Camerino
Encyclopedia
Camerino is a small town of 7.135 inhabitants in the Marches (Marche
region), in the province of Macerata
, Italy
. It is located in the Apennines
bordering Umbria
, between the valley
s of the rivers Potenza and Chienti
, about 40 miles from Ancona.
Camerino is best known for the University of Camerino
founded in the Middle Ages.
). On the other hand, the Katspriot referred to in the history of the year 295 BC are probably the inhabitants of Clusium
. Later it appears as a dependent autonomous community with the foedus aequum, an 'equal' treaty with Rome
(Mommsen, Römisches Staatsrecht, iii. 664).
Two cohorts of Camertes fought with distinction under Gaius Marius
against the invading Germanic Cimbri
. It was much affected by the conspiracy of Catiline
, and is frequently mentioned in the Civil Wars; under the empire it was a municipium
. It belonged to ancient Umbria
, but was on the borders of Picenum
.
Camerino was part of the Exarchate of Ravenna
until 592, when it was captured by the Lombards
. The city under the latter was the seat of a marquisate and then of a duchy which was sometimes under the suzerainty of Spoleto
, and which was later conquered by the Franks
. In the 10th-11th century the city was under the Mainardi family. Boniface III of Tuscany
occupied the duchy around 1050, and then ceded it to his daughter Matilda
, who in turn donated it to the Papal States
.
After the year 1000, however, Camerino turned itself into an independent commune. Initially Ghibelline, it later became a Guelph
stronghold and suffered much under Emperor Frederick II
on account of its loyalty to the pope; Manfred of Sicily
's troops, led by Percivalle Doria, besieged and destroyed it (1256): much of the population was killed, but Camerino recovered under Gentile Da Varano, who was amongst the refugees that returned in 1262, forming a lasting fiefdom for his family which lasted three centuries.
In 1382, his descendant Giovanni Da Varano built a 12 km-long wall to defend the city, while a Ducal Palace was built by Giulio Cesare in 1460, which was one of the most sumptuous in Italy at the time. Giulio Cesare's daughter, Camilla Battista da Varano
, was canonized a saint by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010. In 1336 the University
was founded. The Da Varano were wiped out by Cesare Borgia
in 1502, and in 1545 the city fell under direct Papal administration.
In 1861, after Camerino become part of the unified Kingdom of Italy, the university was recognised by the new state. In 1958, the school became known as the University of Camerino
, a public institution.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Camerino.JPG
Principal sights include:
Marche
The population density in the region is below the national average. In 2008, it was 161.5 inhabitants per km2, compared to the national figure of 198.8. It is highest in the province of Ancona , and lowest in the province of Macerata...
region), in the province of Macerata
Province of Macerata
The Province of Macerata is a province in the Marche region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Macerata.It has an area of 2,774 km², and a total population of 301,701 . There are 57 comunes in the province, see Comunes of the Province of Macerata.-External links:*...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It is located in the Apennines
Apennine mountains
The Apennines or Apennine Mountains or Greek oros but just as often used alone as a noun. The ancient Greeks and Romans typically but not always used "mountain" in the singular to mean one or a range; thus, "the Apennine mountain" refers to the entire chain and is translated "the Apennine...
bordering Umbria
Umbria
Umbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
, between the valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
s of the rivers Potenza and Chienti
Chienti
The Chienti is a river in the Marche region of Italy. Its mouth is on the Adriatic at the town of Civitanova Marche ....
, about 40 miles from Ancona.
Camerino is best known for the University of Camerino
University of Camerino
The University of Camerino is a university located in Camerino, Italy. It claims to have been founded in 1336, was officially recognized by the Pope in 1727, and is organized into five faculties.-History:...
founded in the Middle Ages.
History
Camerino occupies the site of the ancient Camerinum, the inhabitants of which (Camertes Umbri or Umbrii-Camertii) became allies of the Romans in 310 BC or 309 BC (at the time of the attack on the Etruscans in the Ciminian ForestSilva Ciminia
The Silva Ciminia, the Ciminian Forest, was the unbroken primeval forest that separated Ancient Rome from Etruria. According to the Roman historian Livy it was, in the 4th century BCE, a feared, pathless wilderness in which few dared tread. The Ciminian Forest received its name from the Monti...
). On the other hand, the Katspriot referred to in the history of the year 295 BC are probably the inhabitants of Clusium
Clusium
Clusium was an ancient city in Italy, one of several found at the site. The current municipality of Chiusi partly overlaps this Roman walled city. The Roman city remodeled an earlier Etruscan city, Clevsin, found in the territory of a prehistoric culture, possibly also Etruscan or proto-Etruscan...
