Pescara

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Pescara

Pescara is a city in central Italy, in the region of Abruzzo. The city is divided in two by the river of the same name. In 1926, Pescara, the part of the city on the south of Pescara river (in the province of Chieti), and Castellamare Adriatico, the part of the city on the north of Pescara river (in the province of Teramo) were unified in a single city, the current Pescara. The poet Gabriele D'Annunzio, who was born here, was a major sponsor for creation of the new city.

History

Pescara's origins precede the Roman conquest. The ancient city's name was Aternum, as well as the river: it was connected to Rome through the Via Claudia Valeria and the Via Tiburtina. The main edifice was the temple of Jovis Aternium. The city was an important port for the trades towards the Eastern provinces of the Empire.

In the Middle Ages it was destroyed by the Lombards (597). On that occasion the city's bishop, Cetteus (Pescara's current patron saint), was charged with friendship with the Greek Christians (the Lombards being Arians) and thrown down by the marble bridge with a stone hung from his neck.

In 1095 Pescara was a rich city with a notable series of monuments and churches. In 1140 Roger of Sicily conquered it, starting a period in which the city was destroyed by the armies ravaging the Kingdom of Sicily. The name of Piscaria ("abounding with fish") is mentioned for the first time in this period. Several seignors ruled over Pescara afterwords: these include Rainaldo Orsini, Louis of Savoy and Francesco del Borgo, king Ladislas' vicar, who had the fortress and the tower built.

The following rulers were the D'Avalos. In 1424 the famous condottiero Muzio Attendolo died here. Another adventurer, Giacomo Caldore, conquered the city in 1435 and 1439. In the following years Pescara was repeatedly assaulted by the Venetians, and later, as part of the Spanish Kingdom of Naples, was turned into a massive fortress.

In 1566 it was besieged by 105 Turk galleys. It resisted fiercely and the Ottomans could only ravage the neighbouring territory.

At the beginning of the 18th century Pescara had some 3,000 inhabitants, half of them living in the Castellammare. In 1707 it was attacked by the Austrian troops under the command of the duke of Wallis: the city, led by Giovanni Girolamo II Acquaviva, resisted for two months before capitulating.

Pescara was always part of the Kingdom of Naples, apart the brief age of the Republic of Naples of 1798-1799. The city was therefore assaulted by the Bourbon-loyal, Giuseppe Pronio. In 1800 Pescara fell to the French troops, becoming an important military stronghold of the Joseph Bonaparte's reign. Castellammare, which had now 3,000 inhabitants of its own, became a separate commune.

In 1814 Pescara's Carboneria revolted against Joachim Murat. There, on May 15, 1815, the king signed one the first constitutions of the Italian Risorgimento. In the following years Pescara became a symbol of the harsh Bourbon's restoration, as seat of an ill-famed jail. After a devastating flood in 1853, Pescara was liberated by Giuseppe Garibaldi's collaborator Clemente De Cesaris in 1860. Seven years later the fortress was dismantled.

In the following years Pescara became the largest cities of Abruzzi. The new city received a hard blow during World War II and has since massively rebuilt, becoming one of the "newest" cities of Italy.

Gabriele d'Annunzio's house was refurbished in the 1930s, and is now open to the public.

Economy and culture

Pescara is the major city of its Abruzzo region, and is one of the most important economic, commercial, and tourist centers on the Adriatic coast. Featuring a shoreline that extends for more than 20 kilometers, Pescara is a large vacation spot on the Adriatic Coast. It is most popular among Italian tourists during the summer months. Situated in the sea are many breakwaters made with large rocks, placed to provide calm waters near the shore. Along its shoreline, Pescara has clubs that one may join in order to enjoy the beach; in Italian, they are called stabilimenti, which means establishments. In these clubs, there are restaurants, playgrounds, and permanent stationary umbrellas that one obtains by joining the club. There is a large shopping district with many fashion boutiques and a lively nightlife. Its university is named for Gabriele D'Annunzio (Università D'Annunzio). Between Pescara and nearby Chieti lies a major industrial district.

Between 1924 and 1961, Pescara hosted the Coppa Acerbo automobile race. Every July Pescara holds an International Jazz Festival.

Pescara was the birthplace of Gabriele D'Annunzio and Ennio Flaiano. Vittoria Colonna was the marchioness of Pescara.

Pescara has been set to host the XVI Mediterranean Games in 2009, having defeated Rijeka, Croatia and Patras, Greece for the privilege.

Main sights

The ancient center, built within the Spanish walls, holds Gabriele D'Annunzio's House, where the famous Italian poet was born. The Palazzo del Governo hosts the provincial library, with 600,000 volumes. Noteworthy is the Cathedral of St. Cetteus, with a 17th century painting of St. Francis attributed to Guercino. The Madonna dei Sette Dolori ("Madonna of Seven Pains") is from 1757 and has a Neoclassical facade.

Transportation

Pescara holds an airport (Aeroporto di Pescara, also known as Aeroporto Internazionale di Abruzzo), three train stations (Pescara Centrale, Pescara Porta Nuova, Pescara San Marco), and several bus lines. Pescara Centrale train station is the largest in Abruzzo, and one of the largest in the whole of Europe. There is a direct bus line to Roma Tiburtina (Rome) via Pescara Centrale (about a two and a half hour ride).

External links

Coastal cities in Italy | Towns in Abruzzo | Port cities

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History

Economy and culture

Main sights

Transportation

External links