Teramo (; nap, label= Abruzzese, Tèreme ) is a city and ''

comune The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...

'' in the

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

region of

Abruzzo Abruzzo (, , ; nap, label=Neapolitan language, Abruzzese Neapolitan, Abbrùzze , ''Abbrìzze'' or ''Abbrèzze'' ; nap, label=Sabino dialect, Aquilano, Abbrùzzu; #History, historically Abruzzi) is a Regions of Italy, region of Southern Italy wi ...

, the capital of the

province of Teramo The Province of Teramo ( it, provincia di Teramo; Abruzzese: ') is a province in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Teramo. The province has an area of , a population of 313,029 (2012), and is subdivided into 47 comunes ( i ...

. The city, from

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, is situated between the highest mountains of the

Apennines The Apennines or Apennine Mountains (; grc-gre, links=no, Ἀπέννινα ὄρη or Ἀπέννινον ὄρος; la, Appenninus or – a singular with plural meaning;''Apenninus'' (Greek or ) has the form of an adjective, which wou ...

(

Gran Sasso d'Italia Gran Sasso d'Italia (; ) is a massif in the Apennine Mountains of Italy. Its highest peak, Corno Grande (2,912 metres), is the highest mountain in the Apennines, and the second-highest mountain in Italy outside the Alps. The mountain lies wit ...

) and the

Adriatic coast The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to the ...

. The town is located by the confluence of the Vezzola and

Tordino The Tordino is a river flowing in the province of Teramo, in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. In Roman times it may have been known as "Batinus". The source of the Tordino is located between Monte Gorzano and Pelone, in the Monti della Laga su ...

rivers, on a hillside area where the terrain features along with the

Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...

make the territory rich in vineyards and olive groves. The economy of the town is mostly based on activities connected with agriculture and commerce, as well as a sound industrial sector: textiles, foods, engineering, building materials and ceramics. Teramo can be reached from the A14 and the A24 motorways.

Climate

The climate is fresh-temperate. In the coolest month (January) temperatures average , and in the warmest month (July) they average . In the winter time though they can experience copious amounts of snowfall, as in 2005. The precipitations are not frequent and mostly concentrated in late spring. The summers are characterized by days of somewhat intense heat.

Name

Interamna (

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

: : Eth. Interamnas, Interamnātis) was the name of several cities in different parts of Italy. Its etymology, already pointed out by

Varro Marcus Terentius Varro (; 116–27 BC) was a Roman polymath and a prolific author. He is regarded as ancient Rome's greatest scholar, and was described by Petrarch as "the third great light of Rome" (after Vergil and Cicero). He is sometimes calle ...

and

Festus Festus may refer to: People Ancient world *Porcius Festus, Roman governor of Judea from approximately 58 to 62 AD *Sextus Pompeius Festus (later 2nd century), Roman grammarian *Festus (died 305), martyr along with Proculus of Pozzuoli *Festus (h ...

, indicates their position at the confluence of two streams. The form "Interamnium" (Greek: ), and the ethnic form Interamnis are also found, but more rarely. The name referred to the two rivers Vezzola and Tordino, between which it lies. The name is already defined in extant manuscripts of the ''Liber Coloniarum'' into Teramne, whence its modern form of Teramo. But in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

it appears to have been known also by the name of Aprutium, supposed to be a corruption of Praetutium, or rather of the name of the people

Praetutii The Praetutii (Greek: , Ptolemy; Eth. , Polybius), were an ancient Italic tribe of central Italy. They are thought to have lived around Interamnia (or Interamna), which became modern Teramo, and to have given their name to Abruzzo. The ancient acc ...

, applied (as was so often the case in

Gaul Gaul ( la, Gallia) was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. It was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, parts of Northern Italy (only during ...

) to their chief city. Thus the name ''Abrutium'' is present among the cities of

Picenum Picenum was a region of ancient Italy. The name is an exonym assigned by the Romans, who conquered and incorporated it into the Roman Republic. Picenum was ''Regio V'' in the Augustan territorial organization of Roman Italy. Picenum was also ...

enumerated by the ''Geographer of Ravenna'' (iv. 31); and under the

Lombards The Lombards () or Langobards ( la, Langobardi) were a Germanic people who ruled most of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774. The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written between 787 and ...

a ''comes Aprutii'' is mentioned. The name has been retained in that of

, now a region of Italy.

History

Pre Roman Age

A settlement of the 1st millennium BC and some buildings of ancient

Italic tribes The Italic peoples were an ethnolinguistic group identified by their use of Italic languages, a branch of the Indo-European language family. The Italic peoples are descended from the Indo-European speaking peoples who inhabited Italy from at lea ...

were the object of archaeological excavations. The most ancient historical remains were found in the outskirts of the city, precisely in the neighborhood Madonna delle grazie, where, among many, a burial place with a dagger and a halberd were found. Allegedly, the development of the old settlement was due to the commercial center founded by the

Etruscan __NOTOC__ Etruscan may refer to: Ancient civilization *The Etruscan language, an extinct language in ancient Italy *Something derived from or related to the Etruscan civilization **Etruscan architecture **Etruscan art **Etruscan cities ** Etrusca ...

civilization. According to the Roman author

Sextus Julius Frontinus Sextus Julius Frontinus (c. 40 – 103 AD) was a prominent Roman civil engineer, author, soldier and senator of the late 1st century AD. He was a successful general under Domitian, commanding forces in Roman Britain, and on the Rhine and Danube ...

