Oppido Mamertina

Oppido Mamertina (Greek-Calabrian dialect: Oppidù, Ofidus) is a town and comune of the province of Reggio Calabria in Calabria in southern Italy at about 62 kilometres (39 mi) northeast of Reggio Calabria and about 120 kilometres (75 mi) southwest of Catanzaro.

It is the seat of the Diocese of Oppido Mamertina.

The municipality includes the following boroughs (frazioni): Castellace, Messignadi, Piminoro, and Tresilico.

History

The ancient history of the town is largely unknown, but archeological excavations in Mella might point its origins to the mythical Mamerto (3rd century BC – 1st century AD).^[2] The first mention of the town (Oppidum in Latin, meaning citadel) is 1040, during the Byzantine Era.^[2]

The town is famous for its prolonged resistance before falling to Roger the Norman in 1056.^[2]

On February 5, 1783, an earthquake completely destroyed the town killing 1,198 people.^[3] The town was rebuilt near the neighbouring village Tresilico (incorporated in the municipality in 1927). Other earthquakes hit the town in 1894 and on December 28, 1908, which destroyed the neighbouring township Castellace.^[2]

Economy

The economy is based on agriculture, in particular olive groves and the production of olive oil, as well citrus orchards in the plain. Forestry and sheep husbandry are also sources of income.^[2]

Crime

The town is home to the 'Ndrangheta, a Mafia-type criminal organization based in Calabria. Several powerful criminal clans originate from the town, such as the Mammoliti-Rugolo.^[4] The town achieved a sad notoriety in July 2014 when, two weeks after Pope Francis, visiting Calabria, had publicly excommunicated the Mafia, a procession carrying a statue of the Madonna stopped to pay homage outside the house of an home confined local mafia leader.

Climate

The climate of Oppido Mamertina is Mediterranean climate/subtropical. The temperature extremes temperature annual are +46,2 °C on July 17, 1904 and 0,0 on January 18,1793. Snow is a rare event . It has appeared a few times and most in the form of rain . It occurred in January 1755, in February 1801, in January 1803, in December 1879, in February 1901, in March 1949, in February 1956, in January 1999, in January 2002, in January 2005, in February 2009 and in December 2014. Instead, with accumulation appeared in January 1793, in January 1893, in February 2015 . The frost stronger (+ 5 °C / -2 °C) occurred only four times from 1700 to date: 14 January 1765 (+ 2.8 °C) that was visible on the herbs of the countryside, 22 January 1818 (+ 0.9 °C) some visible on the roads, 5 February 1879 (+ 4.4 °C), 8 February 2015 (+ 3.8 °C) that was visible on the herbs of the countryside.

Also here, like many other cities in southern Italy, temperatures in the years 2000 have declined compared with 1900. In recent years the snowfall and rains have become more frequent. The snowfall which is known are: January 1905, February 1915, March 1949, February 1956, January 1963, January 1999, January 2002 (mixed), December 2014 and February 2015.

Climate data for Oppido Mamertina
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F	84.9	86.4	90.3	102	104.2	113.2	115.2	113.9	107.6	105.4	93.2	86.7	115.2
Average high °F	62.6	63.3	64.6	73.4	75.2	84.2	89.6	87.1	83.3	75.9	69.8	64	74.5
Average low °F	51.1	51.8	59	66.2	69.8	77	81.7	81.7	77	70.7	65.8	57.2	67.5
Record low °F	32	32.4	37.4	48.2	51.1	58.1	65.3	62.6	59	51.8	46.4	34	32
Average precipitation inches	2.68	2.24	1.81	0.98	0.67	0.2	0	0.28	0.39	2.76	3.07	2.83	17.91
Record high °C	29.4	30.2	32.4	38.9	40.1	45.1	46.2	45.5	42.0	40.8	34.0	30.4	46.2
Average high °C	17.0	17.4	18.1	23.0	24.0	29.0	32.0	30.6	28.5	24.4	21.0	17.8	23.6
Average low °C	10.6	11.0	15.0	19.0	21.0	25.0	27.6	27.6	25.0	21.5	18.8	14.0	19.7
Record low °C	0.0	0.2	3.0	9.0	10.6	14.5	18.5	17.0	15.0	11.0	8.0	1.1	0.0
Average precipitation mm	68	57	46	25	17	5	0	7	10	70	78	72	455
Average precipitation days	9	9	7	3	1	0	0	0	2	9	11	8	59
Average relative humidity (%)	73	72	68	66	65	60	58	61	63	72	75	73	67.2
Mean monthly sunshine hours	201	218	287	304	310	375	400	357	311	289	250	188	3,490
Source: Temperatures: 1890–2015; Extremes: 1700–2015; Rain data: 1777–2015

^[5]

The last episode of frost was on January 22, 1818. The snowfall of February 9, 2015 is the only one with snowfall accumulation over 2 cm in the last two centuries. In fact, the biggest snowfall of this century belongs to the 18 January 2002 with 1.8 cm of accumulation, and the last century belongs to the February 4, 1901 with 2 cm of accumulation. Instead, the largest snowfall always belongs to January 1793 14-15 c, but locally also of 19 cm of accumulation, with 0.0 ° C. The earliest snowfall was on December 27, 1765, instead that the later was March 4, 1949.

