Poggio Mirteto
| Poggio Mirteto | |
|---|---|
| Comune | |
| Comune di Poggio Mirteto | |
 Poggio Mirteto
|
|
| Coordinates: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Latium |
| Province / Metropolitan city | Rieti (RI) |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Giancarlo Micarelli |
| Area | |
| • Total | 26.4 km2 (10.2 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 246 m (807 ft) |
| Population (2008)[1] | |
| • Total | 5,879 |
| • Density | 220/km2 (580/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Poggiani |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Postal code | 02047 |
| Dialing code | 0765 |
| Patron saint | Saint Cajetan |
| Saint day | 7 August |
Poggio Mirteto is a comune (municipality) and former bishopric in Sabina in the province of Rieti (formerly part of the province of Perugia) in the Central Italian region Latium, about 45 kilometres (28 mi) northeast of Rome and about 20 kilometres (12 mi) southwest of Rieti.
According to Giuseppe Marocco's 1833 book (Monumenti dello Stato Pontificio e relazione topografica di ogni paese - Sabina e sue memorie) the name Poggio Mirteto derives from the abbundance of Myrtus plants (mirto in Italian) in its territory and from the Italian word which means hill, Poggio, because it is onto an hill.
Poggio Mirteto's cathedral, formerly seat of its own bishops, became the episcopal see of the Bishop of the Suburbicarian Diocese of Sabina-Poggio Mirteto.
Contents
History
- For ecclesiastical history, see Roman Catholic Diocese of Poggio Mirteto
Poggio Mirteto was founded in the early thirteenth century and later became part of the Papal States. In the year 1860 Poggio Mirteto joined the newborn Kingdom of Italy. With a Decree of the then Special Commissioner for the Province of Umbria of the Kingdom of Italy, Napoleone Gioacchino Pepoli, Poggio Mirteto become part of the Province of Perugia in the December 1860.[2]
Since 1927 Poggio Mirteto has been part of the Province of Rieti which was established in the same year by the Royal Decree 2 gennaio 1927, n.1.
Geography
Poggio Mirteto is situated on a hill, which is around 250 meters above the sea level, by the left bank of the river Tevere, in a fertile region, where pot-herbs, cereals, grapes and pastures are cultivated. Olive plantation is the most typical product of the Poggio Mirteto's agriculture and its extra virgin olive oil has the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) like all the extra virgin olive oil produced in Sabina.
The municipality of Poggio Mirteto comprises the following hamlets (subdivisions, mainly villages), in Italian "frazioni": Poggio Mirteto Scalo where there is the railway station, San Valentino, San Luigi, Misericordia and Castel San Pietro. Poggio Mirteto borders one another the following municipalities: Poggio Catino, Montopoli di Sabina, Torrita Tiberina, Cantalupo in Sabina and Salisano.
The famous Farfa Abbey is close to Poggio Mirteto.
Transportation
Poggio Mirteto is directly linked with Rome, Fiumicino Aeroporto railway station, Orte and other Lazio's towns thorugh the railway FR1. The railway station is in the biggest municipality's hamlet, Poggio Mirteto Scalo, which is far from the city center around six kilometres.
The main road is the road SS 79 "Ternana" which links Terni to Rieti.
Main sights
Piazza Martiri della Libertà is a square which represents the city center of Poggio Mirteto where there are the City Hall and the Cathedral. This very large square, which is enclosed by buildings for the biggest part of its perimeter, was developed as an expansion of the old medieval city in the seventeenth century: the square is linked to the medieval part of the city through a monumental gateway, Porta Farnese: this gateway is named by the House of Farnese because its construction was proposed by the Cardinal Alessandro Farnese during the sixteen century when he was Abbot of Farfa.
In the medieval part of the city there is also the huge bishop palace and its prison.
In the municipality territory there are the following churches:
- Cathedral
- Saint John
- San Rocco
- Holy Family
- Madonna della Misericordia
- Santa Maria della Pietà
- Saint Paul
In the old city there is a notable medieval clock tower. An old chimney made of bricks, now near the city center, is the most notable remainder of the former glassmaker Fajella.[3] In the municipality territory ancient ruins of Roman villas are numerous such as the villa called "Bagni di Lucilla" and a villa which traditionally is claimed to have been of Terentius Varro. In the countryside there are also remnants of small Roman aqueducts.
Notable locals
Twin towns — sister cities
- Canéjan in 2003
Curiosity
According to a book of the journalist Italo Pietra when Enrico Mattei was fourteen years old he arrived in Poggio Mirteto by train: he had run away from home and reached Rome with a friend where they stayed for some days homeless. Later the two teenagers left Rome without a train ticket but the Carabinieri found out and blocked them in the railway station of Poggio Mirteto. [4]
See also
Sources and External links
- Official website
- Monumenti dello Stato Pontificio e relazione topografica di ogni paese - Sabina e sue memorie
References
- ↑ All demographics and other statistics: Italian statistical institute Istat.
- ↑ Decreto n° 241, serie n° 198, 15 Dicembre 1860.
- ↑ Bacci Valeria, La Fabbrica dei Cristalli. Ricerche sull'antica vetreria Fajella di Poggio Mirteto. ISBN 88-903056-9-X
- ↑ Italo Pietra, Mattei. La Pecora Nera. La Biblioteca di Repubblica