, the ancient Perut or Pretut (meaning "Hill surrounded by waters") strongly developed in dimensions and importance until it became the capital of the

tribe.

Roman age

In the

battle of Sentinum The Battle of Sentinum was the decisive battle of the Third Samnite War, fought in 295 BC near Sentinum (next to the modern town of Sassoferrato, in the Marche region of Italy), in which the Romans overcame a formidable coalition of Samnites, ...

(295 BC), the

Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

defied the Italian confederation (Sabellians, Etrusci, Umbri and their allies the

Gauls The Gauls ( la, Galli; grc, Γαλάται, ''Galátai'') were a group of Celtic peoples of mainland Europe in the Iron Age and the Roman period (roughly 5th century BC to 5th century AD). Their homeland was known as Gaul (''Gallia''). They s ...

), starting the

Samnite Wars The First, Second, and Third Samnite Wars (343–341 BC, 326–304 BC, and 298–290 BC) were fought between the Roman Republic and the Samnites, who lived on a stretch of the Apennine Mountains south of Rome and north of the Lucanian tribe. ...

. In 290 BC the Sabine area, along with the

’s region was occupied by the legions sent by the consul

Manius Curius Dentatus Manius Curius Dentatus (died 270 BC) was a Roman general and statesman noted for ending the Samnite War and for his military exploits during the Pyrrhic War. According to Pliny, he was born with teeth, thus earning the surname Dentatus, "toothed ...

. The city took the Latin name of'' Interamnia Praetuttiorum'' ("City of the Praetutii between two rivers"). During the reign of

Augustus Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pri ...

Interamnia is included in the Picenum district. The area of the current province was divided from south to north into the Ager Hatrianus, Ager Praetutianus and Ager Palmense. After the Second Social War Interamnia became a municipium. The city lost the status of Municipium because of the participation of

Lucius Cornelius Sulla Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix (; 138–78 BC), commonly known as Sulla, was a Roman general and statesman. He won the first large-scale civil war in Roman history and became the first man of the Republic to seize power through force. Sulla had t ...

in the Social war (91–88 BC), but the city will subsequently regain it for expressed will of

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...

. During the Roman age, thanks to its nearness to the capital of the empire, the city lived a prosperous and favorable moment as proven by the numerous mosaics, theater, thermal baths and the amphitheater remains. As historians like

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importanc ...

Livy Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a Ancient Rome, Roman historian. He wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people, titled , covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditiona ...

and

Pliny Pliny may refer to: People * Pliny the Elder (23–79 CE), ancient Roman nobleman, scientist, historian, and author of ''Naturalis Historia'' (''Pliny's Natural History'') * Pliny the Younger (died 113), ancient Roman statesman, orator, w ...

remember, the city reached its best period under the emperor

Hadrian Hadrian (; la, Caesar Trâiānus Hadriānus ; 24 January 76 – 10 July 138) was Roman emperor from 117 to 138. He was born in Italica (close to modern Santiponce in Spain), a Roman ''municipium'' founded by Italic settlers in Hispania B ...

, with the constructions of the temples dedicated to

Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, only being larger than Mercury (planet), Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Mars (mythology), Roman god of war. Mars is a terr ...

and

Apollo Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...

Middle Ages

Little is known about Teramo in the early Middle Ages, after first destruction of the city in the year 410 by the

Visigoths The Visigoths (; la, Visigothi, Wisigothi, Vesi, Visi, Wesi, Wisi) were an early Germanic people who, along with the Ostrogoths, constituted the two major political entities of the Goths within the Roman Empire in late antiquity, or what is ...

under

Alaric I Alaric I (; got, 𐌰𐌻𐌰𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍃, , "ruler of all"; c. 370 – 410 AD) was the first king of the Visigoths, from 395 to 410. He rose to leadership of the Goths who came to occupy Moesia—territory acquired a couple of decades ...

. The

Ostrogoths The Ostrogoths ( la, Ostrogothi, Austrogothi) were a Roman-era Germanic peoples, Germanic people. In the 5th century, they followed the Visigoths in creating one of the two great Goths, Gothic kingdoms within the Roman Empire, based upon the larg ...

ruled Interamnia 552–554 AD. Right after the

Gothic War (6th century) Gothic War may refer to: *Gothic War (248–253), battles and plundering carried out by the Goths and their allies in the Roman Empire. *Gothic War (367–369), a war of Thervingi against the Eastern Roman Empire in which the Goths retreated to Mont ...

