Venafro
Venafro ) is a comune in the province of Isernia, region of Molise, Italy. It has a population of 11,079, having expanded quickly in the post-war period.
Geography
Situated at the foot of Mount Santa Croce, elevation above sea level, at a height of above sea level, the elevation of the municipal territory varies from above sea level. The municipality stretches along the homonymous plain crossed by the Volturno and San Bartolomeo rivers whose sources are located in the center of the Venafro plain. Other notable mountains are: Monte Sambucaro at, Monte Cesima at, Monte Corno at, Monte Santa Croce or Cerino, at, and Colle San Domenico at.Once a part of the province of Terra di Lavoro in Campania, the city is now known as the door of Molise and is of major importance to the socio-economic dynamics of the province due to its highly developed economy, and is considered one of the four central industrial cores in the region.
Climate
Venafro since ancient times is known for its mild climate. Winter is quite cold with rain; snow rarely leads to modest accumulations. Frosts are common; the absolute minimum temperature in the last 10 years was in 2005. The intermediate seasons are milder but with frequent precipitation. Summer is very hot with temperatures often reaching ; the absolute maximum temperature of the last 10 years was about in 2007. This fairly mild climate derives from being in an exposed southern plain closed from the mountains; but in periods of high pressure thermal excursions temperatures may vary between day and night.History
Ancient era
Although its founding is attributed to Diomedes, child of Tydeus and Deipyle, characters in Greek mythology, the ancient name of Venafrum derives from Samnite sources.On the plain, there have been found numerous findings that suggest the existence of human settlements in prehistoric times. The only occasion on which Venafrum figures prominently in history is during the Social War, 88 BCE, when it was betrayed into the hands of the Samnite leader Marius Egnatius, and two Roman cohorts that formed the garrison were put to the sword. Lucius Cornelius Sulla razed settlements around present day Venafro. In January 49 BCE, Pompey, coming from Teano, camped nearby. Cicero more than once alludes to the great fertile ground of the territory, that the tribune Rullus proposed by his agrarian law to divide among the Roman citizens. This project proved abortive, but a colony was founded at Venafrum under Augustus, and the city continued henceforth to bear the title of Colonia, which is found both in Point's works and in inscriptions. In the Augustan era, much attention was given to the aqueduct that carried water of the Volturno river from Rocchetta a Volturno. Tye town is mentioned by Horace as a resort, renowned for its amenities, while Pliny the Elder also speaks of the waters located there. In Roman times the economy developed a renowned olive oil industry which according to Pliny was the best in the Roman Empire. When the Romans brought Christianity to the Apennine Plains, a bishopric for the Roman Catholic church was established in the 5th century.
Middle Ages
Between 774 and 787 the Venafro plain was crossed by the troops of Charlemagne, which clashed with the Lombards of the Principality of Benevento. According to Monte Cassino chronicler Erchempertus, in 861, Venafro was occupied by Emir Sawdan of the Emirate of Bari. After the dark period of the Middle Ages, which saw Venafro sinking into poverty and disease in later centuries the city enjoyed an era of expansion and prosperity, with numerous churches and palaces dating from that era that changed the face of the city. Feudal families that reigned over Venafro were the Savelli, Spinelli, Peretti, and the Caracciolo of Miranda, Italy.Modern era
From autumn 1943 to spring of 1944 Venafro was the scene of bitter fighting between the Germans, entrenched in the mountains to the north and the British – French – U.S. along the Gustav Line, during the Battle of Monte Cassino. Mistaken for Monte Cassino, Venafro was hit hard by aerial bombing on March 15, 1944.Venafro until 1863 was included in the territory of the Terra di Lavoro, until the establishment of the province of Campobasso was annexed to that territory, and then got incorporated into the Molise region. In 1970, it was incorporated into the newly formed province of Isernia, despite controversy and often violent protests that favored to remain part of the province of Caserta.
In the spring of 1984, the city was severely damaged by the earthquake originating in the nearby Valle di Comino, in the province of Frosinone. In 1987, the city was named by Censis, one of the 100 municipalities of the "Great Little Italy." Since 1994, it has been a member of the ANCO. On April 25, 2005, Venafro was awarded the gold medal for Civil Valor from the President of the Republic, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, for its valor during the air bombardment it suffered during World War II.
Main sights
Venafro can be divided into two distinct areas: the old town, of Roman origin, enclosed by walls and dominated by Castle Pandone, and new town that has several newly developed neighborhoods.Historic center
The old town was built on the existing Roman urban structure and many of the buildings still have Roman foundations. It was depopulated from the 1960s and many buildings were damaged by successive earthquakes. Government funding for repairs came slowly to the province, but by 2000 most buildings had been structurally secured, although remained unoccupied. Slowly a new generation started to reside in some of the properties from middle of the noughties. The upper floors of buildings are residences, while some lower floors of the premises are used as shops.Castle Pandone
Built in the highest part of the city, it derives its name from the Lombards who built it on an older fortification in the 10th century. In the 14th century it was expanded with the addition of three circular towers, and was transformed in the 15th century by adding a moat. Frescoes depicting horses, commissioned by Count Enrico Pandone, were added during the Renaissance. Currently, the halls of this castle have become the Museo Nazionale del Molise - an art gallery in which paintings are collected from several different churches abandoned or closed in Venafro. It also hosted an exhibition curated by Cultural Documents, Winterline by the Scottish artist Elaine Shemilt. The exhibition retraces, through drawing, print, painting and video the routes of the Allied and German conflict on the adjacent territory during 1943 and 1944. Four of Shemilt's works were purchased for the national collection in 2016.A permanent exhibition hall to house the work of Romeo Musa was inaugurated in May 2014.
Verlasce Roman Amphitheater
Located in the center of modern Venafro and despite development overlap are the still visible remains of the Roman elliptical amphitheater. It is believed that the stands could hold up to 15,000 spectators. Until some time ago, this structure housed stables and stores of agricultural tools.Roman theater
On the Decumanus Maximus is a theater of considerable size and presents a scaenae frons of about 60 m, with an auditorium capable of hosting 3,500 spectators. After a series of archaeological excavations and interventions to bring it to light, this monument is paired with the nearby odeon.Other Samnite, Roman and medieval remains.
In the town center are visible traces of a Roman aqueduct, the walled city of the Samnites dating from the 4th century BCE and one polygonal Samnite structure of the 1st century BCE. Of Roman origin is the "Torricella", a fortified structure recently restored to its former glory.Other monuments include "Market Tower", a defensive structure with its massive medieval battlements, in defense of that which once corresponded to the eastern gate of Venafro, and the Palazzo Libertina of the 20th century, which served as a hydroelectric plant to provide power to the town.