Silvi

Silvi
Comune
Comune di Silvi

Coat of arms
Silvi

Location of Silvi in Italy

Coordinates: 42°33′N 14°7′E / 42.550°N 14.117°E / 42.550; 14.117
Country Italy
Region Abruzzo
Province Teramo (TE)
Frazioni Pianacce, San Silvestre, Santo Stefano, Silvi Paese, Silvi Marina
Government
  Mayor Gaetano Vallescura
Area
  Total 20.6 km2 (8.0 sq mi)
Elevation[1] 2 m (7 ft)
Population (31 December 2006)[2]
  Total 15,264
  Density 740/km2 (1,900/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Silvaroli
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 64028 Silvi Paese, 64029 Silvi Marina, 64030 San Silvestre
Dialing code 085
Patron saint Saint Leo
Website Official website

Silvi is an Italian comune in the province of Teramo, about 15 kilometres (9 mi) north of Pescara, in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. It stretches from Silvi Marina, a small seaside resort on the Adriatic Coast, to Silvi Paese up in the hills.

History

Silvi is closely tied to Atri’s history, being only a short distance away. In the 13th and 14th centuries Silvi was a main cog of a coastal defense system based on day and night signals through fires and smoke to alert the government in Naples of the frequent landings of Turks and pirates. Through a series of mirrors, fire and smoke signals, these coastal defenses could relay information that could be received in Naples (capital of the Kingdom) in mere hours.

In the 14th century the medieval borough of Castrum Silvi, as it was known, became a fiefdom of the abbey of San Giovanni in Venere (located kilometers away, in what is now the province of Chieti), then passed to the jurisdiction of the Acquaviva family of Atri. At the time Silvi Marina was a small poor port of fishermen. Silvi remained a fiefdom of Atri until the arrival of Napoleon in Italy and who in 1806 abolished feudalism.

By 1863 the building of the coastal railway and the station at the coast helped the development of the "Marina" part of Silvi, which little by little took over the government and administration, thanks mostly to investments in the tourist sector. In 1931 the municipal seat was moved from Silvi Paese to Silvi Marina, which within a few years turned into an important seaside resort, becoming the administrative center of all the territory, from the coast to the surrounding hills.

Main sights

Culture

Fosso Concio, which was known as "Concio della Liquirizia" (from the word "acconciare" which means prepare in Abruzzese dialect) because it was here where the roots of the plant, which grew wild and copiously along the hillsides of the Piomba and the Vomano Rivers, were harvested gives rise to its licorice manufacturing industry - known throughout Italy and Europe - with Saila Liquirizia (now part of LEAF Italia spa) and products of Aurelio Menozzi & De Rosa Company. Licorice root has been popular in the Abruzzo region for centuries.

Twin towns

References

  1. 2 metres above mean sea level is the elevation given for the casa comunale (town hall) by comuni-italiani.it. The area of Silvi Marina is typically 5 m above mean sea level and that of Silvi Paese 240 m. The minimum elevation across the territory of the commune is sea level; the maximum is 286 m.
  2. All demographics and other statistics: Italian statistical institute Istat.

See also

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, January 18, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.