Chieti

Chieti
Comune
Città di Chieti

Panorama of Chieti

Flag

Coat of arms
Chieti

Location of Chieti in Italy

Coordinates: 42°21′N 14°10′E / 42.350°N 14.167°E / 42.350; 14.167Coordinates: 42°21′N 14°10′E / 42.350°N 14.167°E / 42.350; 14.167
Country Italy
Region Abruzzo
Province / Metropolitan city Chieti (CH)
Frazioni Bascelli, Brecciarola, Buonconsiglio-Fontanella, Carabba, Cerratina, Chieti Scalo, Colle dell'ara, Colle Marcone, Crocifisso, De Laurentis Vallelunga, Filippone, Fonte Cruciani, Iachini, La Torre, Madonna del Freddo, Madonna della Vittoria, Madonna delle Piane, San Martino, San Salvatore, Santa Filomena, Selvaiezzi, Tricalle, Vacrone Cascini, Vacrone Colle San Paolo, Vacrone Villa Cisterna, Vallepara, Villa Obletter, Villa Reale
Government
  Mayor Umberto Di Primio
Area
  Total 58.55 km2 (22.61 sq mi)
Elevation 330 m (1,080 ft)
Population (November 2012)[1]
  Total 51,340
  Density 880/km2 (2,300/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Teatini
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 66100
Dialing code 0871
Patron saint St. Justin of Chieti
Saint day May 11
Website Official website

Chieti (Italian: [ˈkjeːti]; Neapolitan: Chiete; Greek: Θεάτη, Theati; Latin: Theate, Teate) is a city and comune in Central Italy, 200 kilometres (124 miles) east by northeast of Rome. It is the capital of the province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region. Chieti lies on a crest along the Pescara River a few kilometres away from the Adriatic Sea, and with the Maiella and Gran Sasso mountains in the background.

History

Tribunal Palace

Chieti is amongst the most ancient of Italian cities. According to mythological legends, the city was founded in 1181 B.C. by the Homeric Greek hero Achilles and was named in honor of his mother, Thetis. It was called Theate (Greek: Θεάτη) (or Teate in Latin). As Theate Marrucinorum, Chieti was the chief town of the warlike Marrucini. According to Strabo, it was founded by the Arcadians as Thegeate (Θηγεάτη).

After the Marrucini were defeated by the Romans, they became loyal allies of the more powerful forces. Their territory was placed under Roman municipal jurisdiction after the Social War. In imperial times, Chieti's population reached 60,000 inhabitants but, after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it was destroyed by Visigoths and Heruli. Later it was seat of a gastaldate under the Lombard kings. After its destruction by Peppin, it became a fief of the Duchy of Benevento.

Chieti recovered some political and economic importance under the Norman rule of Southern Italy, a role it kept also under the Hohenstaufen, Angevine and Aragonese rulers. After a cultural and architectural flourishing during the 17th century, under the aegis of the Counter-Reformation, Chieti was decimated by fatalities from plague in 1656. In the 18th century, several new academies and schools were developed here, which contributed to the city's artistic heritage. In 1806 Chieti was turned into a fortress by Napoleon's France. In 1860 it became part of the newly created Kingdom of Italy.

During World War II, Chieti was declared an open city (like Rome) and was not bombed by either side. It was the site of an infamous POW Camp for British and Commonwealth officers (PG 21) where its commandante - Barela - was later convicted of war crimes for his treatment of POWs.[2] The city at this time welcomed many refugees from the near towns and villages. Allied forces liberated the city on June 9, 1944, one day after the Germans left the city.

Main sights

The bell tower of the Cathedral of Chieti

Under the church of SS. Pietro e Paolo and the adjoining houses are extensive substructures (in opus reticulatum and brickwork) of the 1st century CE, belonging to a building erected by M. Vectius Marcellus[3] and Helvidia Priscilla. There are also remains of large reservoirs and of an ancient theatre. In the early 21st century, new archeological excavations are under way on the site of the former Campo Sportivo.

Museums

Education

The University of Chieti (Università G. d'Annunzio - Chieti e Pescara) is based in Chieti and Pescara and hosts about 35,000 students, covering areas of Architecture, Arts and Philosophy, Economics, Foreign Languages and Literatures, Management, Medicine, Pharmacy, Psychology, Sciences, Social Sciences and Sports Medicine.

Climate

Chieti climate is considered genuine Mediterranean. It presents high humidity all year round, with rainy/snowy warm winters and hot and dry summers. Rain is a common event, especially during fall and spring, with accumulations of around 600 to 700 millimetres (24 to 28 in) a year. Snowfall is consistent during winter, with temperatures that often drop below 0 °C (32 °F) during winter nights. Fog is a common event during fall and winter, due to very high humidity in these seasons. Wind from the north-east (from the Adriatic sea) carries cold from Eurasian Steppe, while wind from south-west (from the Tyrrhenian Sea) carries hot from Algerian Desert. Wind is quite present during year.

Climate data for Chieti, at the University
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 22.1
(71.8)
26.5
(79.7)
28.1
(82.6)
32.0
(89.6)
35.1
(95.2)
37.5
(99.5)
39.7
(103.5)
41.7
(107.1)
40.3
(104.5)
30.2
(86.4)
27.6
(81.7)
24.8
(76.6)
41.7
(107.1)
Average high °C (°F) 12.3
(54.1)
12.9
(55.2)
16.0
(60.8)
20.0
(68)
24.2
(75.6)
28.7
(83.7)
32.1
(89.8)
31.6
(88.9)
27.0
(80.6)
21.1
(70)
17.4
(63.3)
13.2
(55.8)
21.3
(70.3)
Daily mean °C (°F) 8.2
(46.8)
8.6
(47.5)
11.4
(52.5)
15.0
(59)
18.8
(65.8)
23.0
(73.4)
26.3
(79.3)
25.6
(78.1)
21.8
(71.2)
16.7
(62.1)
13.0
(55.4)
8.9
(48)
16.4
(61.5)
Average low °C (°F) 4.2
(39.6)
4.4
(39.9)
6.8
(44.2)
10.0
(50)
13.5
(56.3)
17.4
(63.3)
20.5
(68.9)
19.7
(67.5)
16.6
(61.9)
12.3
(54.1)
8.7
(47.7)
4.7
(40.5)
11.5
(52.7)
Record low °C (°F) −1.8
(28.8)
−3.9
(25)
−2.7
(27.1)
0.9
(33.6)
6.3
(43.3)
9.3
(48.7)
13.4
(56.1)
11.5
(52.7)
7.9
(46.2)
3.1
(37.6)
0.4
(32.7)
−5.3
(22.5)
−5.3
(22.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 53.4
(2.102)
57.0
(2.244)
67.0
(2.638)
52.8
(2.079)
59.5
(2.343)
44.3
(1.744)
45.8
(1.803)
21.3
(0.839)
72.5
(2.854)
67.0
(2.638)
75.9
(2.988)
48.6
(1.913)
665.5
(26.201)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 8.3 8.3 8.5 8.0 7.8 5.0 3.1 3.3 6.5 8.2 7.1 6.8 80.9
Average relative humidity (%) 76.9 73.2 70.7 70.1 66.5 64.4 60.1 63.5 70.0 78.8 78.9 75.3 70.7
Source: Chieti Meteo[4]

Famous people

See also

References

  1. Population data from Istat
  2. An Extraordinary Italian Imprisonment: The Brutal Truth of Campo 21, 1942-3 by Brian Lett QC
  3. Probably mentioned by Pliny, H.N., II., 199.
  4. "Chieti Meteo". Retrieved 2010-08-11.

Sources

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Chieti.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chieti.
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