Vasto(Abruzzese:lù Uàštë;Ancient Greek:Ἱστόνιον,romanized:Histonion,Latin:Histonium) is acomuneon theAdriaticcoast of theProvince of Chieti,in southernAbruzzo,Italy. During theMiddle Agesit was calledGuastaymonis,Vasto d'AimoneorWaste d'Aimone.[3]Fascist Italycalled the city Istonio, but it was renamed Vasto in 1944.
Vasto | |
|---|---|
| Città del Vasto | |
 Lighthouse of Punta Penna,the second tallest in Italy and seventh tallest in the world | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
Location of Vasto  | |
  Vasto Location of Vasto in Italy  Vasto Vasto (Abruzzo) | |
| Coordinates:42°07′00″N14°42′25″E/ 42.11667°N 14.70694°E | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Abruzzo |
| Province | Chieti(CH) |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Francesco Menna (Partito Democratico) |
| Area | |
• Total | 70.65 km2(27.28 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 138 m (453 ft) |
| Population (January 1, 2023)[2] | |
• Total | 40,692 |
| • Density | 580/km2(1,500/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Vastesi |
| Time zone | UTC+1(CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2(CEST) |
| Postal code | 66054 |
| Dialing code | 0873 |
| Patron saint | Saint Michael |
| Saint day | September 29 |
| Website | Official website |
History
editAncient period
editAccording to legend, the town was founded byDiomedes,the Greek hero. The earliest archaeological relics date to 1300 BC. Histonium was one of the key towns of theFrentani,located on theAdriaticcoast, about 9 kilometres (6 mi) south of the promontory calledPunta Penna.
Ancient geographers cited the town as located in the territory of the Frentani and apparently underJulius Caesar[4]did not obtain the rank of acolonia,but continued to bear the title of amunicipium,as we learn from some inscriptions.[5] Under theRoman Empire,the municipium of Histonium was a flourishing and opulent town, further attested by the existing ruins of an ancient Roman theatre, baths, and other public edifices, besides numerous mosaics, statues, and columns of granite or marble.[6]
Among the numerous inscriptions which have been found, one of the most curious records the fact of a young boy named Lucius Valerius Pudens having at thirteen years of age won the prize for Latin poetry in the contest held atRomein the temple ofJupiter Capitolinus.[7]The name of Histonium is still found in the Itineraries of the fourth century[8]and it probably never ceased to exist on its present site, though ravaged successively by theGoths,theLombards,theFranks,and theArabs.
Histonium had no natural port, and it is not improbable that in the days of its prosperity it depended on the port at the Punta Penna, where the current harbour that is thePorto di Vastoand thelighthouseare located, where there is good anchorage, and where Roman remains have also been found, which have been regarded, but probably erroneously, as those of the settlement ofBuca.[9]
Middle Ages
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After the collapse of theWestern Roman Empire,the region was occupied by Germanic tribes untilJustinian'sByzantinere-conquest, which included the province ofSamnium,of which Histonium was a key town. However soon after Justinian's death, Histonium fell to theLombardsand incorporated into theDuchy of Benevento.Later, circa 774 AD, the town was conquered by theFranks.Subsequently, in 1053, theNormansunderRobert Guiscardin turn captured it along with the Duchy of Benevento. Around 1076, Histonium was renamed Guastaymonis, or the Waste of Aimone (Italian:Il Guasto d'Aimone), following raids, hence its current name. From the 13th century it was part of theKingdom of Naples,which later merged into theKingdom of the Two Sicilies.
In the 15th century the city's urban structure was transformed by thecondottieroGiacomo Caldora,who had become its lord. The Caldora family built new city walls still seen today, including the Torre Bassano tower in Piazza Rossetti, the Torre Diomede in Vico Storto del Passero, the Torre Diamante in Piazza Verdi and Porta Catena, and with Castello Caldoresco as its primary defensive outpost.
In 1566, Turkish Ottoman naval forces, led byPiyale Pasha,destroyed much of the city by fire, including the Castello Caldoresco, the Church of Santa Margherita and the Palazzo d'Avalos (formerly a home ofVittoria Colonna– close confidante ofMichelangelo– now theMusei di Palazzo d'Avalos).