. Later it appears as a dependent autonomous community with the foedus aequum, an 'equal' treaty with Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
(Mommsen, Römisches Staatsrecht, iii. 664).
Two cohorts of Camertes fought with distinction under Gaius Marius
Gaius Marius
Gaius Marius was a Roman general and statesman. He was elected consul an unprecedented seven times during his career. He was also noted for his dramatic reforms of Roman armies, authorizing recruitment of landless citizens, eliminating the manipular military formations, and reorganizing the...
against the invading Germanic Cimbri
Cimbri
The Cimbri were a tribe from Northern Europe, who, together with the Teutones and the Ambrones threatened the Roman Republic in the late 2nd century BC. The Cimbri were probably Germanic, though some believe them to be of Celtic origin...
. It was much affected by the conspiracy of Catiline
Catiline
Lucius Sergius Catilina , known in English as Catiline, was a Roman politician of the 1st century BC who is best known for the Catiline conspiracy, an attempt to overthrow the Roman Republic, and in particular the power of the aristocratic Senate.-Family background:Catiline was born in 108 BC to...
, and is frequently mentioned in the Civil Wars; under the empire it was a municipium
Municipium
Municipium , the prototype of English municipality, was the Latin term for a town or city. Etymologically the municipium was a social contract between municipes, the "duty holders," or citizens of the town. The duties, or munera, were a communal obligation assumed by the municipes in exchange for...
. It belonged to ancient Umbria
Umbria
Umbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
, but was on the borders of Picenum
Picenum
Picenum was a region of ancient Italy. The name is an exonym assigned by the Romans, who conquered and incorporated it into the Roman Republic. Picenum was the birthplace of such notables as Pompey the Great and his father Pompeius Strabo. It was situated in what is now Marche...
.
Camerino was part of the Exarchate of Ravenna
Exarchate of Ravenna
The Exarchate of Ravenna or of Italy was a centre of Byzantine power in Italy, from the end of the 6th century to 751, when the last exarch was put to death by the Lombards.-Introduction:...
until 592, when it was captured by the Lombards
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
. The city under the latter was the seat of a marquisate and then of a duchy which was sometimes under the suzerainty of Spoleto
Duchy of Spoleto
The independent Duchy of Spoleto was a Lombard territory founded about 570 in central Italy by the Lombard dux Faroald.- Lombards :The Lombards, a Germanic people, had invaded Italy in 568 and conquered much of it, establishing a Kingdom divided between several dukes dependent on the King, who had...
, and which was later conquered by the Franks
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
. In the 10th-11th century the city was under the Mainardi family. Boniface III of Tuscany
Boniface III of Tuscany
Boniface III , son of Tedald of Canossa and the father of Matilda of Canossa, was the most powerful north Italian prince of his age...
occupied the duchy around 1050, and then ceded it to his daughter Matilda
Matilda of Tuscany
Matilda of Tuscany was an Italian noblewoman, the principal Italian supporter of Pope Gregory VII during the Investiture Controversy. She is one of the few medieval women to be remembered for her military accomplishments...
, who in turn donated it to the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
.
After the year 1000, however, Camerino turned itself into an independent commune. Initially Ghibelline, it later became a Guelph
Guelphs and Ghibellines
The Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in central and northern Italy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the split between these two parties was a particularly important aspect of the internal policy of the Italian city-states...
stronghold and suffered much under Emperor Frederick II
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
on account of its loyalty to the pope; Manfred of Sicily
Manfred of Sicily
Manfred was the King of Sicily from 1258 to 1266. He was a natural son of the emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen but his mother, Bianca Lancia , is reported by Matthew of Paris to have been married to the emperor while on her deathbed.-Background:Manfred was born in Venosa...
's troops, led by Percivalle Doria, besieged and destroyed it (1256): much of the population was killed, but Camerino recovered under Gentile Da Varano, who was amongst the refugees that returned in 1262, forming a lasting fiefdom for his family which lasted three centuries.
In 1382, his descendant Giovanni Da Varano built a 12 km-long wall to defend the city, while a Ducal Palace was built by Giulio Cesare in 1460, which was one of the most sumptuous in Italy at the time. Giulio Cesare's daughter, Camilla Battista da Varano
Camilla Battista da Varano
Saint Camilla Battista da Varano , from Camerino, Macerata, Italy, was an Italian princess and a Poor Clares Roman Catholic nun. She was beatified by Pope Gregory XVI in 1843 and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010....
