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Potenza

Coordinates:40°38′N15°48′E/ 40.633°N 15.800°E/40.633; 15.800
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, seePotenza (disambiguation).
"Potentia" redirects here. For the Roman town, seePotentia (ancient city).For the car, seeKia Potentia.For the philosophical concepts of potentia and actus, seePotentiality and actuality.
Potenza
Putenz(a)(Neapolitan)
Comune
Città di Potenza
Left: A view of Mario Pagano Square, Stabile Theater, Potenza Province Office, Musmeci Bridge, Right: Potenza San Gerardo Cathedral, Reale Palace, San Gerardo Temple (from top to bottom)
Left:A view of Mario Pagano Square, Stabile Theater, Potenza Province Office,Musmeci Bridge,Right:Potenza San Gerardo Cathedral,Reale Palace,San Gerardo Temple (from top to bottom)
Flag of Potenza
Flag
Coat of arms of Potenza
Coat of arms
Potenza within the Province of Potenza
Potenza within the Province of Potenza
Location of Potenza
Map
Potenza is located in Italy
Potenza
Potenza
Location of Potenza in Basilicata
Potenza is located in Basilicata
Potenza
Potenza
Potenza (Basilicata)
Coordinates:40°38′N15°48′E/ 40.633°N 15.800°E/40.633; 15.800
CountryItaly
RegionBasilicata
ProvincePotenza(PZ)
Government
• MayorMario Guarente(Lega)
Area
[1]
• Total173 km2(67 sq mi)
Elevation
819 m (2,687 ft)
Population
(2023 estimate[2])[3]
• Total64,406
• Density370/km2(960/sq mi)
DemonymPotentini
Time zoneUTC+1(CET)
• Summer (DST)UTC+2(CEST)
Postal code
85100
Dialing code0971
Patron saintSt. Gerard
Saint dayMay 30
WebsiteOfficial website

Potenza(/pəˈtɛnzə/,alsoUS:/poʊˈtɛntsɑː/,[4][5]Italian:[poˈtɛntsa]ⓘ;Neapolitan:Putenza,Potentino dialect:Putenz) is acomunein the SouthernItalianregion ofBasilicata(former Lucania).

Capital of theProvince of Potenzaand theBasilicataregion, the city is the highest regional capital and one of the highestprovincial capitalsin Italy, overlooking the valley of theBasentoriverin theApennine Mountainsof Lucania, east ofSalerno.Its territory is bounded by the comuni ofAnzi,Avigliano,Brindisi Montagna,Picerno,Pietragalla,Pignola,Ruoti,TitoandVaglio Basilicata.

History of Potenza[edit]

Ancient times[edit]

The first settlement of Potentia (Potenza's original Latin name) was probably located at a lower elevation than at present, some 10 kilometres (6 miles) south of today's Potenza. TheLucaniansof Potentia sided againstRome's enemies during the latter's wars against theSamnitesand theBruttii.Subjugated during the 4th century BC (later gaining the status ofmunicipium), the Potentini rebelled after the Roman defeat atCannaein 216 BC.

However, theBattle of the Metaurusmarked the end of anyCarthaginianaspirations in Italy and Potentia was reconquered by the Romans and reduced to the status of military colony.

Middle Ages[edit]

In the 6th century, the city passed to theLombardDuchy of Benevento.Incursions bySaracenraiders menaced the city until theNorman conquest of southern Italysecured the area. In the 12th century, Potenza became anepiscopal see.In 1137, the city hostedPope Innocent IIand EmperorLothair IIduring their failed attempt to conquer the Norman kingdom. In 1148 or 1149 in Potenza,Roger II of Sicilyhosted KingLouis VIIofFrance,whom the Norman fleet had freed from the Saracens. After pillaging by EmperorFrederick II,the city remained loyal to theHohenstaufen:as a result, it was almost totally destroyed byCharles Iwhen the Angevin lord conquered theKingdom of Sicily.On 18 December 1273, an earthquake further devastated the city.

