0 (64.4) |
20.1 (68.2) |
20.6 (69.1) |
17.4 (63.3) |
14.9 (58.8) |
11.1 (52.0) |
7.0 (44.6) |
12.9 (55.2) |
Source: NOAA[19] |
Transport
The Port of Civitavecchia, also known as "Port of Rome",[20] is an important hub for the maritime transport in Italy, for goods and passengers. Part of the "Motorways of the Sea",[21] it is linked to several Mediterranean ports and represents one of the main links between Italian mainland to Sardinia.
Civitavecchia is served by the
Education
The commune has multiple preschools,[24] primary schools,[25] junior high schools,[26] and high schools.[27] Polo Universitario di Civitavecchia is located in the city.
Twin towns and sister cities
Civitavecchia is
- Amelia, Italy
- Ishinomaki, Japan
- China
People
- Manuele Blasi (b. 1980), football player
- Silvio Branco (b. 1966), professional boxer
- Andrea Casali (1705–1784), Rococo painter
- AnsaldoBreda"
- Raffaele Giammaria (b. 1977), racing driver
- Marco Mocci (b. 1982), racing driver
- Pasquale Lattanzi (b. 1950), former football player
- Oscar Lini (1928-2016), football player
- Ermanno Palmieri (1921-1982), football player
- Giancarlo Peris (b. 1941), former track athlete
- Roberto Petito (b. 1971), road bicycle racer
- Giulio Saraudi (1938–2005), boxer
- Eugenio Scalfari (b. 1924), journalist, founder of la Repubblica
- Emiliano Sciarra (b. 1971), game designer[31]
- Roldano Simeoni (b. 1948), former water polo player
- Vittorio Tamagnini (1910–1981), boxer
See also
- Arsenal of Civitavecchia
- Civitavecchia Calcio
- Civitavecchia di Arpino
- Civitavecchia, Cachar district, Assam, India (spelt as "Chibita Bichia" by the locals).
References
- ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
- ^ "Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
- ^ Pliny Epist. 6.31
- ^ a b c public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Civita Vecchia". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 416–417. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
- ^ Pliny Epist. 6.31
- ^ Anna Maria Reggiani, la villa pulcherrima di traiano a CENTUMCELLAE, doi: 10.1387/veleia.19438 Veleia, 35, 129-149, 2018
- ^ Fronto, Epist. ad M. Caesarem 3.21.1
- ^ Historia Augusta, life of Commodus, 1.9
- ^ Hidden Treasures in the Darsena Romana in the Port of Civitavecchia https://civitavecchia.portmobility.it/en/hidden-treasures-darsena-romana-port-civitavecchia
- ^ Rutilius Namatianus, A Voyage Home to Gaul 217‑276
- ^ Procopius, De Bello Gothico VI, VII
- ^ Procopius, De Bello Gothico VIII.33‑35
- ^ Procopius, De Bello Gothico III.36‑40
- ^ "History of Civitavecchia | Port of Rome – Civitavecchia".
- ^ https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a48989/black-and-white-case/
- ^ Cistern and aqueduct https://www.ostia-antica.org/dict/topics/centumcellae/presentation/centumcellae-06.htm
- ^ F. Stasolla et al., Nuove ricerche nel territorio di Civitavecchia. Un progetto per Aquae Tauri, in Scienze dell'Antichità 24.1 (2018), pp. 149-174.
- ^ Aquae Tauri, the Achelous project https://www.romanports.org/en/news/301-aquae-tauri-the-acheloous-project.html
- ^ "Civitavecchia Climate Normals 1991–2020". World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
- ^ (in Italian) Port of Civitavecchia website
- ^ Infos at R.A.M. website (search the list of ports) Archived April 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ (in Italian) Historical infos and pictures about the Civitavecchia-Cv. Marittima rail line
- ANASwebsite
- ^ "Scuole dell'Infanzia Archived 2014-12-21 at the Wayback Machine." Commune of Civitavecchia. Retrieved on December 21, 2014.
- ^ "Scuole elementari Archived 2014-12-21 at the Wayback Machine." Commune of Civitavecchia. Retrieved on December 21, 2014.
- ^ "Scuola media inferiore Archived 2014-12-21 at the Wayback Machine." Commune of Civitavecchia. Retrieved on December 21, 2014.
- ^ "Scuole medie superiori Archived 2014-12-21 at the Wayback Machine." Commune of Civitavecchia. Retrieved on December 21, 2014.
- ^ "Twinning with Palestine". The Britain - Palestine Twinning Network. Archived from the original on 2012-06-28. Retrieved 2008-11-29.
- ^ The City of Bethlehem has signed a twinning agreements with the following cities Bethlehem Municipality.
- ^ "::Bethlehem Municipality::". www.bethlehem-city.org. Archived from the original on 2010-07-24. Retrieved 2009-10-10.
- ^ "Emiliano Sciarra | Board Game Designer | BoardGameGeek".
External links
- Official website (in Italian)
- Civitavecchia Port (in English)
- Port of Rome
- Images of Fort Michelangelo
- Civitavecchia "The port of Rome" Guide Archived 2020-11-27 at the Wayback Machine