, the city became a

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

possession. Teramo was included in the

Marchia Firmana The March of Fermo ( la, Marchia Fermana or ''Firmana'', it, Marca fermana) was a frontier territory (march) of the Holy Roman Empire in the Kingdom of Italy between the late 10th and early 12th centuries. It faced the Principality of Benevento and ...

, part of the

Exarchate of Ravenna The Exarchate of Ravenna ( la, Exarchatus Ravennatis; el, Εξαρχάτο της Ραβέννας) or of Italy was a lordship of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) in Italy, from 584 to 751, when the last exarch was put to death by the ...

. Later it was a Lombard fief and part of the

Duchy of Spoleto The Duchy of Spoleto (, ) was a Lombard territory founded about 570 in central Italy by the Lombard ''dux'' Faroald. Its capital was the city of Spoleto. Lombards The Lombards had invaded Italy in 568 AD and conquered much of it, establishing ...

. In 1129 the city was conquered by the

Normans The Normans (Norman language, Norman: ''Normaunds''; french: Normands; la, Nortmanni/Normanni) were a population arising in the medieval Duchy of Normandy from the intermingling between Norsemen, Norse Viking settlers and indigenous West Fran ...

, as part of the

County of Apulia The County of Apulia and Calabria (), later the Duchy of Apulia and Calabria (), was a Norman state founded by William of Hauteville in 1042 in the territories of Gargano, Capitanata, Apulia, Vulture, and most of Campania. It became a duchy when ...

. In 1140 it became a possession of

Roger II of Sicily Roger II ( it, Ruggero II; 22 December 1095 – 26 February 1154) was King of Sicily and Africa, son of Roger I of Sicily Roger I ( it, Ruggero I, Arabic: ''رُجار'', ''Rujār''; Maltese: ''Ruġġieru'', – 22 June 1101), nicknamed Rog ...

, the first

King of Sicily The monarchs of Sicily ruled from the establishment of the County of Sicily in 1071 until the "perfect fusion" in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in 1816. The origins of the Sicilian monarchy lie in the Norman conquest of southern Italy which occ ...

. During the strife following Roger's coronation, Teramo was destroyed by a Norman force under

Robert II of Loritello Robert II (died 1134 or 1137) was the son and successor of Count Robert I of Loritello. His father died in 1107. He married his second cousin Adelaide, a daughter of Roger II of Sicily and Elvira of Castile. They had a son, named William, who succ ...

. Only the tower of Piazza Sant’Anna was saved from this sack; from this moment on it will be called Torre Bruciata (burnt tower). In the 1268 the domination of the

House of Hohenstaufen The Hohenstaufen dynasty (, , ), also known as the Staufer, was a noble family of unclear origin that rose to rule the Duchy of Swabia from 1079, and to royal rule in the Holy Roman Empire during the Middle Ages from 1138 until 1254. The dynasty ...

, who had inherited Sicily from Roger II's line, ended; they were replaced by the

House of Anjou Angevin or House of Anjou may refer to: * County of Anjou or Duchy of Anjou, a historical county, and later Duchy, in France ** Angevin (language), the traditional langue d'oïl spoken in Anjou ** Counts and Dukes of Anjou *House of Ingelger, a Fra ...

. The ecclesiastical authority of the Aprutina Diocese, led by the bishops Rainaldo Acquaviva, Niccolò degli Arcioni (1317), Stefano da Teramo (1335) and Pietro di Valle (1366) boosted the city's economy, as witnessed by the construction of castles, churches, cloisters and palaces along with the great privileges granted by the sovereigns. Within the following two centuries Teramo became part of the

Kingdom of Naples The Kingdom of Naples ( la, Regnum Neapolitanum; it, Regno di Napoli; nap, Regno 'e Napule), also known as the Kingdom of Sicily, was a state that ruled the part of the Italian Peninsula south of the Papal States between 1282 and 1816. It was ...

Renaissance and modern era

The 15th century saw the struggles between the most important families of the city (De Valle and Melatino). The exemplary hanging of 13 followers of Melatino's family is still remembered in a stone shield in the very center of the city. The monument represents two heads with their tongues out under the writing “A lo parlare agi mesura” (mind what you say). During the first years of the century, the tyrant Antonello de Valle was assassinated; his castle, located in what is now

Garibaldi Giuseppe Maria Garibaldi ( , ;In his native Ligurian language, he is known as ''Gioxeppe Gaibado''. In his particular Niçard dialect of Ligurian, he was known as ''Jousé'' or ''Josep''. 4 July 1807 – 2 June 1882) was an Italian general, patr ...

