Santa Maria Capua Vetere

Santa Maria Capua Vetere is a town and comune in the province of Caserta, in the region of Campania, in southern Italy.

Santa Maria Capua Vetere
Città di Santa Maria Capua Vetere
The Amphitheatre
The Amphitheatre
Coat of arms of Santa Maria Capua Vetere
Location of Santa Maria Capua Vetere
Map
Santa Maria Capua Vetere is located in Italy
Santa Maria Capua Vetere
Santa Maria Capua Vetere
Location of Santa Maria Capua Vetere in Italy
Santa Maria Capua Vetere is located in Campania
Santa Maria Capua Vetere
Santa Maria Capua Vetere
Santa Maria Capua Vetere (Campania)
Coordinates: 41°05′N 14°15′E / 41.083°N 14.250°E / 41.083; 14.250
CountryItaly
RegionCampania
ProvinceCaserta (CE)
FrazioniSant'Andrea dei Lagni
Government
 • MayorAntonio Mirra
Area
 • Total36 km2 (14 sq mi)
Elevation
36 m (118 ft)
Population
 (31 August 2015)[2]
 • Total32,793
 • Density910/km2 (2,400/sq mi)
DemonymSammaritani or Mariani
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
81055
Dialing code0823
Patron saintSt. Simmachus and Bl. Vergin Maria Assunta
Saint dayOctober 22 and August 15
WebsiteOfficial website

Though it is not connected with the Civitas Capuana, the town is a medieval place and its proximity to the Roman amphitheatre led the inhabitants to change its name to Santa Maria Capua Vetere, where Capua Vetere means Old Capua.

History edit

In the area several settlements of the Villanovan culture were present in pre-historical times, and these were probably enlarged by the Oscans and Etruscans. In the 4th century BCE Capuae was the largest city in Italy after Rome.

The city was damaged by Vandal ravages but later recovered and became the seat of an independent Lombard principate. However, during the struggle of the succession to the Duchy of Benevento, it was destroyed by a band of Saracens in 841 CE. The survivors mostly fled and founded the modern Capua in the site of the ancient River port of Casilinum.

What is now Santa Maria Capua Vetere started to grow slowly when several countryside residences appeared around the old Christian basilicas of Santa Maria Maggiore, San Pietro in Corpo and Sant'Erasmo in Capitolio. King Robert of Anjou made Santa Maria Maggiore one of his summer residences.

The town was known as Santa Maria Maggiore until 1861.

During World War I, Santa Maria Capua Vetere was the location of a military camp for Polish prisoners of war from the Austro-Hungarian Army, who then formed new Polish units to fight for Polish independence (see also Italy–Poland relations).[3]

Main sights edit

For information about main ancient landmarks in the comune of Santa Maria Capua Vetere, see Main sights in Capua.

The main other landmark of Santa Maria Capua Vetere is the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, founded, according to the tradition, by Pope Symmachus in the 5th century. The church had originally a single nave, but was enlarged by Lombard Prince Arechis II of Benevento in 787. Another renovation was carried out in 1666 by Cardinal Robert Bellarmine, with the addition of two further aisles; the current Late Baroque appearance dates to the 1742–88 works, during which the precious mosaic area of the apse was destroyed.

People edit

 
The amphitheatre of the ancient Capua.
 
Arch of Hadrian (Arco d'Adriano).
 
Tauroctony fresco in the mithraeum, 2nd century.
  • Pina Picierno is a member and Vice President of the European Parliament.
  • Errico Malatesta was an Italian anarchist, social and political activist, writer and revolutionary.
  • Frank Matano, Italian actor, presenter and voice actor.

Twin towns edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  3. ^ Turek, Stanisław (1928). Zarys historji wojennej 12-go Pułku Kresowego Artylerji Polowej (in Polish). Warszawa. p. 3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

External links edit