Ortona
Ortona | |
|---|---|
| Città di Ortona | |
 A view of Ortona from the sea. | |
Location of Ortona  | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Abruzzo |
| Province | Chieti (CH) |
| Frazioni | Alboreto, Aquilano, Caldari, Colombo, Cucullo, Feudo, Fontegrande, Foro, Fossato, Gagliarda, Iurisci, Lazzaretto, Lido Riccio, Madonna delle Grazie, Ranchini, Riccio, Ripari Bardella, Rogatti, Ruscitti, San Donato, San Leonardo, San Marco, San Pietro, Santa Lucia, Savini, Tamarete, Vaccari, Villa Deo, Villa Grande, Villa Iubatti, Villa Pincione, Villa San Leonardo, Villa San Nicola, Villa San Tommaso, Villa Torre |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Vincenzo D'Ottavio |
| Area | |
| • Total | 70 km2 (30 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 72 m (236 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 23,600 |
| • Density | 340/km2 (870/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Ortonesi |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 66026 |
| Dialing code | 085 |
| Patron saint | St. Thomas |
| Saint day | First Sunday of May |
| Website | Official website |
Ortona is a coastal town and municipality of the Province of Chieti in the Italian region of Abruzzo, with some 23,000 inhabitants.
Ortona was the site of fierce fighting between the 1st Fallschirmjäger Division and the 1st Canadian Infantry Division during the Italian campaign in World War II. The ferocity of the Battle of Ortona led it to be known as the "Little Stalingrad". A patron saint of Ortona is Saint Thomas the Apostle (Tommaso), whose relics are kept here.
History
The origins of Ortona are uncertain. Presumably, it was first inhabited by the Frentani, an Italic population. In 2005, during works near the Castle, a Bronze Age settlement was discovered, and the Roman town largely coincided with this first settlement. Some sections of paved roads and urban walls, as well as some archaeological findings are the only remains of this period. Ortona remained a part of the Roman Empire (i.e., the Byzantine Empire) for several centuries, before it was annexed by the Kingdom of the Lombards. In 803 the Franks incorporated Ortona into the county of Chieti. From that date on, the town remained tied to Chieti and its territory.
In 1258 the relics of the Apostle Thomas were brought to Ortona by the sailor Leone Acciaiuoli. In the first half of the 15th century its walls were built, and during this period Ortona fought with the nearby town of Lanciano in a fierce war that ended in 1427. On June 30, 1447, ships from Venice destroyed the port of Ortona; consequently the King of Sicily at that time commissioned the construction of a Castle to dominate the renovated port. In 1582 the town was acquired by Margaret of Parma, daughter of Emperor Charles V and Duchess of Parma. In 1584 Margaret decided to build a great mansion (known as Palazzo Farnese), which was never completed due to her death.
After the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy in 1860, Ortona became one of the first sea resorts on the Adriatic Sea. On 9 September 1943, the royal family of the House of Savoy left German-occupied Italy from the port of Ortona. The defensive Gustav Line was established by the Germans at Ortona (extending towards Cassino on the opposite side of Italy). Ortona offered the Allies a supply port on the Adriatic and was fiercely defended by the Germans attracted the attention of that the international press in the struggle between the German paratroopers and the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade. This led to this battle being known as "Little Stalingrad."
Main sights
- Cathedral of San Tommaso (relics of saint Thomas the Apostle)
- Cathedral Museum
- Church of Santa Maria di Costantinopoli
- Church of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria
- Medieval Aragona Castle
- Museum of Ortona battle
- Moro River Canadian War cemetery
- Trabucchi on sea
Ortona is home of several touristic beaches and one historical museum based on the battle of Ortona. The Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park is not far either.
International relations
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (April 2016) |
Ortona is twinned with:
People
The composer Francesco Paolo Tosti was born in Ortona.
Pornographic actor and producer Rocco Siffredi was also born in Ortona.
References
- ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
- ^ Demographics data from ISTAT
- ^ "Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
- ^ http://www.comuneortona.ch.it/immagini/news/DeliberaConsiglio_2015127_allegatoB.pdf
Sources
- Christie, N. M. (2001). Hard-won Victory: the Canadians at Ortona 1943. Ottawa: CEF Books.
- Zuehlke, Mark (1999). Ortona: Canada's epic World War II battle. Toronto: Stoddart.
External links