Square, was demolished. The legend says that the belligerence between the families ended thanks to the women of the city who proclaimed a strike of affection. Despite the internal struggles, the city lived a very developed cultural period in the century. Artists like Jacobello del Fiore and

Nicola da Guardiagrele Nicola da Guardiagrele (born Nicola Gallucci or Nicola di Andrea di Pasquale; c. 1385/1390Page aAbruzzo region official website – c. 1462) was an Italian late medieval goldsmith, painter and etcher. Biography Born at Guardiagrele, in what is n ...

were called to work in the city, which had commercial relationship with

Tuscany Tuscany ( ; it, Toscana ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of about 3.8 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence (''Firenze''). Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, art ...

and

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

. After the death of Ferdinand II,

Charles II of Spain Charles II of Spain (''Spanish: Carlos II,'' 6 November 1661 – 1 November 1700), known as the Bewitched (''Spanish: El Hechizado''), was the last Habsburg ruler of the Spanish Empire. Best remembered for his physical disabilities and the War o ...

sold Teramo to the Duke of

Atri Atri ( sa, अत्रि) or Attri is a Vedic sage, who is credited with composing numerous hymns to Agni, Indra, and other Vedic deities of Hinduism. Atri is one of the Saptarishi (seven great Vedic sages) in the Hindu tradition, and the on ...

for 40,000 ducats. The people of Teramo rebelled, but with no result. In 1626 Teramo was struck by an earthquake, followed four years later by the plague. From 1707, after of the

War of the Spanish Succession The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict that took place from 1701 to 1714. The death of childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700 led to a struggle for control of the Spanish Empire between his heirs, Phil ...

, the

Habsburg monarchy The Habsburg monarchy (german: Habsburgermonarchie, ), also known as the Danubian monarchy (german: Donaumonarchie, ), or Habsburg Empire (german: Habsburgerreich, ), was the collection of empires, kingdoms, duchies, counties and other polities ...

rules the whole

Kingdom of the Two Sicilies The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies ( it, Regno delle Due Sicilie) was a kingdom in Southern Italy from 1816 to 1860. The kingdom was the largest sovereign state by population and size in Italy before Italian unification, comprising Sicily and a ...

for 27 years. During the

Age of Enlightenment The Age of Enlightenment or the Enlightenment; german: Aufklärung, "Enlightenment"; it, L'Illuminismo, "Enlightenment"; pl, Oświecenie, "Enlightenment"; pt, Iluminismo, "Enlightenment"; es, La Ilustración, "Enlightenment" was an intel ...

Teramo is an active centre of intellectual life, especially with Melchiorre Delfico, a notable poet, composer and Italian philosopher. In 1798 French troops entered Teramo, and though they were initially repulsed by the citizens, they returned a few days later, sacking the whole city. In 1806

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

defeated the troops of

Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies Ferdinand I (12 January 1751 – 4 January 1825) was the King of the Two Sicilies from 1816, after his restoration following victory in the Napoleonic Wars. Before that he had been, since 1759, Ferdinand IV of the Kingdom of Naples and Ferdinand I ...

, and Teramo became a French possession until 1815, when it reverted to the

. King

Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies Ferdinand II ( it, Ferdinando Carlo; scn, Ferdinannu Carlu; nap, Ferdinando Carlo; 12 January 1810 – 22 May 1859) was King of the Two Sicilies from 1830 until his death in 1859. Family Ferdinand was born in Palermo to King Francis I of the T ...

visited the city in 1832, 1844 and 1847. In 1890 the Observatory of Collurania was founded.

Contemporary age

In 1925 the first Italian Psychoanalytic Society was founded in Teramo. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, on 25 June 1943 German troops arrived in Teramo and proceeded to Bosco Martese where they fought against the men of the Resistance movement. The episode is remembered as the "Battle of Bosco Martese". In 1972 the first edition of

Interamnia World Cup The Interamnia World Cup can be considered as the handball Olympics. It is the largest international handball competition established and it is contested by men's and women's national teams from all over the world. It takes place every year durin ...

was held. The

University of Teramo The University of Teramo ( it, Università degli Studi di Teramo) is an Italian public research university located in Teramo, Italy. The academic institution was officially established in 1993 after having been a detached section of the D'Annunz ...

was founded in the city in 1993. Anfiteatro di Teramo + Duomo

Main sights

The city's main attractions include: Duomo di Teramo - facciata principale

*the Cathedral of Saint Berardo, built in 1158 by bishop Guido II, in Romanesque style. It has a portal in Gothic style, finished in 1332 by the Roman master Deodato di Cosma. It houses a silver

antependium An ''antependium'' (from Latin ''ante-'' and ''pendēre'' "to hang before"; pl: ''antependia''), also known as a ''parament'' or ''hanging'', or, when speaking specifically of the hanging for the altar, an altar frontal (Latin: ''pallium altaris ...

by Nicola of Guardiagrele (with 35 scenes of the life of Jesus) and a

polyptych A polyptych ( ; Greek: ''poly-'' "many" and ''ptychē'' "fold") is a painting (usually panel painting) which is divided into sections, or panels. Specifically, a "diptych" is a two-part work of art; a "triptych" is a three-part work; a tetrapty ...