Cathedral Square

Modern age[edit]

In the following years of the Late Middle Ages, the city was owned by various feudal families before the Spanish domination, during which Potenza was the site of riots against the Spaniards. In 1694, it was almost completely destroyed byanother earthquake.

With the declaration of theNeapolitan Republicin 1799, Potenza was one of the first cities to rebel against the king. After temporary Bourbon repression, the city was conquered by the French army in 1806 and declared the capital of Basilicata. KingJoachim Muratimproved the city's living conditions and administration, while some urban improvements were also introduced for the visit ofFerdinand IIin 1846.

A revolt broke out in 1848 and was again put down by Bourbon forces, until a thirddevastating earthquakefollowed in 1857. Potenza rebelled for the last time in 1860, beforeGaribaldi's revolutionary army brought about theunification of Italy.

In September 1943, the city suffered heavy Allied bombing. In 1980,another strong earthquakestruck Potenza.

Main sights[edit]

Panoramic overview of Potenza
  • Potenza Cathedral:TheDuomo di San Gerardo,renovated in the 18th century. The cathedral still houses the rose window and the apse from the original 12th-century structure.
  • San Francesco:church founded in 1274. The portal and the bell tower date from the 15th century. The church houses the De Grasis sepulchre and aMadonnain Byzantine style (13th century).
  • TheTorre Guevara,the last remnant of the old castle. It is now used to stage art exhibitions.
  • ThePalazzo Loffredo,a 17th-century noble residence. It now houses theNational Archaeological Museum of Basilicata,dedicated to archaeologistDinu Adameșteanu.[6]
  • Three gates of the old city walls, now demolished. The gates are thePorta San Giovanni,thePorta San Lucaand thePorta San Gerardo.
  • San Michele:11th-12th centuryRomanesque-style church.
  • Santa Maria del Sepolcro:church.
  • The ruins of a Roman villa in the Poggio Tre Galli quarter.
  • Musmeci Bridge,a unique construction, monument of modern civil engineering.

Geography[edit]

Climate[edit]

Potenza experiences anoceanic climate(Cfbin theKöppen climate classification), failing narrowly to classify aswarm-summer Mediterranean climate(Csb) because the month with the most precipitation has slightly less than three times as much as the driest month.

Climate data for Potenza
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 20.0
(68.0) 		21.8
(71.2) 		23.6
(74.5) 		25.6
(78.1) 		29.8
(85.6) 		33.0
(91.4) 		36.8
(98.2) 		36.8
(98.2) 		33.2
(91.8) 		30.0
(86.0) 		21.8
(71.2) 		20.0
(68.0) 		36.8
(98.2)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 6.9
(44.4) 		7.2
(45.0) 		9.7
(49.5) 		12.8
(55.0) 		18.1
(64.6) 		22.3
(72.1) 		25.7
(78.3) 		25.8
(78.4) 		21.7
(71.1) 		16.5
(61.7) 		11.0
(51.8) 		7.9
(46.2) 		15.5
(59.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) 4.0
(39.2) 		4.1
(39.4) 		6.1
(43.0) 		8.8
(47.8) 		13.7
(56.7) 		17.5
(63.5) 		20.6
(69.1) 		20.7
(69.3) 		17.2
(63.0) 		12.7
(54.9) 		7.9
(46.2) 		5.1
(41.2) 		11.5
(52.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 1.2
(34.2) 		1.1
(34.0) 		2.5
(36.5) 		4.8
(40.6) 		9.2
(48.6) 		12.7
(54.9) 		15.4
(59.7) 		15.7
(60.3) 		12.7
(54.9) 		8.9
(48.0) 		4.7
(40.5) 		2.3
(36.1) 		7.6
(45.7)
Record low °C (°F) −9.6
(14.7) 		−10
(14) 		−7.8
(18.0) 		−3.6
(25.5) 		0.5
(32.9) 		4.0
(39.2) 		8.0
(46.4) 		6.8
(44.2) 		1.2
(34.2) 		−1.2
(29.8) 		−7
(19) 		−8
(18) 		−10
(14)
Averageprecipitationmm (inches) 55.7
(2.19) 		63.0
(2.48) 		48.6
(1.91) 		66.8
(2.63) 		42.8
(1.69) 		30.4
(1.20) 		26.1
(1.03) 		32.6
(1.28) 		46.2
(1.82) 		61.6
(2.43) 		73.3
(2.89) 		66.0
(2.60) 		613.1
(24.15)
Average precipitation days(≥ 1 mm) 8.3 8.7 8.8 9.4 6.2 4.2 3.3 4.3 5.3 7.5 8.7 8.1 82.8
Averagerelative humidity(%) 77 75 72 69 69 67 62 64 66 72 76 78 71
Source 1:Servizio Meteorologico(1971–2000 data)[7]
Source 2: Servizio Meteorologico (1961–1990 data on average humidity)[8]
Aerial view of the Duomo and Palazzo Loffredo

