Teora
Encyclopedia
Teora is a small town and comune
in the province of Avellino
, in the Campania
region of southern Italy
.
, Conza della Campania
, Lioni
and Morra De Sanctis
.
Dionisio of Alicarnasso (1st century B.C.) and by the Italian historian Marco Terenzio Varrone. It began as an agricultural and military centre, and was named after the Teora family, who founded it upon their arrival in Italy (in the so-called Magna Grecia) from Greece.
It was also reported that the tribuno della plebe Milo
died there during the civil war between Julius Caesar
and Pompey
in the Roman era. In a Privilegio of 1200, granted by Pope Innocent III to Pantaleone, archbishop of Conza, Teora referred to using the name Tugurium Biarium for the first time.
Filippo was lord of Teora in 1332, and its domain was acquired by the Earl Giacomo Arcuccio in 1376. Subsequently, it passed on to the Gesualdo Family and from 1676 to 1806, Teora belonged to the Mirelli Princes.
Three earthquakes have occurred in Teora, in 1694
, 1732, and 1980 respectively; the last earthquake
destroyed much of the village's historical and cultural identity. Twenty-five years after that last earthquake, Teora was awarded the Gold Medal of civil merit.
-decorated balconies, each waiting for her loved one. While professional menestrelli play their love songs, each man climbs a rope ladder to reach his lady and bring her a red rose.
Callisto II as a necropolis
. The fountain has been completely rebuilt over the centuries, and today it is a simple-structured building.
is held. This event is featured in the Museum of Popular Traditions at Caserta.
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:...
in the province of Avellino
Province of Avellino
The Province of Avellino is a province in the Campania region of Italy. The area is typified by many small towns and villages scattered across the province; in fact only two towns have a population over 20,000; its capital city Avellino and Ariano Irpino....
, in the Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
region of southern 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...
.
Geography
Teora is bordered by the towns of CaposeleCaposele
Caposele is a town and comune in the province of Avellino, Campania, Italy.The town was seriously damaged by the Irpinian earthquake of 1980....
, Conza della Campania
Conza della Campania
Conza della Campania is a comune in the province of province of Avellino in the region of Campania in Italy.-Early history:...
, Lioni
Lioni
Lioni is a town and comune in the province of Avellino, Campania, Italy. Its population was, in 2008, of 6,390 .-History:The town's name appears for the first time in a deed of gift dated 883, with which the Lombard prince Sicardo granted the abbess of S...
and Morra De Sanctis
Morra De Sanctis
Morra De Sanctis is a town and comune in the province of Avellino, Campania, Italy....
.
History
The origin of the village was recorded by the Greek historianHistorian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
Dionisio of Alicarnasso (1st century B.C.) and by the Italian historian Marco Terenzio Varrone. It began as an agricultural and military centre, and was named after the Teora family, who founded it upon their arrival in Italy (in the so-called Magna Grecia) from Greece.
It was also reported that the tribuno della plebe Milo
Titus Annius Milo
Titus Annius Milo Papianus was a Roman political agitator, the son of Gaius Papius Celsus, but adopted by his maternal grandfather, Titus Annius Luscus...
died there during the civil war between Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
and Pompey
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
in the Roman era. In a Privilegio of 1200, granted by Pope Innocent III to Pantaleone, archbishop of Conza, Teora referred to using the name Tugurium Biarium for the first time.
Filippo was lord of Teora in 1332, and its domain was acquired by the Earl Giacomo Arcuccio in 1376. Subsequently, it passed on to the Gesualdo Family and from 1676 to 1806, Teora belonged to the Mirelli Princes.
Three earthquakes have occurred in Teora, in 1694
1694 Irpinia-Basilicata earthquake
The 1694 Irpinia-Basilicata earthquake occurred on September 8. It caused widespread damage in the Basilicata and Puglia regions, resulting in more than 6,000 casualties. The earthquake occurred at 11:40 UTC and lasted between 30 and 60 seconds....
, 1732, and 1980 respectively; the last earthquake
1980 Irpinia earthquake
The 1980 Irpinia earthquake took place in the Irpinia region in Southern Italy on Sunday, November 23, 1980. Measuring 6.89 on the Richter Scale, the quake, centered on the village of Conza, killed 2,914 people, injured more than 10,000 and left 300,000 homeless. It is known in Italy as Terremoto...
destroyed much of the village's historical and cultural identity. Twenty-five years after that last earthquake, Teora was awarded the Gold Medal of civil merit.
Weddings
Weddings in Teora follow a centuries-old tradition in which the groom serenades his bride on the evening before the wedding. Accompanied by local singers, the groom will usually stand under the balcony of her bedroom, awaiting the bride's response. After a few minutes, the bride is expected to switch on the light and go out onto the balcony, as a sign of her approval. The evening usually continues with music and songs in the bride's house.Festival of Serenades
Every year in the first half of August, the Festival of Serenades takes place, during which five Teorese girls stand on five geraniumPelargonium
Pelargonium is a genus of flowering plants which includes about 200 species of perennials, succulents, and shrubs, commonly known as scented geraniums or storksbills. Confusingly, Geranium is the correct botanical name of a separate genus of related plants often called Cranesbills. Both Geranium...
-decorated balconies, each waiting for her loved one. While professional menestrelli play their love songs, each man climbs a rope ladder to reach his lady and bring her a red rose.
Fountain of Monte
The fountain, also called the fountain of the dead men, has its origins in the 12th century, when the Church of Conza was designated by PopePope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Callisto II as a necropolis
Necropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
. The fountain has been completely rebuilt over the centuries, and today it is a simple-structured building.
Church of Saint Nicholas
The precise date the church was originally built is unknown, as all documents were lost in a fire in 1690. The church has been rebuilt several times, and the present structure, with its 16th century appearance, was completed in the 20th century. The church was destroyed four times by earthquakes in 1604, 1694, 1732 and 1980. Today, only the skeleton of the greater altar and the ancient columns' stone bases remain of the structure. The new church, rebuilt after the 1980 earthquake , includes pieces obtained from the destroyed church and the Congregation di Morti, also destroyed by the earthquake of 1980.Corona flour mill
The Corona flour mill is situated at the edge of the historical centre of the village. Its exact age is unknown, and it has not been in use for fifty years. The earthquake of November 1980 destroyed the central part of the mill.Fountain (public washhouse) of Piano
Situated to the west of the area, the rectangular fountain is subdivided in three zones with pillars. The water flows out of five stone masks and into three bathtubs leaning on the wall. Public washhouses are situated at the rear of the monument.Stone of the civil weddings
Congrega public square is named after the Congrega little church. The public documents which form part of the civil marriage ceremony are completed in public on a stone table in the square. It is not known when this tradition began. The table is made from a 20 cm-thick slab supported by two two stone pillars.Festivals and events
The town's patron is Saint Nicholas, who is remembered on August 13 and on December 6.Squaqqualacchiun'
This is a typical masque related to the day of Saint Anthony, January 17, on which the first day of the carnivalCarnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
is held. This event is featured in the Museum of Popular Traditions at Caserta.