by the Venetian artist Jacobello del Fiore depicting the Incoronation of the Virgin. Annexed is a bell tower. *the Romanesque church of Sant'Antonio (1127), with a decorated portal. The interior, with a single nave, was renovated along Baroque lines. *the church of San Getulio, built in the early Middle Ages on the ruins of a Roman temple, finally destroyed in 1155 by the Normans. Only the presbyterium and some Romanesque elements of the original building remain today. *the church of San Domenico (14th century) with a fine Virgin with Child. *the sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie (also known as Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie). It has a Romanesque cloister and a 15th-century miraculous wooden statue of the Virgin, attributed to Silvestro dell'Aquila. *the Palazzo Vescovile ("Bishops Palace"), from the 14th century. *the remains of the Roman theatre (built about 30 BC) and of the amphitheatre (about 3rd–4th century AD). Under Palazzo Savini are remains of a Roman

domus In Ancient Rome, the ''domus'' (plural ''domūs'', genitive ''domūs'' or ''domī'') was the type of town house occupied by the upper classes and some wealthy freedmen during the Republican and Imperial eras. It was found in almost all the ma ...

, including a 1st-century BC

opus tessellatum ''Opus tessellatum'' is the Latin name for the normal technique of Greek and Roman mosaic, made from tesserae that are larger than about 4 mm. It is distinguished from the finer ''opus vermiculatum'' which used tiny ''tesserae'', typically cubes ...

pavement which depicts a fighting lion and other decorative elements. *the ''Torre Bruciata'' ("Burnt Tower"), a Roman tower from the 2nd century BC, in

opus quadratum ''Opus quadratum'' ("squared work") is an ancient Roman construction technique, in which squared blocks of stone of the same height were set in parallel courses, most often without the use of mortar. The Latin author Vitruvius describes the tech ...

. The name derives from the traces left by the siege in 1156 by

Robert III of Loritello Robert of Bassunvilla (also Basunvilla and Bassonville) (''c.'' 1125 – died 15 September 1182) was the count of Conversano (from 1138) and Loritello (from 1154, as Robert III). His family had a long history in Vassonville, near Dieppe. Robert ( ...

. *Church of ''Santa Maria de Praediis'' (10th–11th centuries), built using materials from the destroyed castle and Roman villas and temples.

Culture

An art exhibit, ''Maggio Festeggiante'', is held each May. The summer calendar includes the Teramo Literary Prize and the

, an international handball event. A week in October is also dedicated to an international photography of film show.

University of Teramo

The

offers 5 faculties, 24 bachelor's degree courses, 35 master's, 6 postgraduate schools and 10 departments. The Coste Sant'Agostino Campus holds the faculties of

Law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...

Communication Sciences Communication studies or communication science is an academic discipline that deals with processes of human communication and behavior, patterns of communication in interpersonal relationships, social interactions and communication in differe ...

, and

Political Science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...

. The University is going through a period of internationalization by offering scholarships to students from all over of the world.

Osservatorio Collurania

The Observatory of Teramo was founded by

Vincenzo Cerulli Vincenzo Cerulli (20 April 1859 – 30 May 1927) was an Italian astronomer and founder of the Collurania-Teramo Observatory in Teramo, central Italy, where he was born. He earned a degree in physics from the Sapienza University of Rome in 1881 ...

in 1890–1891, and donated to the Italian administration in 1891. Starting from 1994, the observatory owns an optical telescope.

Government

At the municipal level, the City of Teramo has a council made up of the mayor and councilmen that are elected every 5 years. in Italy every citizen over 18 has the right to vote.

Twin towns — sister cities

Teramo is twinned with: *

Berane Berane ( cyrl, Беране) is one of the largest towns of northeastern Montenegro and a former administrative centre of the Ivangrad District. The town is located on the Lim river. From 1949 to 1992, it was named Ivangrad ( cyrl, Ивангр� ...

, Montenegro, since 1982 *

Memmingen Memmingen (; Swabian: ''Memmenge'') is a town in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany. It is the economic, educational and administrative centre of the Danube-Iller region. To the west the town is flanked by the Iller, the river that marks the Baden-Wü ...

, Germany, since 1986 *

Rishon LeZion Rishon LeZion ( he, רִאשׁוֹן לְצִיּוֹן , ''lit.'' First to Zion, Arabic: راشون لتسيون) is a city in Israel, located along the central Israeli coastal plain south of Tel Aviv. It is part of the Gush Dan metropolitan ar ...

, Israel, since 1988 *

Prague 7 Prague 7 is a municipal district (''městská část'') in Prague, Czech Republic. The administrative district (''správní obvod'') of the same name consists of the quarters Letná, Holešovice, Bubny, Bubeneč, Troja as well as a small part of ...

, Czech Republic, since 2005 *

Ribeirão Preto Ribeirão Preto (Portuguese pronunciation: �ibejˈɾɐ̃w ˈpɾetu is a municipality and a metropolitan area located in the northeastern region of São Paulo state, Brazil. Ribeirão Preto is the eighth-largest municipality in the State wi ...

