Castel di Sangro

Castel di Sangro (locally Caštiéllë) is a city and comune of 6,461 people (as of 2013) in the Province of L'Aquila, in Abruzzo, central Italy. It is the main city of the Alto Sangro e Altopiano delle Cinque Miglia area.

Castel di Sangro
Caštiéllë (Neapolitan)
Comune
Comune di Castel di Sangro
Valley of Castel di Sangro
Valley of Castel di Sangro
Location of Castel di Sangro
Castel di Sangro is located in Italy
Castel di Sangro
Castel di Sangro
Location of Castel di Sangro in Italy
Castel di Sangro is located in Abruzzo
Castel di Sangro
Castel di Sangro
Castel di Sangro (Abruzzo)
Coordinates: 41°47′00″N 14°6′00″E
CountryItaly
RegionAbruzzo
ProvinceL'Aquila (AQ)
FrazioniRoccacinquemiglia, Località Pontone, Località Sant'Angelo, Torre di Feudozzo
Government
 • MayorUmberto Murolo (PDL/Forza Italia)[1]
Area
[2]
 • Total83.98 km2 (32.42 sq mi)
Elevation
805 m (2,641 ft)
Population
 (2013)[3]
 • Total6,461
 • Density77/km2 (200/sq mi)
DemonymCastellani
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
67031
Dialing code0864
Patron saintSan Rufo
Saint day27 August
WebsiteOfficial website

Geography

Castel di Sangro is located near the Sangro River, in a valley in the Apennine Mountains.

Neighbouring towns include Roccaraso, Pescocostanzo, Rivisondoli, San Pietro Avellana and Montenero Val Cocchiara.

History

Castel di Sangro was known to the Romans as Aufidena[4] (a city of the Samnites). It is the ancestral home of the third and last line of the House of Caesar (Catulus Caesar).

In the Second World War, the city was liberated by the West Nova Scotia Regiment of the First Canadian Division in November 1943. The regiment launched a night attack against the hilltop monastery which overlooks the city on November 22 but had to withdraw after suffering heavy losses from machine gun positions of the 3rd Battalion of the German 1st Parachute Regiment. The Canadians attacked a second time on November 24 supported by a heavy artillery bombardment which forced the Germans to withdraw, allowing the regiment to occupy the monastery without losses bringing Castel di Sangro and the south bank of the Sangro River into Allied hands.[5][6]

Main sights

Sport

The town gained some popularity in the mid-1990s thanks to the exploits of local football club Castel di Sangro Calcio In 1996, Castel di Sangro was visited by American author Joe McGinniss who wrote The Miracle of Castel di Sangro, a book about the team that made it up through 5 leagues to get to Serie B, the second-highest league in Italian football. The club now plays at Abruzzo's Promozione level, five levels below Serie B.

Districts

Castel di Sangro is divided into six districts:

  • Civita
  • Stazione
  • Colle
  • Codacchiola
  • Ara
  • Piazza

Transportation

Castel di Sangro has for years been a transit point for many people, because of its location making it the gateway into Abruzzo.

Roads
The Church of Santa Maria Assunta

The main roads are:

  • The Sangro Valley road, a highway connecting Castel di Sangro with the Val di Sangro, and then with the Adriatic Sea. The same road continues for a long stretch southward and is used by thousands of tourists who come from areas of Campania and other regions of southern Italy.
  • The SS 17, a fast road connecting L'Aquila to Foggia. This road is very busy, with both local and through traffic. Its true capacity is often exceeded and it has seen a large number of accidents, some fatal. It is, however, generally well-managed, remaining open throughout the winter, despite the high altitude of the route.
  • The Isernia - Castel di Sangro highway. Completed in 2011, this road halved the driving time from the Alto Molise to the Alto Sangro.[7]

Sister city

References
  1. "Umberto Murolo, Sindaco Castel di Sangro - Corriere.it Castel di Sangro".
  2. "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  3. "Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  4. Lewis, Charlton T. "Aufĭdēna". A Latin Dictionary. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
  5. "Castel di Sangro", Canadiansoldiers.com
  6. G. W. L. NICHOLSON, "The Upper Sangro", OFFICIAL HISTORY, OF THE CANADIAN ARMY IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR, Volume II, THE CANADIANS IN ITALY 1943-1945, p. 284-285
  7. Passera, Corrado. "Apre l'ultimo tratto di superstrada Molise raggiungibile in 15 minuti". Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  8. Kentville and Castel di Sangro Twinning - Official video, archived from the original on 2021-12-13, retrieved 2019-09-08
  9. Duke, Laura Churchill. "Kentville twins with Italian town Castel di Sangro | The Register/Advertiser". www.kingscountynews.ca. Retrieved 2019-09-08.
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