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ItalyHeritage ⇒ Italian Regions ⇒ Abruzzo ⇒ Province of Chieti ⇒ Chieti

Chieti, Province of Chieti, Abruzzo

Chieti lies on a crest to the left of the Pescara river, with its unmistakable profile with the high belltower of San Giustino against the sky, a few km away from the Adriatic Sea, with the Majella and Gran Sasso in the background. It was a Roman town called Teate, and an important medieval centre, with Roman and medieval ruins side by side today.

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Info

  • Altitude: 330 m a.s.l
  • Population: ca. 53000 inhabitants in 2012
  • Postal code: 66100
  • Dialing Area Code: +39 0871
  • How to reach it: by road, SS 5; by motorway, A25 exit Chieti.

Administrative Division

The comune includes the following frazioni: Bascelli, Brecciarola, Buonconsiglio-Fontanella, Carabba, Cerratina, Chieti Scalo,Civitella, Colle dell'Ara, Colle Marcone, Crocifisso, De Laurentis Vallelunga, Filippone, Fonte Cruciani, Iachini, La Torre, Madonna del Freddo, Madonna della Vittoria, Madonna delle Piane, San Martino, San Salvatore, Sant'Anna, Santa Barbara, Santa Filomena, Santa Maria, Selvaiezzi, Theate Center, Tricalle, Vacrone Cascini, Vacrone Colle San Paolo, Vacrone Villa Cisterna, Vallepara, Villa Obletter, Villa Reale.
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History

The origins of Chieti are lost in the mist of time, and many like the legend that it was founded by Achilles and named after his mother Tetis. The ancient name of Teate, may derive from ti(f)a (=tiati=teba, meaning "forested hill") and existed already in 1000 BC, when the town was the capital of the Marrucini people, who in the following centuries allied with the Romans agains Pyrrhus and Hannibal, then joined the rebellion of the Samnites against Rome.

Under the Roman empire it was a municipium and many monuments and buildings are left of that period. With the fall of the Roman empire the town declined in importance, and was destroyed in 801 AD by the Franks. Later on it was included in the Duchy of Spoleto, and was occupied in turn by the Angevins, Aragonese and Austrians.

The angevin domination marked a period of revival and in the late 12th century Teate was made capital of Abruzzo Citra, the area south of the Pescara river. At that time Chieti also had the privilege of its own mint, and there was a powerful archbishopry.

Where to stay

  • The Cathedral of San Giustino, with a fine marble altar, paintings, frescoes, precious wooden furniture and a wonderful belltower
  • The church of San Francesco, with an original XII-century rosewindow and inside paintings by Giovanni Battista Spinelli and Ettore Graziani
  • The church of San Domenico of the 17th century
  • The church of Santa Chiara
  • The church of San Giovanni Battista, with Venetian paintings of the 17th century.
  • The church of San Gaetano, with stucco decorations by Giambattista Gianni.
  • The "Pinacoteca Costantino Barbella", hosting works of Abruzzese artists.
  • The Museo Archeologico Nazionale, the richest archeological museum in the region, with, among others, unique works as the Capestrano Warrior, a statue of the 7th century BC, one of the symbols of the region, a wonderful "Hercules Curinus" statue and one of the very few Galba gold coins in the world.
  • The Parco Nazionale della Majella.

Events and Festivities

  • 17 January: Feast of St. Anthony, with satyrical repesentations of the Saint's temptations.
  • Good Friday: Procession with Selecchi's Miserere, played by 100 violins, among the most impressive celebrations of the Holy Week in Abruzzo.
  • 8 May: Feast of patron St. Giustino.
  • 26 July: Feast of patron St. Anna.

Where to stay

Genealogy and Links

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