, Brazil, since 2005 *

Gorzów Wielkopolski Gorzów Wielkopolski (; german: Landsberg an der Warthe) often abbreviated to Gorzów Wlkp. or simply Gorzów, is a city in western Poland, on the Warta river. It is the second largest city in the Lubusz Voivodeship with 120,087 inhabitants (Decemb ...

, Poland, since 2007 *

Ávila Ávila (, , ) is a city of Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the Province of Ávila. It lies on the right bank of the Adaja river. Located more than 1,130 m abov ...

, Spain, since 2010 *

Strovolos Strovolos ( el, Στρόβολος; tr, Strovolos; hy, Ստրովոլոս) is a municipality of Nicosia District. With a population of nearly 70,000, it is the second most populated municipality in Cyprus, after Limassol, and the most populated ...

, Cyprus, since 2010 *

Aglandjia Aglandjia ( el, Αγλαντζιά []; tr, Eğlence) is a suburb and a municipality of Nicosia, Cyprus. The municipality has a population of 20,783 (2011) and is contiguous with Nicosia Municipality. Aglandjia is near the United Nations Buffe ...

, Cyprus, since 2011

Notable people

People born in or around Teramo include: * Berardo da Pagliara, (?-1123),

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

and

patron saint A patron saint, patroness saint, patron hallow or heavenly protector is a saint who in Catholicism, Anglicanism, or Eastern Orthodoxy is regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or perso ...

of the city and diocese * Melchiorre Delfico, (1744–1835),

Enlightenment Enlightenment or enlighten may refer to: Age of Enlightenment * Age of Enlightenment, period in Western intellectual history from the late 17th to late 18th century, centered in France but also encompassing (alphabetically by country or culture): ...

philosopher * Melchiorre Delfico, (1825–1895),

caricaturist A caricaturist is an artist who specializes in drawing caricatures. List of caricaturists * Abed Abdi (born 1942) * Al Hirschfeld (1903–2003) * Alex Gard (1900–1948) * Alexander Saroukhan (1898–1977) * Alfred Grévin (1827–1892) * Alf ...

(1859–1927), astronomer *

Ivan Graziani Ivan Graziani (Teramo 6 October 1945 – Novafeltria, 1 January 1997) was an Italian singer-songwriter and guitarist. Biography Graziani was born in Teramo, Abruzzo. His first band was The Serogan, which he formed in 1963 with Giuseppe Canala, ...

, (1945–1997), singer-songwriter *

Marco Pannella Marco Pannella (born Giacinto Pannella; 2 May 1930 – 19 May 2016) was an Italian politician, journalist and activist. He was well known in his country for his nonviolence and civil rights' campaigns, like the right to divorce, the right to ab ...

(1930–2016), politician *

Francesco Possenti Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows (born Francesco Possenti 1 March 1838 – 27 February 1862) was an Italian Passionist clerical student. Born to a professional family, he gave up ambitions of a secular career to enter the Passionist congregation. H ...

, (1838–1861), also known as

Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows (born Francesco Possenti 1 March 1838 – 27 February 1862) was an Italian Passionist clerical student. Born to a professional family, he gave up ambitions of a secular career to enter the Passionist congregation. H ...

. Patron saint of Abruzzo * Felice Centofanti, (1969–present), a former

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

player *

Marco Mordente Marco Mordente (born January 7, 1979) is an Italian former professional basketball player. He also represented the Italian national basketball team. He played at the point guard position. Career In 1998 while he was playing for Olimpia Milan ...

, (1979–present), Basketball player *

Gianni Di Venanzo Gianni Di Venanzo (18 December 1920, Teramo, Abruzzo – 3 February 1966, Rome), was an Italian cinematographer. Di Venanzo was one of the leading Italian post-war cinematographers with the unique distinction to be part of the neo-realist, po ...

, (1920–1966), cinematographer *

Gaia Sabbatini Gaia Sabbatini (10 June 1999) is an Italian middle distance runner. She won the gold medal in the 1500 metres at the 2021 European Under-23 Championships. Sabbatini is the Italian indoor record holder for the 1000 metres. She won three Ital ...

(born 1999), Italian middle-distance runner

Neighborhoods

* Il Castello * Colleparco * Gammarana * Madonna della Cona * San Berardo * San Benedetto * San Leonardo * Santa Maria a Bitetto * Santo Spirito * Villa Mosca * Villa Pavone * Piano della Lenta * Colleatterrato

''Frazioni''

Frazioni A ''frazione'' (plural: ) is a type of subdivision of a ''comune'' (municipality) in Italy, often a small village or hamlet outside the main town. Most ''frazioni'' were created during the Fascist Italy (1922–1943), Fascist era (1922–1943) as ...