Population[edit]

Potenza has a population of 67,122 as of 2015. It is the largest city inBasilicata.

Potenza population
Date Census data
1991 65,714
2001 69,060
2011 66,777
2015 67,122

Source:[9]

View of Potenza

Transportation[edit]

Road[edit]

Potenza is located at the eastern end of theRA5 motorway,a 50 km (31 mi) branch from theA2 motorway.

Rail[edit]

Potenza is a rail junction on the main line fromSalernotoTaranto,managed byFS Trenitalia.It has also a connection toAltamuraand its own smallmetropolitan railway service,served by theFerrovie Appulo Lucaneregional company. The city'smain station,which was originally named Potenza Inferiore, is now known asPotenza Centrale.[citation needed]

The nearest airports are:

Escalators[edit]

With the city centre situated at the top of a steep hill,escalatorsprovide a form of public transport in Potenza. The largest, Santa Lucia Escalator (Italian:Scale Mobili Santa Lucia), is approximately 500 m (1,600 ft) long and connects Potenza's historic centre with a residential neighbourhood to the west by descending 100 m (330 ft) into a valley. Potenza's public escalator network is the largest in Europe and the second largest in the world afterTokyo.[10]

People[edit]

International relations[edit]

See also:List of twin towns and sister cities in Italy

Potenza istwinnedwith:

References[edit]

  1. ^"Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011".Italian National Institute of Statistics.Retrieved16 March2019.
  2. ^"Potenza (Potenza, Basilicata, Italy) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map, Location, Weather and Web Information".
  3. ^"Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018".Italian National Institute of Statistics.Retrieved16 March2019.
  4. ^"Potenza".The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language(5th ed.). HarperCollins.Retrieved1 May2019.
  5. ^"Potenza".Oxford DictionariesUK English Dictionary.Oxford University Press.[dead link]
  6. ^"Potenza:Archaeological Museums".Basilicata Turistica.Retrieved26 September2021.
  7. ^"Potenza (PZ) 845 m. s.l.m. (a.s.l.)"(PDF)(in Italian and English). Servizio Meteorologico. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 9 April 2015.Retrieved10 September2013.
  8. ^"Stazione 300 Potenza, medie mensili periodo 61 - 90".Servizio Meteorologico. Archived fromthe originalon 10 January 2010.Retrieved10 September2013.
  9. ^"Potenza (Potenza, Basilicata, Italy)".City Population.Retrieved31 March2017.
  10. ^"Potenza Capoluogo è la città con le scale mobili più lunghe d'Europa".Le Cronache(in Italian). 4 June 2017.Retrieved28 December2020.
  11. ^"Treccani - la cultura italiana | Treccani, il portale del sapere".

External links[edit]

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