Caserta

Caserta
Comune
Caserta
Location of Caserta in Italy
Coordinates: 41°04′N 14°20′E / 41.067°N 14.333°E / 41.067; 14.333Coordinates: 41°04′N 14°20′E / 41.067°N 14.333°E / 41.067; 14.333
Country Italy
Region Campania
Province Caserta (CE)
Frazioni Aldifreda, Briano, Casertavecchia, Casola, Casolla, Centurano, Ercole, Falciano, Garzano, Mezzano, Piedimonte di Casolla, Pozzovetere, Puccianiello, Sala di Caserta, San Benedetto, San Clemente, San Leucio, Santa Barbara, Staturano, Tredici, Tuoro, Vaccheria
Government
 • Mayor Carlo Marino
Area
 • Total 54.07 km2 (20.88 sq mi)
Elevation 68 m (223 ft)
Population (1 January 2016)
 • Total 76,326
 • Density 1,400/km2 (3,700/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Casertani
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code 81100 (Caserta), 81020 (Caserta Vecchia, Casola di Caserta)
Dialing code 0823
Patron saint St. Sebastian and St. Anne
Saint day January 20 and July 26
Website Official website

Caserta (Italian: [kaˈzɛrta] ( listen) or [kaˈsɛrta]; Neapolitan: [kaˈsertə]) is the capital of the province of Caserta in the Campania region of Italy. It is an important agricultural, commercial and industrial comune and city. Caserta is located on the edge of the Campanian plain at the foot of the Campanian Subapennine mountain range. The city is best known for the Palace of Caserta.

History

Modern Caserta was established around the defensive tower built in Lombard times by Pando, Prince of Capua. Pando destroyed the original city around 863. The tower is now part of the Palazzo della Prefettura which was once the seat of the counts of Caserta, as well as a royal residence. The original population moved from Casertavecchia (former bishopric seat) to the current site in the 16th century. Casertavecchia was built on the Roman town of Casa Irta, meaning "home village located above" and later contracted as "Caserta".

The city and vicinity were the property of the Acquaviva family who, being pressed by huge debts, sold all the land to the royal family. The royal family then selected Caserta for the construction of their new palace which, being inland, was seen as more defensible than the previous palace fronting the Bay of Naples.

At the end of World War II, the royal palace served as the seat of the Supreme Allied Commander. The first Allied war trial took place here in 1945; German general Anton Dostler was sentenced to death and executed nearby, in Aversa.[1]

Pope Francis visited Caserta on Monday, 28 June 2014, together with a friend named Giovanni Traettino who pastors an evangelical, charismatic/Pentecostal Protestant church. The Pope apologized for the complicity of some Catholics in the persecution of Protestant Pentecostals during the fascist regime in Italy.[2]

Geography

Caserta is located 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of Naples. Its municipality borders with Capua, Casagiove, Casapulla, Castel Morrone, Curti, Limatola (BN), Maddaloni, Marcianise, Recale, San Felice a Cancello, San Marco Evangelista, San Nicola la Strada, San Prisco, Sant'Agata de' Goti (BN), Santa Maria Capua Vetere and Valle di Maddaloni.

Frazioni

  • Casertavecchia is the ancient centre of the comune and former bishopric seat.
  • San Leucio resort, seat of famous Royal silk workshops, also included in the World Heritage List.
  • Vaccheria, which housed the stable of the Royal cattle.
  • Falciano is a former bishop seat; it includes a 16th-century palace.
  • Piedimonte di Casolla has an ancient Benedictine abbey, built over a Roman temple dedicated to Diana.
  • Other "Frazioni": Aldifreda, Briano, Casola, Casolla, Centurano, Ercole, Garzano, Mezzano, Pozzovetere, Puccianiello, Sala di Caserta, San Benedetto, San Clemente, Santa Barbara, Staturano, Tredici, Tuoro.

Main sights

Piazzas

  • Piazza Matteotti Grave is one of oldest piazzas the city, it is called by Casertani "Piazza Mercato" (Market Square) because there is the daily market in a structure inaugurated in 2008.
  • Piazza Vanvitelli is the main piazza in the city. The piazza once included Palazzo Castropignano but this was subsequently replaced by a modern palace in the early 1960s. The seat of the municipality of Caserta, Palazzo Acquaviva lies within this piazza as well as the offices of Questura and Prefettura of the Province of Caserta and various banks, shops, hotels and bars. At the center of it there is a statue of Luigi Vanvitelli, the architect who designed the Royal Palace of Caserta.

Sports

The city has some experience in hosting major international sports events such as the EuroBasket 1969.

It is home to Juvecaserta Basket, Italy's 1991 basketball champion.

Transport

Caserta railway station is a hub for regional and national traffic, and represents an important interchange linking Rome and Naples to Bari. The nearest airport is Naples-Capodichino, located about 30 kilometres (19 mi) south.

Caserta is the starting point of the A30 motorway to Salerno and is served by two exits of A1 motorway: Caserta Nord (Caserta North, near Casagiove and Casapulla) and Caserta Sud (Caserta South, near Marcianise and San Marco Evangelista).

Twin towns — sister cities

Caserta is twinned with:

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ↑ Anthony Cave Brown (1984). The last hero: Wild Bill Donovan. Vintage Books.
  2. ↑ Fournier K. A. Spiritual Ecumenism: Pope Francis Visits Evangelical/Pentecostal Church in Caserta Italy at Catholic Online. Accessed 26 October 2014
  3. ↑ Caserta War Cemetery at Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Accessed 26 October 2014
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