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TERAMO
Petrut, as
first inhabitants of fenician origin called it, was navigation
port of Adriatic sea at the confluence of torrents Albula
(Vezzola) and Batinus (Tordino). Conquered by Rome in 290
a.C it became a political center with the name of Interamnia
Praetutianorum (city of the Pretuzi between the rivers).
Annexed to the Empire by Augusto, it knew a period of architectonic
development under Adrian acquiring prestige and splendor with
the construction of temples, therms and theatres.
Destroyed like many other cities during the invasion of Goti
in Italy (410 d.C.), it was then rebuilt in 568 passing to
the Longobards and, later on, to the Normanni who set afire
it in 1156.
In the Middle Ages it was episcopal center known as Aprutium
and it was developed newly with the advent of the Svevi and
the Angioini. Of this period they are the porch of the Episcopal
Palace and the portale of the Cathedral
(XIV sec.).
The center of the city offers many starting points for a cultural
visit beginning with the Roman rests of the amphitheater and
the theatre (III sec. d.C.) in order to pass to the Ancient
Cathedral dating back to the High Middle Ages, today known
as Church of Sant'Anna or Saint Getulio. The Duomo or Basilica
of Santa Maria Assunta and San Berardo, was built
in 1158 and presents two architectonic styles overlapped to
testify two various periods: Romanesque lowerly and Ghotic
upperly.
Of the same period (1153) it is the ancient Sanctuary dedicated
to the Madonna delle Grazie, that it rises not far from the
walls of the city and keeps works by Cesar Mariani.
The name of Teramo derives from its first
name from the contraction of (In)Teramne-(Pretutium).
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