, was canonized a saint by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010. In 1336 the University
University of Camerino
The University of Camerino is a university located in Camerino, Italy. It claims to have been founded in 1336, was officially recognized by the Pope in 1727, and is organized into five faculties.-History:...
was founded. The Da Varano were wiped out by Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia , Duke of Valentinois, was an Italian condottiero, nobleman, politician, and cardinal. He was the son of Pope Alexander VI and his long-term mistress Vannozza dei Cattanei. He was the brother of Lucrezia Borgia; Giovanni Borgia , Duke of Gandia; and Gioffre Borgia , Prince of Squillace...
in 1502, and in 1545 the city fell under direct Papal administration.
In 1861, after Camerino become part of the unified Kingdom of Italy, the university was recognised by the new state. In 1958, the school became known as the University of Camerino
University of Camerino
The University of Camerino is a university located in Camerino, Italy. It claims to have been founded in 1336, was officially recognized by the Pope in 1727, and is organized into five faculties.-History:...
, a public institution.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Camerino.JPG
Main sights
No ancient buildings are visible today, the Roman remains lying as much as one metre below ground level.Principal sights include:
- The Cathedral which is relatively modern (early 19th century), an earlier building having been destroyed in 1799: the interior houses some artworks from the former edifice, including a wooden Crucifix dating back to the 13th century and a Madonna of Misericord from the 15th century. The cryptCryptIn architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
has two stone lions from the late 13th century, two busts from Bernini's workshop and a marble medieval arch dedicated to St. Ansovinus, a bishop of the city in the 9th century. - The late-Gothic church of S. Venanzio was also damaged in 1799, but retains the original façade and bell tower.
- The Ducal Palace, seat of the Faculty of Jurisprudence of the University, is one of the most important Renaissance buildings in central Italy. It was created in the late 15th century by Giulio Cesare Da Varano. It has a porticoPorticoA portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
, a wide panoramic balcony, loggias and frescoed halls. - The Archbishops Palace (late 16th century). The museum includes a canvas by Gianbattista Tiepolo, a St. Sebastian from 1446 and an Annnunciation by Luca SignorelliLuca SignorelliLuca Signorelli was an Italian Renaissance painter who was noted in particular for his ability as a draughtsman and his use of foreshortening...
. - The Rocca dei Borgia ("Borgia Castle"), designed by Ludovico Clodio for Cesare BorgiaCesare BorgiaCesare Borgia , Duke of Valentinois, was an Italian condottiero, nobleman, politician, and cardinal. He was the son of Pope Alexander VI and his long-term mistress Vannozza dei Cattanei. He was the brother of Lucrezia Borgia; Giovanni Borgia , Duke of Gandia; and Gioffre Borgia , Prince of Squillace...
, dates from 1503. It has cylindrical towers and a massive keep. - The famous medieval Abbey of Fiastra, cradle of the Capuchin Order, is now abandoned.
- The Orto Botanico dell'Università di CamerinoOrto Botanico dell'Università di CamerinoThe Orto Botanico dell'Università di Camerino , also known as the Orto Botanico di Camerino, is a botanical garden operated by the University of Camerino, and located at Viale Oberdan 2, Camerino, Province of Macerata, Marche, Italy....
are botanical gardenBotanical gardenA botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
s maintained by the University of CamerinoUniversity of CamerinoThe University of Camerino is a university located in Camerino, Italy. It claims to have been founded in 1336, was officially recognized by the Pope in 1727, and is organized into five faculties.-History:...
, as is the Arboretum ApenninicumArboretum ApenninicumThe Arboretum Apenninicum is an arboretum operated by the University of Camerino, and located in Tuseggia, Camerino, Province of Macerata, Marche, Italy....
. - The Jewish quarter "Giudecca" in the city center.
Frazioni
Agnano, Arcofiato, Arnano, Campolarzo, Canepina, Capolapiaggia, Casale, Caselle, Cignano, Colle Altino, Costa San Severo, Letegge, Leteggiole, Mecciano, Merganano Sant'Angelo, Mergnano San Pietro, Mergnano San Savino, Mistrano, Morro, Paganico, Palentuccio, Paterno, Perito, Pian d'Aiello, Pianpalente, Piegusciano, Polverina, Pontelatrave, Ponti, Pozzuolo, Rocca d'Aiello, Sabbieta Alta, San Luca, San Marcello, Santa Lucia, Sant'Erasmo, Sellano, Sentino, Selvazzano, Sfercia, Statte, Strada, Torrone, Tuseggia, Valdiea, Valle San Martino, Valle Vegenana, Varano.External links
- Comune di Camerino - Official Site
- Ugo Betti - Official site on the poet and writer from Camerino
- Il territorio di Camerino
- Musicamdo Jazz&Blues Festival - Official site of the cultural association 'Musicamdo'
- Teatro Filippo Marchetti - Official site of the theatre Filippo Marchetti
- A.S.D. Scuola Yoga Camerino - Official site of the sportive association Scuola Yoga Camerino