Tocco da Casauria is a ''

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 ...

'' and

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

in the

Province of Pescara The province of Pescara ( it, provincia di Pescara; Abruzzese: ') is a province in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Its provincial capital is the city Pescara, which has a population of 119,483 inhabitants. As of 2017, it has a total population of ...

in the Abruzzo region of

Central Italy Central Italy ( it, Italia centrale or just ) is one of the five official statistical regions of Italy used by the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), a first-level NUTS region, and a European Parliament constituency. Regions Central I ...

. The centre was known for centuries as simply Tocco, and the name "da Casauria" was added only after 1861. It rises on a hill between the Pescara river and the Arolle, a small stream, against the background of the

Maiella The Maiella (or Majella) is a massif in the Central Apennines, in Abruzzo, central Italy. Geography The mountain is located at the boundary between the provinces of Chieti, Pescara and L'Aquila. The highest peak is Monte Amaro at 2,793&n ...

. Here

Centerba Centerbe or Centerba (Italian for "one hundred herbs"), is a liqueur made by aromatic herbs commonly found on Mount Majella. It is a typical abruzzese liquor in central Italy and it's made on a base of 70% alcohol. The liqueur comes in two st ...

is produced, a highly alcoholic mixture of Maiella herbs which is said to have healthy effects on metabolism.

History

In nearby

Vasto Vasto ( Abruzzese: '; grc, Ἱστόνιον, Histonion}, la, Histonium) is a ''comune'' on the Adriatic coast of the Province of Chieti, in southern Abruzzo, Italy. During the Middle Ages it was called d''Guastaymonis'', '' Vasto d'Aimone'' or ...

an inscription of the 2nd century BC was found, along with other remains from the Roman empire, which prove there was a Roman settlement in this strategic position between the Gole di

Popoli Popoli is a '' comune'' and town in the province of Pescara in the Abruzzo region of Italy. History Though the site has not revealed significant Roman presence it appears in a ninth-century document as ''borgo di Pagus Fabianus''. Its name in m ...

and the valley of the Pescara river. The castle rose in the early 11th century, as shown by a record in the Chronicon Casauriensis: Gerardo di Rocco, lord of Popoli, had in location from the powerful Monastery of Casauria lands and farms in the area, and his descendants decided to come into full possession building there a castle. Then there was a succession of feudal Lords: Boemondo di Tarsia from Manoppello, the De Plesciaco family from Provence, the de Tortis, Caracciolo, d'Afflitto and Pinelli families. Terrible earthquakes in

1456 Year 1456 ( MCDLVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events January–December * May 18 – Second Battle of Oronichea (1456): Ottoman Forces of 15,000 are sent ...

and

1706 In the Swedish calendar it was a common year starting on Monday, one day ahead of the Julian and ten days behind the Gregorian calendar. Events January–March * January 26 – War of Spanish Succession: The uprising by Bavaria ...

caused serious damage to the historical centre.

Notable natives

Francesco Paolo Michetti Francesco Paolo Michetti (October 2, 1851 – March 5, 1929) was an Italian painter known especially for his genre works. Biography He was born in Tocco da Casauria in the Province of Chieti. His father having died when he was a boy, Michetti ...

, painter *

Annibale de Gasparis Annibale de Gasparis (9 November 1819, Bugnara – 21 March 1892, Naples; ) was an Italian astronomer, known for discovering asteroids and his contributions to theoretical astronomy. Biography De Gasparis was born in 1819 in Bugnara to Ang ...

, astronomer *

Henry Salvatori Henry Salvatori (March 28, 1901 – July 6, 1997) was an American geophysicist, businessman, philanthropist, and political activist. Salvatori founded Western Geophysical in 1933 and, after selling the company in 1960, pursued a second caree ...

, an American geophysicist, businessman, philanthropist and political activist

Events and festivities

20 September Events Pre-1600 * 1058 – Agnes of Poitou and Andrew I of Hungary meet to negotiate about the border territory of Burgenland. *1066 – At the Battle of Fulford, Harald Hardrada defeats earls Morcar and Edwin. * 1187 – Saladin b ...

: Feast of

Saint Eustace Saint Eustace (Latinized Eustachius or Eustathius, Greek Εὐστάθιος Πλακίδας ''Eustathios Plakidas'') is revered as a Christian martyr. According to legend, he was martyred in AD 118, at the command of emperor Hadrian. Eusta ...

(Sant'Eustacchio in italian).

References

External links

* http://www.comune.toccodacasauria.pe.it/ * http://www.abruzzocitta.it/english/comuni/toccodacasauria.htm
Abruzzocitta Tocco da Casauria
Cities and towns in Abruzzo {{Abruzzo-geo-stub