From Spanish rule until Italy's Unification
editUnder theSpanishrule of southern Italy, Vasto became fief of the Marquisd'Avalos,and under the reign of Cesare Michelangelo (marquis from 1697 to 1729), Vasto reached its zenith. Only superficially shaken by revolutionary events in 1799 (a short-lived Republic of Vasto was immediately overthrown by the sanfedista, or loyalists), the city's history was reflected in the nation's throughout the Restoration to the Unity of Italy when aliberal elitegoverned.
The poet and scholarGabriele Rossettiwas born in Vasto on 28 February 1783. Rossetti's published works include literary criticism, Romantic poetry such as his long poemIl Veggente in Solitudineof 1846, and his autobiography. Gabriele went into political exile in 1821, settling inLondon,England.
He was the father of well-knownpre-RaphaelitepainterDante Gabriel Rossettiand poetChristina Rossetti.Gabriele died on 24 April 1854 and is buried in London'sHighgate Cemeterywith his wifeFrances Polidori.
Modern
editIn the early 20th century, Vasto changed its architectural and urban features. The historical centre was redrawn and the foundations were set for drastic alterations during the 1920s and 1930s, with Mussolini decreeing a name change to Istonio in 1938, the official name until the liberation of the city from theAllied Forcesin 1944.
Despite a devastating landslide (1956) that dragged a significant part of the eastern ridge – now Via Adriatica – into the gorge below, the years followingWorld War IIwitnessed industrial, urban, and socio-cultural development. The city also discovered its tourist vocation: besides the progressive development of its beaches in Marina di Vasto, Roman-era thermal baths, mosaics, cisterns and remains of anamphitheatrewere found and restored.
During the 1970s until the recent days, the town underwent a remarkable change and a fast growth, with several housing, road and other infrastructure projects built to accommodate the emigrating population from the inner areas of Southern Abruzzo, which have made it one of the most populous of the region.
Main sights
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The old part of the town (centro storico) features a number of buildings and churches dating from the 12th-18th centuries, including:
- Vasto Cathedral(Cattedrale di San Giuseppe)
- Santa Maria Maggiore:largest and oldest (mentioned in a document as early as 1195) church in the town, with a quite tall bell tower. Damaged by the Turks in 1566,[10]and by a fire in 1645, it received a thorough restructuring in 1735 in which it got the current shape. It hosts one of alleged Jesus' crown of thorns (Sacra Spina).
- Castello Caldoresco
- Palazzo D'Avalos:Imposing palace in the center of town, now houses the Civic Museums, including a museum of archeology and the town Art Gallery (Musei Civici)
Below the hill on which the town is located, the beach resort town ofMarina di Vastooffers a large sandy beach and several hotels and other facilities.
Further north the coast becomes rocky and features interesting pebble and stone beaches and coves, as well as the typicaltrabocchi,typical wooden fishing machines of the Southern Abruzzo coast. Amongst the natural areas, also featuring a number of sandy and rocky beaches, is the protected natural area of the Riserva Naturale di Punta Aderci, whose beaches were voted in 2014 third of the top 20 beaches in Italy.[11]
Notable people from Vasto
edit- Gabriele Rossetti,scholar, founder of the secret societyCarbonari.
