Somma Vesuviana

Somma Vesuviana
—  Comune  —
Comune di Somma Vesuviana
Somma Vesuviana Location of Somma Vesuviana in Italy
Coordinates: 40°52′21″N 14°26′13″E
Country	Italy
Region	Campania
Province	Province of Naples (NA)
Frazioni	Somma, Mercato Vecchio, Casamale, Rione Trieste, Santa Maria del Pozzo, Starza della Regina, San Sossio
Area
• Total	30.74 km2 (11.87 sq mi)
Elevation	165 m (541 ft)
Population (2001)
• Total	32,838
• Density	1,100/km2 (2,800/sq mi)
Demonym	Sommesi
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	80049
Dialing code	081
Patron saint	St. Januarius
Saint day	September 19
Website	Official website

Somma Vesuviana is a town and comune in the province of Napoli, Campania, Italy.

History

Before the Roman colonization, the area of today's Somma Vesuviana was probably inhabiteed by Italics populations like Samnites and Oscans. Later it became a vacation place for the rich patricians of Rome, who built here magnificent villas. A villa of emperor Augustus was discovered in the 1930s in the frazione of Starza della Regina, where he probably passed his last days of life. The villa was probably buried during the eruption of Vesuvius of 79 CE.

Historical populations Year Pop. ±% 1861 7,640 — 1871 7,726 +1.1% 1881 8,511 +10.2% 1901 10,096 +18.6% 1911 10,585 +4.8% 1921 11,220 +6.0% 1931 12,651 +12.8% 1936 13,487 +6.6% 1951 16,446 +21.9% 1961 17,887 +8.8% 1971 19,973 +11.7% 1981 23,433 +17.3% 1991 29,079 +24.1% 2001 33,261 +14.4% Source: ISTAT

Demographic evolution

According to ISTAT, the population of Somma Vsuviana has increased each decade since 1861, with a total of 33,261 inhabitants in 2001.

Main sights

• The ancient quarter of Casamale has noteworthy walls of Aragonese times.
• The Collegiata.
• Church of San Domenico.
• Church of Santa Maria del Pozzo (15th century). Its cloister is home to a museum of the peasant culture of the area.