Caiazzo

Caiazzo
Comune
Comune di Caiazzo
Location of Caiazzo
Country	Italy
Region	Campania
Province	Caserta (CE)
Frazioni	San Giovanni e Paolo, Cesarano
Government
• Mayor	Tomasso Sgueglia
Area
• Total	36 km2 (14 sq mi)
Elevation	200 m (700 ft)
Population  (31 May 2012)
• Total	5,787
• Density	160/km2 (420/sq mi)
Demonym	Caiatini
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	81013
Dialing code	0823
Patron saint	St. Stefano Minicillo
Saint day	October 29
Website	http://www.caiazzo.gov.it

Caiazzo (also Cajazzo) is a city and comune in the province of Caserta (Campania) in Italy. It is located on the right bank of the Volturnus, some 20 kilometres (12 mi) northeast of Capua.

History

The ancient Caiatia was already in the hands of the Romans in 306 BC, and since in the 3rd century BC it issued copper coins with a Latin legend it must have had the civitas sine suffragio. In the Social War it rebelled from Rome, and its territory was added to that of Capua by Sulla. In the imperial period, however, we find it once more a municipium.

In the Middle Ages it belonged to the Lombard Duchy of Benevento and the County of Capua. The episcopal see was founded in 966. Later Frederick II established here a Treasure Court. It had a castle which was enlarged by the Angevines and, during the reign of Alfonso V of Aragon, housed his mistress Lucrezia d'Alagno. Later Caiazzo was the fief of numerous baronal families of the Kingdom of Naples.

Caiazzo was the seat of anti-royal rebellions at the times of the Neapolitan Republic, and also housed several Carbonari. Despite this, Caiazzo was one of the few towns in the kingdom whose population sided against Garibaldi's expedition which annexed southern Italy to Piedmont.

During World War II, retreating German troops massacred 22 civilians here.

Main sights

Caiazzo has remains of Cyclopean walls, and under the Piazza del Mercato is a large Roman cistern, which still provides a good water supply.

The Lombard castle is still in existence.

Sister cities

Caiazzo has a sister relationship with:

• Ochtendung, Germany, since 1996

Sources

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)