'' within the commune of Teramo include: * Cannelli * Caprafico * Castagneto * Castrogno * Cavuccio * Cerreto * Chiareto * Colle Caruno * Colleatterrato Alto * Colleminuccio * Colle Santa Maria * Forcella * Frondarola * Galeotti * Garrano * Garrano Basso * Magnanella * Miano * Monticelli *

Nepezzano Nepezzano is a suburb (frazione) of the provincial capital Teramo, Italy and is located about 4 miles away from the town center. The first written documentation regarding Nepezzano dates back to the 12th century in a listing of feudal properties ( ...

* Pantaneto * Poggio Cono * Piano D'Accio * Piano della Lenta * Poggio San Vittorino * Ponzano * Putignano *

Rapino Rapino is a ''comune'' (municipality) and town in the Province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region of Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in t ...

* Rocciano * Rupo * Sardinara * Saccoccia * San Nicolò a Tordino * San Pietro ad Lacum * Sant'Atto * Santa Reparata * Scapriano * Sciusciano * Sorrenti * Spiano * Tofo Sant'Eleuterio * Tordinia * Turri * Valle Pezzata *

Valle San Giovanni Valle San Giovanni is a small village in the province of Teramo, in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. It is a ''frazione'' of the town of Teramo. Geography The village has a population of about 350 people and lies about six miles from Teramo ...

* Valle Soprana * Varano * Villa Falchini * Villa Gesso *

Villa Ripa Villa Ripa is a village in the province of Teramo, in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. It is a ''frazione'' of the ''comune'' of Teramo and has a population of about 1000. Up until the 18th century this small village went by the name "Ripa-R ...

* Villa Romita * Villa Stanghieri * Villa Taraschi * Villa Viola * Villa Vomano

Sport

Basketball

Teramo Basket Teramo Basket was a professional basketball club that is based in Teramo, Italy. Established in 1960, Teramo played in the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA), Italy's top league, for 10 years before they were moved to the Serie B. The team played at Pala ...

was a basketball team playing in

Serie A The Serie A (), also called Serie A TIM for national sponsorship with TIM, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and the winner is awarded the Scudetto and the Coppa ...

, the Italian professional basketball league. They finished third in the league in 2009 which qualified them for the Eurocup in 2010. Italian and American players have appeared with the team, including Bobby Jones,

Clay Tucker Clay Jovon Tucker (June 14, 1980) is a retired American professional player. College career Tucker played college basketball at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 1998 to 2003 where he and Dylan Page helped the Panthers to their first NC ...

Jaycee Carroll Jaycee Don Carroll (born April 16, 1983) is a former American-born naturalized Azerbaijani professional basketball player. He has also represented the senior Azerbaijani national team. While playing college basketball for the Utah State Universi ...

, Roger Powell, and

Hassan Adams Hassan Olawale Adams (born June 20, 1984) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for Arizona. High school career Adams attended Westchester High School in Westchester, Los Angeles, where he averaged ...

. They dissolved in 2012 due to financial issues.

Football

Teramo Calcio Teramo (; nap, label= Abruzzese, Tèreme ) is a city and ''comune'' in the Italian region of Abruzzo, the capital of the province of Teramo. The city, from Rome, is situated between the highest mountains of the Apennines (Gran Sasso d'Italia) ...

was founded on 15 July 1913. The "Gaetano Bonolis" stadium hosts concerts and football matches. It has a capacity of 8,000.

Handball

HC Teramo 2002 team won the Italian top league in 2012 in

handball Handball (also known as team handball, European handball or Olympic handball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of throwing it into the g ...

. The club also has a counterpart men's team. Every July, the city hosts the

, an international handball tournament with teams from all over the world.

Other sports

Other sports practiced in Teramo are: tennis (the city hosts an international tournament once a year),

rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...

water polo Water polo is a competitive team sport played in water between two teams of seven players each. The game consists of four quarters in which the teams attempt to score goals by throwing the ball into the opposing team's goal. The team with the ...

and

rallying Rally is a wide-ranging form of motorsport with various competitive motoring elements such as speed tests (often called ''rally racing),'' navigation tests, or the ability to reach waypoints or a destination at a prescribed time or average speed. ...

with Rally of Teramo. The ''Maratonina pretuziana'' short marathon is celebrated every year. Teramo

torball Torball (German: ''goal ball'') is a team sport for the blind and vision-impaired. With some similar structures in the rules in the 1980s, it is different to the Paralympic Games team sport of goalball. Description It is played by two team ...

is the team that has won the most titles in Italy; it has also won a Champion's league.