- Vittorio Coccia,football player
- Andrea Iannone,motorcycle racer
- Valerico Laccetti,painter
- Filippo Palizzi,painter
- Francesco Romani,doctor
- Alessandra Smerilli,economist
- Giuseppe Spataro,politician
Climate
edit| Climate data for Vasto (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1951–2000) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 23.0 (73.4) |
24.5 (76.1) |
28.0 (82.4) |
29.1 (84.4) |
34.8 (94.6) |
38.4 (101.1) |
40.2 (104.4) |
42.5 (108.5) |
38.5 (101.3) |
33.2 (91.8) |
27.2 (81.0) |
24.3 (75.7) |
42.5 (108.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 10.5 (50.9) |
11.0 (51.8) |
13.9 (57.0) |
17.3 (63.1) |
21.6 (70.9) |
25.9 (78.6) |
28.5 (83.3) |
28.7 (83.7) |
24.3 (75.7) |
20.0 (68.0) |
15.6 (60.1) |
11.7 (53.1) |
19.1 (66.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 7.7 (45.9) |
8.0 (46.4) |
10.6 (51.1) |
13.8 (56.8) |
17.9 (64.2) |
22.1 (71.8) |
24.7 (76.5) |
24.9 (76.8) |
20.7 (69.3) |
16.8 (62.2) |
12.7 (54.9) |
8.9 (48.0) |
15.7 (60.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 4.9 (40.8) |
5.0 (41.0) |
7.2 (45.0) |
10.2 (50.4) |
14.2 (57.6) |
18.4 (65.1) |
21.0 (69.8) |
21.1 (70.0) |
17.1 (62.8) |
13.6 (56.5) |
9.7 (49.5) |
6.2 (43.2) |
12.4 (54.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −6.4 (20.5) |
−6.8 (19.8) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
0.9 (33.6) |
2.5 (36.5) |
9.3 (48.7) |
12.0 (53.6) |
10.0 (50.0) |
8.0 (46.4) |
4.0 (39.2) |
−8.0 (17.6) |
−3.8 (25.2) |
−8.0 (17.6) |
| Averageprecipitationmm (inches) | 63.3 (2.49) |
53.0 (2.09) |
59.7 (2.35) |
51.2 (2.02) |
36.8 (1.45) |
33.0 (1.30) |
35.2 (1.39) |
42.2 (1.66) |
63.0 (2.48) |
75.0 (2.95) |
81.4 (3.20) |
87.1 (3.43) |
680.9 (26.81) |
| Average precipitation days | 7.1 | 6.2 | 6.8 | 5.5 | 4.8 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 4.9 | 6.6 | 7.8 | 7.7 | 68.1 |
| Source 1: Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale[12] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Regione Abruzzo (precipitation and extremes 1951–2000)[13] | |||||||||||||
Twinnings
edit
See also
edit- Vastese,a Romance language from this town
- Punta Penna Lighthouse
References
edit- ^"Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011".Italian National Institute of Statistics.Retrieved16 March2019.
- ^citypopulation.de."Abruzzo Region".
- ^Abruzzo – Bradt Guide, 2nd Edition, 2013, page 268
- ^(Melaii. 4. § 9;Pliny the Elderiii. 12. s. 17;Ptolemyiii. 1. § 18; Lib. Colon. p. 260;August Wilhelm Zumpt,De Coloniisp. 307.
- ^Orell.Inscr.2603, 4052; Zumpt,l. c..
- ^Romanelli, vol. iii. p. 32.
- ^Romanelli,l. c.p. 34; Orell.Inscr.2603; Mommsen,I. R. N.5252.)
- ^Antonine Itineraryp. 314;Tabula Peutingeriana.
- ^Mommsen,lnscr. Regn. Neap.p. 274,App.p. 30; who has collected and published all the genuine inscriptions found at Histonium.
- ^Chiese di Vasto: Santa Maria Maggiore, 2014, at the URL:http://www.vastospa.it/html/la_citt%E0/ch_s_maria.htm[permanent dead link]
- ^Legambiente, 2014http://www.legambiente.it/contenuti/comunicati/le-spiagge-piu-belle-dell-estate-2014-cala-degli-infreschi-camerota-e-la-piu-ap
- ^"Valori climatici normali in Italia".Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale. Archived fromthe originalon 17 September 2023.Retrieved29 June2024.
- ^"VALORI MEDI CLIMATICI DAL 1951 AL 2000 NELLA REGIONE ABRUZZO"(PDF).Regione Abruzzo. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 30 June 2024.Retrieved30 June2024.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Smith, William,ed. (1854–1857)."Histonium".Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography.London: John Murray.
External links
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- Official website(in Italian)
- News and videos from Vasto Italy