Giulianova Between the 11th and the 13th century the medieval town moved to a higher position on the hill, to be better defended. Castel San Flaviano passed to the Acquaviva family, who established here their main residence until the destruction of the town in 1460, during a great battle between Federico from Montefeltro and Alessandro Sforza on the one side, and Giacomo Piccinino and the local population on the other.
Giulianova, Province of Teramo, Abruzzo
Giulianova is a thriving tourist, commercial and fishing town on the Adriatic near the mouth of the Tordino river, an ideal holiday place thanks to the pleasant environment and one of the most beautiful beaches of the Adriatic coast.
Info
- Altitude: 68 m a.s.l
- Distance from Teramo: 27 km
- Population: ca. 22000 inhabitants
- Postal code: 64021
- Dialing Area Code: +39 085
- How to reach it: by motorway, A-14 exit Giulianova; bus and trains, from Pescara and Ancona; by road, S.S.N. 80 from Teramo.
History - Antiquity and the Middle Ages
Giulianova was an ancient Roman colony named Castrum Novum, whose existence is recorded since 290 BC, at the mouth of the Tordino river. Soon it became an important merchant and military harbor and one of the key road junction towards the Southern Adriatic towns and such hinterland centers as Ascoli Piceno and Rome. In 1001, according to the legend, the remains of San Flaviano, Bishop in Constantinople were transferred to Castrum Novum and ever since the settlement took the name of Castel San Flaviano.
History - Modern Times
Ten years later duke Giuliantonio Acquaviva, instead of rebuilding the original center, founded a new town which he called Giulia (from his own name) on the nearby hill. The new town had a square plan and was surrounded by very high walls and seven defence towers still extant in the 1860's. Only one however is left in our days.
In 1798 Giulia was occupied by the French army, then after Napoleon's defeat it became part of Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, up to the Unity of Italy in 1860. In the 1870's demographic and economic growth and the presence of the railway, inaugurated in 1863, induced the inhabitants to leave the fortified borough and to establish living quarters along the coast. The current Comune of Giulianova, which took this name only in the early 1900's, includes Giulianova Alta, the old city center of the 19th century, on the top of the hill, and Giulianova Lido, along the sea coast, which rose in the early 20th century near the railway station and the fishing port.
Where to stay
- The church of San Flaviano, of medieval origin, with important modern works by sculptors Francesco Coccia and Venanzo Crocetti
- The "Pinacoteca Civica V. Bindi", with a rich collection of XIX-century Neapolitan painters. Located in Corso Garibaldi, it is developed in six rooms to the last plan of the Palazzo Bindi, where also the Biblioteca is found.
- The Sanctuary of Madonna dello Splendore, a little outside the centre, dedicated to Our Lady who, according to the tradition, appeared to a farmer called Bertolino, on 22 April 1557, right in the place where the building rises; attached is the Capucine Convent.
- The church of Santa Maria del Mare, at Giulianova Lido, built before the 12th century in Romanesque style, with presents a very beautiful thirteenth-century portal in the façade with capitels decorated with lilies and eighteen small scenes of Christian inspiration.
- The church of Sant'Antonio - Dated about 1560, with a Baroque interior, used to be the seat of the franciscans who lived in a nearby convent outside the walls.
- The Cappella De Bartolomei, in piazza della Libertà, which belonged to the powerful De Bartolomei family. Built in 1876, preserves low-reliefs and sculptures by Pagliaccetti.
- The Casa Maria Immacolata - The building, built in the XVI century as the seat of the Monastery of Capucine Friars, is surrounded by a very beautiful park where an ancient cistern is found. In 1811 it was purchased by doctor and chemist Vincenzo Comi, who used it as its residence adding a factory of "cremor tartaro" (=potassium bitartrate, a byproduct of winemaking, known as cream of tartar, was used in baking or as a cleaning solution) and, subsequently, the building was converted into a leather processing plant.
- The Round Tower "Il Bianco", the most remarkable remain left of the ancient walls surrounding ancient Giulia, and is to become the seat of the archaeological museum where the findings of Roman Castrum Novum.
- The "Sala Raffaello Pagliaccetti", in piazza della Libertà, it preserves a number of important works by sculptor Pagliaccetti, born in Giulianova in 1839 and deceased there in 1900, a leading exponent of the Florentine naturalism. The Sala also lodges works in chalk by his pupil Ulderico Ulizio.
- The Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II, an impressive work in bronze bt Pagliaccetti, in memory of the visit of the first King of Italy to the town in October 1860.
- The "Casa Vincenzo Cermignani", in Via Piave, preserves the works and drawings of painter Vincenzo Cermignani, born in Giulianova in 1902 and deceased there in 1971 after spending great part of his life as a political refugee in France.
- The "Casa Gaetano Braga", in Corso Garibaldi, today the center of Documentazione Musicale, is the native house of Gaetano Braga, the 19th-century "cello king".
Events and Festivities
- 21-22 April: Feast of Madonna dello Splendore, with horse race within the city centre, in memory of the apparition of Our Lady to a humble farmer. The Feast attracts thousands of people on the day of the Gallop Horse Race through the center on April 21. It is a re-enactment of the ancient race of Arab knights.
- July: Sea Week Festival, with performance, music and (of course) sea food
- 30 July: Bands Festival
- 7-11 August: Buskers' Festival
- 8-14 August: Feast of Madonna del Portosalvo, at Giulianova Lido, the most ancient folk feast, dedicated to the Madonna of the Portosalvo, protector of sailors and fishermen. On the closing day striking procession takes place at sea.
- Throughout the Summer: music concerts of national and international artists in the "Chico Mendez" park and at the Kursal, a very beautiful liberty palace on the sea front.
Where to stay
- Hotels: 4-stars | 3-stars | 2-stars | 1-star.
- Bed and Breakfast | Campsites and Tourist Villages.
- Residences and Holiday Homes.
Genealogy and Links
Map
Other Sections on Abruzzo
History | Itineraries | Festivities | News Archive | Traditional Songs | Postcards | Photos | Surnames | Genealogy | Guestbook | Hotels & Agritourism
Giulianova is a thriving tourist, commercial and fishing town on the Adriatic near the mouth of the Tordino river, an ideal holiday place thanks to the pleasant environment and one of the most beautiful beaches of the Adriatic coast. In 1798 Giulia was occupied by the French army, then after Napoleon's defeat it became part of Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, up to the Unity of Italy in 1860. In the 1870's demographic and economic growth and the presence of the railway, inaugurated in 1863, induced the inhabitants to leave the fortified borough and to establish living quarters along the coast. The current Comune of Giulianova, which took this name only in the early 1900's, includes Giulianova Alta, the old city center of the 19th century, on the top of the hill, and Giulianova Lido, along the sea coast, which rose in the early 20th century near the railway station and the fishing port.
ItalyHeritage on Facebook
Italian Genealogy
Family History
Need help in your research?
Info on Italian Regions
Abruzzo | Basilicata | Calabria | Campania | Emilia-Romagna | Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Latium | Liguria | Lombardy | Marche | Molise | Piedmont | Puglia | Sardinia | Sicily | Tuscany | Trentino-Alto Adige | Umbria | Valle d'Aosta | Veneto