Gastronomy

The provincial

Teramo gastronomy Teramo (; nap, label= Abruzzese, Tèreme ) is a city and ''comune'' in the Italian region of Abruzzo, the capital of the province of Teramo. The city, from Rome, is situated between the highest mountains of the Apennines (Gran Sasso d'Italia) ...

is known for its variety and richness. Typical ingredients include agnello (lamb), peperoncino (hot pepper), formaggio pecorino (sheep milk cheeses), and slow roasted pork. Common wines are the renowned

Montepulciano Montepulciano () is a medieval and Renaissance hill town and ''comune'' in the Italian province of Siena in southern Tuscany. It sits high on a limestone ridge, east of Pienza, southeast of Siena, southeast of Florence, and north of Rome b ...

and Trebbiano d'Abruzzo. Typical dishes from Teramo and the surrounding communities include the following: * scrippelle – This dish is served in the throughout the Teramo province and is somewhat similar to French

crêpe A crêpe or crepe ( or , , Quebec French: ) is a very thin type of pancake. Crêpes are usually one of two varieties: ''sweet crêpes'' () or ''savoury galettes'' (). They are often served with a wide variety of fillings such as cheese, ...

s, although typically made without milk. There are two common variations. The first is scrippelle 'mbusse – (dialect for scrippelle in brodo or broth) and consists of scrippelle rolled up in

Pecorino Pecorino cheeses are hard Italian cheeses made from sheep's milk. The name "" derives from ''pecora'' which means sheep in Italian. Overview Of the six main varieties of pecorino, all of which have Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status u ...

Parmesan Parmesan ( it, Parmigiano Reggiano; ) is an Italian hard, granular cheese produced from cows’ milk and aged at least 12 months. It is named after two of the areas which produce it, the provinces of Parma and Reggio Emilia (''Parmigiano'' is ...

cheese and served in chicken broth. A second variation is

timballo Timballo is an Italian baked dish consisting of pasta, rice, or potatoes, with one or more other ingredients (cheese, meat, fish, vegetables, or fruit) included. Variations include the mushroom and shrimp sauce ''Timballo Alberoni'', named after ...

– scrippelle layered with

ragù In Italian cuisine, ragù () is a meat-based sauce that is commonly served with pasta. An Italian gastronomic society, Accademia Italiana della Cucina, documented several ragù recipes. The recipes' common characteristics are the presence of mea ...

, meat or tiny

meatball A meatball is ground meat rolled into a ball, sometimes along with other ingredients, such as bread crumbs, minced onion, egg (food), eggs, butter, and seasoning. Meatballs are cooked by frying, baking, steaming, or braising in sauce. There are ...

s (polpettini), various cheeses such as

scamorza Scamorza () is a Southern Italian cow's milk cheese. It can also be made from other milks, but that is less common. It is a stretched-curd cheese, in which the fresh curd matures in its own whey for several hours to allow acidity to develop thr ...

, and sometimes peas (piselli). * maccheroni alla chitarra – a flat, stringlike egg pasta which takes its name from the wooden instrument, basically a wooden frame strung with fine metal wire, called a chitarra (guitar), used to cut the pasta. * mazzarelle – lamb's lung and innards wrapped in beet greens or chard and braised in white wine or tomato sauce. Not for the faint of heart and not to be confused with mozzarella cheese. * virtù – a vegetable soup typically prepared in May of each year to celebrate spiritual redemption and the bountiful virtues of the Earth. It is made with a wide variety of locally grown vegetables and typically includes "annit" (a type of wild fennel). * tacchino alla canzanese – a dish famous in the nearby provincial town of Canzano. Made by slow baking a turkey in gelatin (an ancient method of preserving meat) and typically served cold. *

vino cotto Vino cotto (literally 'cooked wine’, also vi'cotto or vi'cuotte), is a type of wine from the Marche and Abruzzo in Central Italy, made primarily in the hills of the Province of Ascoli Piceno and the Province of Macerata. It is a strong ruby- ...

– a fortified wine, found also in the

Marche Marche ( , ) is one of the twenty regions of Italy. In English, the region is sometimes referred to as The Marches ( ). The region is located in the central area of the country, bordered by Emilia-Romagna and the republic of San Marino to the ...

region, produced by slowly boiling down grape juice before fermentation and aging thus producing a sweet and rich dessert-type of wine. Consumed both straight up and in cooking. * '' caggiunitti'' – deep fried almond fritters typically made with chocolate and chestnuts. Teramo is also home to Torrefazione Adriatica, S.p.A., founded in 1942 and manufacturer of Marcafe, one of the most important brands of coffee in Italy. SanDomenico

Transportation

Teramo is located away from

, to which it is connected through the A24 highway called Teramo-

. By railways, Teramo is connected with

Pescara Pescara (; nap, label= Abruzzese, Pescàrë; nap, label= Pescarese, Piscàrë) is the capital city of the Province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo region of Italy. It is the most populated city in Abruzzo, with 119,217 (2018) residents (and approxim ...

. The nearest airport is the “

Abruzzo Airport Abruzzo Airport is an international airport serving Pescara, Italy. It is located approximately 4 km (2.5 miles) from the centre of Pescara, about 180 km (112 miles) from Rome, a 2-hour drive by car on a motorway across the Apennine ...

”. It is away from the city center and it is connected to the city through highway A14.

References

{{Authority control Cities and towns in Abruzzo