Ocre

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Ocre
Comune di Ocre
Location of Ocre
Map
CountryItaly
RegionAbruzzo
ProvinceL'Aquila (AQ)
FrazioniCavalletto, San Felice, San Martino, San Panfilo d'Ocre (sede comunale), Valle
Government
 • MayorFausto Fracassi
Area
 • Total23.56 km2 (9.10 sq mi)
Elevation
850 m (2,790 ft)
Population
 (31 December 2010)[2]
 • Total1,116
 • Density47/km2 (120/sq mi)
DemonymOcrensi
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
67040
Dialing code0862
Saint day28 April
WebsiteOfficial website

Ocre is a comune (municipality) and town in the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of southern Italy. Its c. 1000 inhabitants live in several small villages scattered across the mid-to–low L’Aquila basin, about 15 kilometers south east of Abruzzo’s regional capital. The town hall offices are located in San Panfilo d’Ocre. It belongs to the Amiternina mountain community and part of the territory lies in the Sirente Velino Regional Park.

A house damaged by the earthquake of 2009

In the Middle Ages, the fortified village of San Panfilo controlled the lower L'Aquila valley and the monasteries of the Holy Spirit and Sant Angelo attracted many pilgrims. At that time, the barons of Ocre also controlled the neighboring municipalities.

Nowadays Ocre’s attractions include important historical landmarks as well as festivals like those of baked bread and chestnut.

Geography

The Monastery of Sant'Angelo.
Monastery of the Holy Spirit.

The territory of the municipality is dominated by the Mount Ocre - Mount Cagno mountain range (2204 m), with the inhabited part set on its northeastern slopes and crossed by a Regional Road SR5 that rises from L'Aquila to the Rocche Plateau.

Earthquake of 2009

During the earthquake that hit L'Aquila on April 6, 2009, the town of Ocre also suffered substantial damage. The old castle of Ocre was almost completely ruined, several buildings collapsed and a number of houses in the old town remain uninhabitable.

People

  • Thomas of Ocre, Cardinal, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church in 1294, secretary to Celestino V, beatified
  • Gualtieri of Ocre, chancellor to the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, and his son Conrad IV
  • Francesco Gualtieri of San Martino D'Ocre (1863-1943), Brigadier General, Commander Livorno Brigade 1918
  • Connie Sellecca American acress with Italian origins in the Ocre area

Main sights

References

  1. ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. ^ All demographics and other statistics from the Italian statistical institute (Istat)