Manfredonia
Encyclopedia
Manfredonia is a town and comune
of Puglia, Italy
, in the province of Foggia
, from which it is 35 kilometres northeast by rail. Manfredonia is situated on the coast, facing east, to the south of Monte Gargano
, and giving its name to the gulf to the east of it. As of 2011 its population was of 57,416.
, founded by Diomedes
. The flourishing Greek colony, having fallen into the hands of the Samnites, was retaken about 335 BC by King Alexander of Epirus, uncle of Alexander the Great.
In 189 BC Sipontum was conquered by the Romans and became a colony of citizens. It was a port at the junction of the road which basically followed the Adriatic coast (but gving the Garganus mountain's peninsula just north a miss) and a road through Arpi
, Luceria, Aecae and Aequum Tuticum connecting at Beneventum to the Via Appia.
In AD 663 it was taken and destroyed by the Slavs. In the 9th century, Sipontum was for a time in the power of the Saracens.
ln 1042 the Normans made it the seat of one of their twelve counties, while the Monte Gargano remained Byzantine. The Normans won a decisive victory there over the Byzantine general Argyrus in 1052.
Siponto was an archbishopric in the Norman countship of Apulia.
Having become unhealthy owing to the stagnation
of the water in the lagoons after the 1223 earthquake, Siponto was abandoned.
The modern city of Manfredonia was built by King Manfred
between 1256–1263, some kilometers north of the ruins of the ancient Sipontum. The Angevins
, who had defeated Manfred and stripped him of the Kingdom of Sicily
, christened it Sypontum Novellum ("New Sypontum"), but that name never imposed.
In 1528 Manfredonia resisted a French attack led by the Viscount of Lautrec
. In 1620 it was destroyed by the Turks
, who left only the castle and part of the walls.
. It borders with the municipalities of Carapelle
, Cerignola
, Foggia
, Monte Sant'Angelo
, San Giovanni Rotondo
, San Marco in Lamis
and Zapponeta
.
It counts 7 civil parishes (frazioni
): Borgo Mezzanone, Riviera Sud (Sciali and Ippocampo), Pastini, Ruggiano, San Salvatore, Siponto
and Tomaiuolo.
and completed by the Angevins
, and parts of the town walls are well preserved. The castle received a new line of walls in the 15th century
In the church of San Domenico, the Chapel of the Maddalena contains old paintings of the 14th century. Three kilometers to the southwest is the former Siponto Cathedral, now the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore di Siponto
, built in 1117 in the Romanesque
style, with a dome and crypt. San Leonardo, nearer Foggia
, belonging to the Teutonic Order, is of the same date.
Manfredonia is also the location of the seat of the Archbishopric of Manfredonia-Vieste-S. Giovanni Rotondo in Manfredonia Cathedral
, rebuilt in about 1600 after the destruction by the Turks of its 13th-century predecessor.
links Manfredonia to Foggia
, a distance of 40 km (25 mi) and to A14 motorway
.
Manfredonia railway station is the terminal of the Foggia-Manfredonia line. Other stations serving the municipal territory are Manfredonia Città (closed) Siponto (in the homonymous village
), Frattarolo, Candelaro and Amendola.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of Puglia, 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...
, in the province of Foggia
Province of Foggia
The Province of Foggia is a province in the Apulia region of Italy.This province is also known as Capitanata, originally Catapanata, because during the Middle Ages it was governed by a catapan, as part of the Catapanate of Italy...
, from which it is 35 kilometres northeast by rail. Manfredonia is situated on the coast, facing east, to the south of Monte Gargano
Monte Gargano
Gargano is a historical and geographical Italian sub-region situated in Apulia, consisting of a wide isolated mountain massif made of highland and several peaks and forming the backbone of the Gargano Promontory projecting into the Adriatic Sea. The high point is Monte Calvo at . Most of the upland...
, and giving its name to the gulf to the east of it. As of 2011 its population was of 57,416.
History
The area of current Manfredonia was settled in ancient times by the GreeksGreeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
, founded by Diomedes
Diomedes
Diomedes or Diomed is a hero in Greek mythology, known for his participation in the Trojan War.He was born to Tydeus and Deipyle and later became King of Argos, succeeding his maternal grandfather, Adrastus. In Homer's Iliad Diomedes is regarded alongside Ajax as one of the best warriors of all...
. The flourishing Greek colony, having fallen into the hands of the Samnites, was retaken about 335 BC by King Alexander of Epirus, uncle of Alexander the Great.
