Massa Martana
Encyclopedia
Massa Martana is an ancient Italian
town and comune
in the Monti Martani mountain range in the province of Perugia
(Umbria
). It is 10 km N of Acquasparta
, 18 km N of San Gemini
and 32 km N of Narni
; 14 km S of Bastardo
and 27 km S of Bevagna
. As of the 2003 census, the town had 3558 inhabitants.
It is one of the classic walled towns of central Italy, and in its main gate can be seen several ancient inscriptions, including a Roman one of some interest. The modern town has spread northwards along the road.
The territory of the commune includes three of Umbria's best Romanesque churches, each built in part of Roman stone: the abbeys of S. Fidenzio, of S. Maria in Pantano and of S. Faustino. The medieval abbey church of S. Maria in Viepri should also be mentioned, as well as the modern shrine at Colvalenza (6 km southwest), which draws busloads of pilgrims.
The buildings of the walled town suffered major damage in an earthquake on May 12 1997, a precursor of the 1997 earthquake
which damaged much of Umbria, including the Basilica
and city of Assisi
. The Commune celebrated the completion of restoration works and the reopening of the old town in August 2006, ten years after the earthquake.
Massa Martana town has an annual ice-cream festival ("sagra del gelato") in early August each year. Similar food festivals are celebrated in summer months in a number of surrounding villages and hamlets within the commune, including Colpetrazzo and Villa San Faustino.
(The text of this article is partly based on the article in Bill Thayer's Gazetteer of Italy, by permission.)
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
town and comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
in the Monti Martani mountain range in the province of Perugia
Province of Perugia
The Province of Perugia is the larger of the two provinces in the Umbria region of Italy, comprising two-thirds of both the area and population of the region. Its capital is the city of Perugia...
(Umbria
Umbria
Umbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
). It is 10 km N of Acquasparta
Acquasparta
Acquasparta is a town and comune in the province of Terni . It is located on a hill above the Naia Valley and the river of the same name, facing the Monti Martani mountain range....
, 18 km N of San Gemini
San Gemini
San Gemini is a comune of c. 4,500 inhabitants in the province of Terni in the Italian region Umbria, located about 60 km south of Perugia and about 10 km northwest of Terni....
and 32 km N of Narni
Narni
Narni is an ancient hilltown and comune of Umbria, in central Italy, with 20,100 inhabitants, according to the 2003 census. At an altitude of 240 m , it overhangs a narrow gorge of the Nera River in the province of Terni. It is very close to the Geographic center of Italy...
; 14 km S of Bastardo
Bastardo (PG)
Bastardo, a small town in the Italian province of Perugia in central Umbria in the valley of Torrente Puglia, at ; altitude 290 m above sea-level. It is a village in the commune of Giano dell'Umbria, which is 7 km S by road...
and 27 km S of Bevagna
Bevagna
Bevagna is a town and comune in the central part of the Italian province of Perugia, , in the flood plain of the Topino river.Bevagna is 25 km SE of Perugia, 8 km west of Foligno, 7 km north-north-west of Montefalco, 16 km south of Assisi and 15 km north-west of Trevi.It...
. As of the 2003 census, the town had 3558 inhabitants.
It is one of the classic walled towns of central Italy, and in its main gate can be seen several ancient inscriptions, including a Roman one of some interest. The modern town has spread northwards along the road.
The territory of the commune includes three of Umbria's best Romanesque churches, each built in part of Roman stone: the abbeys of S. Fidenzio, of S. Maria in Pantano and of S. Faustino. The medieval abbey church of S. Maria in Viepri should also be mentioned, as well as the modern shrine at Colvalenza (6 km southwest), which draws busloads of pilgrims.
The buildings of the walled town suffered major damage in an earthquake on May 12 1997, a precursor of the 1997 earthquake
1997 Umbria and Marche earthquake
The 1997 Umbria and Marche earthquake consisted of two earthquakes that occurred in the regions of Umbria and Marche, central Italy, in quick succession on the morning of September 26 1997....
which damaged much of Umbria, including the Basilica
Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi
The Papal Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Order of Friars Minor—commonly known as the Franciscan Order—in Assisi, Italy, the city where St. Francis was born and died. The basilica is one of the most important places of Christian pilgrimage in Italy...
and city of Assisi
Assisi
- Churches :* The Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi is a World Heritage Site. The Franciscan monastery, il Sacro Convento, and the lower and upper church of St Francis were begun immediately after his canonization in 1228, and completed in 1253...
. The Commune celebrated the completion of restoration works and the reopening of the old town in August 2006, ten years after the earthquake.
Massa Martana town has an annual ice-cream festival ("sagra del gelato") in early August each year. Similar food festivals are celebrated in summer months in a number of surrounding villages and hamlets within the commune, including Colpetrazzo and Villa San Faustino.
External links
(The text of this article is partly based on the article in Bill Thayer's Gazetteer of Italy, by permission.)