Giulianova ( Giuliese: ' ) is a coastal town 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

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 ...

, Abruzzo region, Italy. The ''comune'' also has city ( it, città) status, thus also known as Città di Giulianova.

Geography

The town lies in the north of the

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 ...

region, between the

Salinello The Salinello ( la, Zerninus) is a river in Italy. It is located in the province of Teramo in the Abruzzo region of southern Italy. The source of the river is in the Monti della Laga range southwest of Montagna dei Fiori. The river flows eastwa ...

and the

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 s ...

rivers. Giulianova is split between the ''Paese'', the historic town up in the hills, and the ''lido'', the more recent development down by the beach. Tourism plays a big part in the town's economy. The town, characterized by several beaches, is a summer retreat for people from large cities like

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 ...

and

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...

, as well as

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

and French tourists.

History

In pre-Roman times, the

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 ...

tribe had a settlement there. In 3rd century BCE Romans established a colony called

Castrum Novum In the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it include ...

in the vicinity of Giulianova. In the Middle Ages, the old Castrum Novum was called ''Castrum divi Flaviani'', and remained an important trade and travel hub, until it was destroyed in 1460, during the Tordino Battle. The local baron

Giulio Antonio Acquaviva Giulio Antonio Acquaviva (c. 1425 – February 7, 1481) was an Italian nobleman and condottiere. He was 7th House of Acquaviva, Duke of Atri and 1st of Teramo, Count of Conversano and San Flaviano and Lord of Padula and Roseto. Life Giulio Anton ...

, founded, in 1471, a new city up on the hill, not far from the older one, calling its Giulia. It was an interesting example of renaissance ideal city, applying the theory of the most important architects of the time, as

Leon Battista Alberti Leon Battista Alberti (; 14 February 1404 – 25 April 1472) was an Italian Renaissance humanist author, artist, architect, poet, priest, linguist, philosopher, and cryptographer; he epitomised the nature of those identified now as polymaths. H ...

and

Francesco Di Giorgio Martini Francesco di Giorgio Martini (1439–1501) was an Italian architect, engineer, painter, sculptor, and writer. As a painter, he belonged to the Sienese School. He was considered a visionary architectural theorist—in Nikolaus Pevsner's terms: ...

, with the cultural environment of whom, he was in contact.

Main sights

* Church of ''Santa Maria a Mare'', belonging to the former city of San Flaviano. Founded before the 11th century, it is a brickwork building with a sail-like bell tower. The portal is from the late 13th century, and has a relief with "Madonna with Child and Animals", while two lions guard the sides, one holding a book and the other fighting with a snake. Under the arch are 18 stone tiles depicting enigmatic figures, described by some a representation of the Zodiac and the seasons * The octagonal Cathedral of ''San Flaviano'', built from 1472. The dome was originally covered by blue majolica. It houses a marble sculpture of "Madonna with Child" by Venanzo Crocetti *

Sanctuary Madonna of the Splendor The Sanctuary Madonna of the Splendor is a shrine in Giulianova, Province of Teramo, central Italy. Next to the shrine stand a convent, a miraculous spring water fountain, and a museum. The sanctuary is served by Capuchin fathers. Structure ...

. In the sacristy is the 16th century ''Pala dello Splendore'', an altarpiece by

Paolo Veronese Paolo Caliari (152819 April 1588), known as Paolo Veronese ( , also , ), was an Italian Renaissance painter based in Venice, known for extremely large history paintings of religion and mythology, such as ''The Wedding at Cana'' (1563) and ''The ...

* Ducal Palace *''Torre del Salinello'', a watch tower built in the 16th century to guard from Turk pirates.

People

Gabriele Tarquini Gabriele Tarquini (born 2 March 1962) is an Italian racing driver. He participated in 78 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on May 3, 1987. He scored a single championship point, and holds the record for the most failed attempts to qualify. He ...

(born 1962), racing driver *

Gaetano Braga Gaetano Braga (June 9, 1829 – November 21, 1907) was an Italian composer and cellist. He was born in Giulianova in Abruzzi and died in Milan. Braga's works include compositions for the cello (two concertos, a quintet, a quartet, works fo ...

(1829–1907), cellist and composer * Domenico "Dom" Serafini (born 1949), journalist * Venanzo Crocetti (1913–2003), sculptor *

Egidio De Maulo Egidio De Maulo (4 September 1840 – 14 November 1922) was an Italian painter mainly of landscapes and still lifes. Biography Born in Giulianova, Italy, a young Egidio moved to Naples where he successfully painted landscapes and still lifes a ...

Born in Giulianova, November 4, 1840 – Rome 1922 ( Painter ) *

Lorenzo Piani Lorenzo Piattoni (27 September 1955 – 14 August 2016), known professionally as Lorenzo Piani, was an Italian singer and songwriter. Biography After studying classical piano at the Rossini Conservatory in Pesaro, he released a single. As a musi ...

(1955-2016), singer and songwriter

Sports

The main football team of the town was

Giulianova Calcio Giulianova Calcio S.r.l. was an Italian association football club based in Giulianova, Abruzzo. The team failed to renew its license for professional football in 2012. After 4 years' dormancy, the new owner of the club applied to play in 2016 ...

which participated in professional leagues, namely Serie C (and its divisions). It was replaced by A.S.D. Città di Giulianova 1924 in 2012 and then

Real Giulianova Real Giulianova S.s.d. a r.l. is an Italian football club based in Giulianova, in the Province of Teramo, Abruzzo region. Real Giulianova is a phoenix club of Giulianova and Città di Giulianova, after Real Giulianova was relocated and rena ...

in 2016.

References

External links

*
Official tourist websitePhotoblog about life in the harbour of Giulianova
{{Authority control Cities and towns in Abruzzo Populated places established in the 1470s