In 189 BC Sipontum was conquered by the Romans and became a colony of citizens. It was a port at the junction of the road which basically followed the Adriatic coast (but gving the Garganus mountain's peninsula just north a miss) and a road through Arpi
Arpi
Arpi was an ancient city of Apulia, Italy, 20 mi. W. of the sea coast, and 5 mi. N. of the modern Foggia. The legend attributes its foundation to Diomedes, and the figure of a horse, which appears on its coins, shows the importance of horse-breeding in early times in the district...
, Luceria, Aecae and Aequum Tuticum connecting at Beneventum to the Via Appia.
In AD 663 it was taken and destroyed by the Slavs. In the 9th century, Sipontum was for a time in the power of the Saracens.
ln 1042 the Normans made it the seat of one of their twelve counties, while the Monte Gargano remained Byzantine. The Normans won a decisive victory there over the Byzantine general Argyrus in 1052.
Siponto was an archbishopric in the Norman countship of Apulia.
Having become unhealthy owing to the stagnation
Water stagnation
Water stagnation occurs when water stops flowing. Stagnant water can be a major environmental hazard.-Dangers:Malaria and dengue are among the main dangers of stagnant water, which can become a breeding ground for the mosquitoes that transmit these diseases.Stagnant or Stailment water can be...
of the water in the lagoons after the 1223 earthquake, Siponto was abandoned.
The modern city of Manfredonia was built by King Manfred
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...
between 1256–1263, some kilometers north of the ruins of the ancient Sipontum. The Angevins
Capetian House of Anjou
The Capetian House of Anjou, also known as the House of Anjou-Sicily and House of Anjou-Naples, was a royal house and cadet branch of the direct House of Capet. Founded by Charles I of Sicily, a son of Louis VIII of France, the Capetian king first ruled the Kingdom of Sicily during the 13th century...
, who had defeated Manfred and stripped him of the Kingdom of Sicily
Kingdom of Sicily
The Kingdom of Sicily was a state that existed in the south of Italy from its founding by Roger II in 1130 until 1816. It was a successor state of the County of Sicily, which had been founded in 1071 during the Norman conquest of southern Italy...
, christened it Sypontum Novellum ("New Sypontum"), but that name never imposed.
In 1528 Manfredonia resisted a French attack led by the Viscount of Lautrec
Odet de Foix, Vicomte de Lautrec
Odet de Foix, Vicomte de Lautrec was a French military leader. He gained the reputation of a gallant and able soldier, but this scarcely seems to be justified by the facts; though he was always badly used by fortune....
. In 1620 it was destroyed by the Turks
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, who left only the castle and part of the walls.
Geography
Manfredonia is located in south of GarganoGargano
Gargano is a historical and geographical Italian sub-region situated in Apulia, consisting of a wide isolated mountain massif made of highland and several peaks and forming the backbone of the Gargano Promontory projecting into the Adriatic Sea. The high point is Monte Calvo at . Most of the upland...
. It borders with the municipalities of Carapelle
Carapelle
Carapelle is a town and comune belonging to the Province of Foggia and situated in the Apulia region of Italy....
, Cerignola
Cerignola
Cerignola is a town and comune of Apulia, Italy, in the province of Foggia, 40 km southeast from the town of Foggia. It has the third-largest land area of any comune in Italy, at 593.71 km², after Rome and Ravenna.-History:...
, Foggia
Foggia
Foggia is a city and comune of Apulia, Italy, capital of the province of Foggia. Foggia is the main city of a plain called Tavoliere, also known as the "granary of Italy".-History:...
, Monte Sant'Angelo
Monte Sant'Angelo
Monte Sant'Angelo is a town and comune of Apulia, southern Italy, in the province of Foggia, about 15 km north of Manfredonia by road and 4 km west of Mattinata, on the southern slopes of Monte Gargano.-History:...
, San Giovanni Rotondo
San Giovanni Rotondo
San Giovanni Rotondo is the name of a city and comune in the province of Foggia, Puglia region, southern Italy. As of 2006 it had a population of 26,442....
, San Marco in Lamis
San Marco in Lamis
San Marco in Lamis is a town and comune in the province of Foggia in the Apulia region of southeast Italy. It is located in the Gargano massif area.Apart from some tourism connected to pilgrimages at the local Catholic sanctuary of St...
and Zapponeta
Zapponeta
Zapponeta is a town and comune in the province of Foggia in the Apulia region of southeast Italy. Until 1975 it was a frazione of Manfredonia.It was founded in 1768 by baron Michele Zezza....
.