Although the data show that the records of April and December respectively + 38.9 ° C and 30.4 ° C, the highest temperature in April was + 39.4 ° C was recorded for a period between 14 : 03 and 14:44, however, given by hitting was recorded in less than an hour is not entered in the record, exactly as in December, which were recorded + 31.1 ° C was recorded in a period between 12:11 and the 24:51. ^[6]

Climate in direct sun exposure

Climate data for Oppido Mamertina
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F	95	97	102.6	112.5	113	119.7	122.2	120.4	116.6	114.4	106.2	99.9	122.2
Average high °F	77	77.9	81	87.8	90	101.1	107.6	106.2	100	93.4	84.9	80.6	90.7
Average low °F	64.4	65.3	70.2	78.4	79.9	89.6	99.5	98.4	89.2	81.5	75.7	67.5	73.4
Record low °F	55.4	52.2	59	66	68.9	81.5	86	84.2	80.6	71.2	64.4	58.3	52.2
Record high °C	35.0	36.1	39.2	44.7	45.0	48.7	50.1	49.1	47.0	45.8	41.2	37.7	50.1
Average high °C	25.0	25.5	27.2	31.0	32.2	38.4	42.0	41.2	37.8	34.1	29.4	27.0	32.6
Average low °C	18.0	18.5	21.2	25.8	26.6	32.0	37.5	36.9	31.8	27.5	24.3	19.7	23.0
Record low °C	13.0	11.2	15.0	18.9	20.5	27.5	30.0	29.0	27.0	21.8	18.0	14.6	11.2

Minimum temperature higher and lower maximum from 1700 to today

The highest minimum temperature was recorded 17 July 1904, 23 July 1905 and 14 July 1990 with + 40.2 ° C. While the maximum temperature was lower regstrata February 9, 2015 with + 9.9 ° C.

Month	Minimum Higher	Lower Maximum
January	+22.1°C (1804, 1988)	+10.3°C (1793)
February	+24.2°C (1977, 2014)	+9.9°C (2015)
March	+26.8°C (1952)	+13.3°C (1949)
April	+32.0°C (1918)	+17.9°C (1764, 2015)
May	+33.3°C (2015)	+19.0°C (1741, 1957)
June	+38.3°C (1899, 2012)	+25.4°C (1776, 1816)
July	+40.2°C (1904, 1905, 1990)	+29.4°C (1882)
August	+39.0°C (1912, 2003)	+28.9°C (1877, 2013)
September	+38.1°C (2011)	+25.0°C (2013)
October	+34.0°C (2012)	+21.2°C (1872,1902)
November	+30.4°C (1927)	+17.4°C (2002)
December	+25.0°C (2014)	+12.8°C (1879, 1961, 2014)

The highest average temperature was recorded in 1988 and in 2014 with + 23.7 ° C. Instead, the lowest average temperature was in 1793 with + 19.3 ° C. In 2015 they are registered + 20.7 ° C on average.

The wettest month ever in November 1765 was 107 mm, while the driest was in April 1730, 1863, 1912, 1918, 1990.2007, 2012 and 2014, June 1990 and 2012, in July 1782, 1789, 1802, 1884, 1890, 1896, 1905, 1912, 1914, 1929, 1944, 1945, 1949, 1990, 2007, 2009 and 2012, August 2012, September 1809, 1912, 1918, 1927, 1929, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1988, 1999 2000, 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2012 and October 1869 and 2012 with 0 mm. The wettest year was 1765 with 598 mm, while the one with lower rainfall was 1918 and 2012 with 184 mm.

The wind is a phenomenon that appears constantly and sometimes it's really destructive. The gusts were recorded faster 27 December 1907 with 212.2 km / h from East

Demographic evolution

The population halved during the last century. Many inhabitants moved to the industrial centres in northern Italy or joined the Italian diaspora to escape the extreme poverty.^[2]

Notable people

Saverio Mammoliti (born 1942), 'Ndrangheta boss
Candido Zerbi (1827–1889), politician and senator
Alessio Viola

References

↑ All demographics and other statistics from the Italian statistical institute (Istat)
1 2 3 4 5 6 Oppido Mamertina: Tour in City
↑ Faulting and earthquake triggering during the 1783 Calabria seismic sequence, Jacques E., Monaco C., Tapponnier P., Tortorici L. & Winter T., Geophysical Journal International, Volume 147, Number 3, 2002, pp.499-516
↑ Woman of honour, The Independent, February 25, 1996
↑ "Stazione Meteorologica di Oppido Mamertina centro".
↑ "Oppido Mamertina Clima".

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Oppido Mamertina". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton.

Calabria · Comuni of the Province of Reggio Calabria

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