Caserta
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Caserta | |
|---|---|
| Comune di Caserta | |
 Skyline | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
  Caserta Location within Italy  Caserta Location within Campania | |
| Coordinates: 41°04′N 14°20′E / 41.067°N 14.333°E | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Campania |
| Province | Caserta (CE) |
| Frazioni | Aldifreda, Briano, Casertavecchia, Casola, Casolla, Centurano, Ercole, Falciano, Garzano, Mezzano, Piedimonte di Casolla, Pozzovetere, Puccianiello, Sala di Caserta, San Benedetto, San Clemente, San Leucio, Santa Barbara, Staturano, Tredici, Tuoro, Vaccheria |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | none |
| Area | |
• Total | 54.07 km2 (20.88 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 68 m (223 ft) |
| Population (1 January 2016)[2] | |
• Total | 76,326 |
| • Density | 1,412/km2 (3,656/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Casertani |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 81100 (Caserta), 81020 (Caserta Vecchia, Casola di Caserta) |
| Dialing code | 0823 |
| Patron saint | St. Sebastian and St. Anne |
| Saint day | 20 January and 26 July |
| Website | Official website |
Caserta (Italian: [kaˈzɛrta] ⓘ or [kaˈsɛrta]; Neapolitan: [kaˈsertə]) is the capital of the province of Caserta in the Campania region of Italy. An important agricultural, commercial, and industrial comune and city, Caserta is located 36 kilometres north of Naples on the edge of the Campanian plain at the foot of the Campanian Subapennine mountain range. The city is best known for the 18th-century Bourbon Royal Palace of Caserta.
History
[edit]Anciently inhabited by Osco-Samnite tribes, modern Caserta was established around the defensive tower built in Lombard times by Pando, Prince of Capua. Pando destroyed the original city around 863. The tower is now part of the Palazzo della Prefettura that was once the seat of the counts of Caserta, as well as a royal residence. The original population moved from Casertavecchia (former bishopric seat) to the current site in the sixteenth century. Casertavecchia was built on the Roman town of Casa Irta, meaning "home village located above" and later contracted as "Caserta".
The city and its vicinity were the property of the Acquaviva family, who, being pressed by huge debts, sold all the land to King Charles VII of Naples. The royal family then selected Caserta for the construction of their new palace which, being inland, was seen as more defensible than the previous palace fronting the Bay of Naples.
At the end of World War II, the royal palace served as the seat of the Supreme Allied Commander. The first Allied war trial took place there in 1945; German general Anton Dostler was sentenced to death and executed nearby, in Aversa.[3]
Pope Francis visited Caserta on Monday, 28 June 2014, together with a friend named Giovanni Traettino, the pastor of an evangelical Protestant Charismatic Pentecostal church. The Pope apologized for the complicity of some Catholics in the persecution of Pentecostals during the fascist regime in Italy.[4]
Geography
[edit]Caserta is located 40 kilometres (25 mi) north of Naples. Its municipality borders with Capua, Casagiove, Casapulla, Castel Morrone, Curti, Limatola (BN), Maddaloni, Marcianise, Recale, San Felice a Cancello, San Marco Evangelista, San Nicola la Strada, San Prisco, Sant'Agata de' Goti (BN),