It counts 7 civil parishes (frazioni
Frazione
A frazione , in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a comune; for other administrative divisions, see municipio, circoscrizione, quartiere...
): Borgo Mezzanone, Riviera Sud (Sciali and Ippocampo), Pastini, Ruggiano, San Salvatore, Siponto
Siponto
Siponto was an ancient port town of Apulia in southern Italy. The town was abandoned after earthquakes in the 13th century; today the area is administered as a frazione of the comune of Manfredonia, in the province of Foggia...
and Tomaiuolo.
Main sights
The medieval castle, begun by the HohenstaufenHohenstaufen
The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily...
and completed by the Angevins
Capetian House of Anjou
The Capetian House of Anjou, also known as the House of Anjou-Sicily and House of Anjou-Naples, was a royal house and cadet branch of the direct House of Capet. Founded by Charles I of Sicily, a son of Louis VIII of France, the Capetian king first ruled the Kingdom of Sicily during the 13th century...
, and parts of the town walls are well preserved. The castle received a new line of walls in the 15th century
In the church of San Domenico, the Chapel of the Maddalena contains old paintings of the 14th century. Three kilometers to the southwest is the former Siponto Cathedral, now the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore di Siponto
Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore di Siponto
The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore di Siponto is a church in Manfredonia, Apulia, southern Italy. Once the city's cathedral, it received the status of Basilica Minor in 1977; it is dedicated to the Holy Virgin of Siponto ....
, built in 1117 in the Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
style, with a dome and crypt. San Leonardo, nearer Foggia
Foggia
Foggia is a city and comune of Apulia, Italy, capital of the province of Foggia. Foggia is the main city of a plain called Tavoliere, also known as the "granary of Italy".-History:...
, belonging to the Teutonic Order, is of the same date.
Manfredonia is also the location of the seat of the Archbishopric of Manfredonia-Vieste-S. Giovanni Rotondo in Manfredonia Cathedral
Manfredonia Cathedral
Manfredonia Cathedral is the Roman Catholic cathedral of Manfredonia in Italy, dedicated to Saint Laurence of Siponto , one of the patron saints of the city...
, rebuilt in about 1600 after the destruction by the Turks of its 13th-century predecessor.
Transport
A Dual carriagewayDual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
links Manfredonia to Foggia
Foggia
Foggia is a city and comune of Apulia, Italy, capital of the province of Foggia. Foggia is the main city of a plain called Tavoliere, also known as the "granary of Italy".-History:...
, a distance of 40 km (25 mi) and to A14 motorway
Autostrada A14 (Italy)
The Autostrada A14, called also Autostrada Adriatica, is a motorway which connects the town of Bologna to the town of Taranto. For most of its route if follows the Adriatic Sea coast of the Italian peninsula...
.
Manfredonia railway station is the terminal of the Foggia-Manfredonia line. Other stations serving the municipal territory are Manfredonia Città (closed) Siponto (in the homonymous village
Siponto
Siponto was an ancient port town of Apulia in southern Italy. The town was abandoned after earthquakes in the 13th century; today the area is administered as a frazione of the comune of Manfredonia, in the province of Foggia...
), Frattarolo, Candelaro and Amendola.
Personalities
- Laurence of SipontoLaurence of SipontoLaurence of Siponto, also known as Laurence Maioranus , is an Italian saint, patron of the city of Manfredonia and the Archdiocese of Manfredonia-Vieste-San Giovanni Rotondo. Manfredonia Cathedral is dedicated to him....
(d. 545), bishop, saint, patron of Manfredonia - Vettor PisaniVettor PisaniVettor Pisani was a Venetian admiral.-Biography:He was in command of the Venetian fleet in 1378 during the war against the Genoese, whom he defeated off Capo d'Anzio; subsequently he recaptured Kotor, Šibenik and Rab, which had been seized by the Croatians and Hungarians, the allies of the Genoese...
(1324–1380), Venetian admiral - Francesco Paolo Bozzelli (1786–1864), philosopher
- Pino Rucher (1924–1996), singer
Sources and references
- A. Beltramelli, Il Gargano (Bergamo, 1907)
- Westermann, Großer Atlas zur Weltgeschichte
See also
- Manfredonia Football 1932
- 1976 Manfredonia accidental release of arsenic1976 Manfredonia accidental release of arsenicThe Manfredonia accidental release of arsenic took place near the Italian town Manfredonia in September 1976 at the Enichem petrochemical plant, which produced fertilizers and caprolactam, a precursor in the manufacture of nylon...