Cascia
Encyclopedia
Cascia is a town and comune
(township) of the Italian
province of Perugia
in a rather remote area of the mountainous southeastern corner of Umbria
. It is about 21 km from Norcia
on the road to Rieti
in the Lazio (63 km).
settlement of Carsulae
, destroyed in the 1st century BC by an earthquake. In the Middle Ages it was sacked by the Byzantines
and the Lombards
, and was later a fief of the Trinci
family. It was occupied by Papal troops
in the 15th century, and thenceforth it was a Papal town until the unification of Italy in 1860.
Cascia was the home of Saint Rita of Cascia, who was born in the nearby frazione
of Roccaporena
in 1381 and died there in 1457. After her canonization in 1900, a large shrine was built in Cascia, which is still an important place of pilgrimage; and the house where she was born may still be visited.
, San Giorgio, Santa Anatolia, Trognano, Villa San Silvestro, Santa Trinità, Fustagna, Piandoli, Giappiedi, Capanne di Collegiacone, Sciedi, Valdonica, Capanne di Roccaporena, Tazzo, Manigi, Serviglio, Colle Santo Stefano, Puro, Palmaiolo.
(Incorporates text from Bill Thayer's site, by permission.)
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:...
(township) of the Italian
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...
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...
in a rather remote area of the mountainous southeastern corner of 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 about 21 km from Norcia
Norcia
Norcia is a town and comune in the province of Perugia in southeastern Umbria, located in a wide plain abutting the Monti Sibillini, a subrange of the Apennines with some of its highest peaks, near the Sordo River, a small stream that eventually flows into the Nera...
on the road to Rieti
Rieti
Rieti is a city and comune in Lazio, central Italy, with a population of c. 47,700. It is the capital of province of Rieti.The town centre rests on a small hilltop, commanding a wide plain at the southern edge of an ancient lake. The area is now the fertile basin of the Velino River...
in the Lazio (63 km).
History
The modern territory of Cascia was the home of the RomanAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
settlement of Carsulae
Carsulae
Carsulae is an archaeological site in Umbria, central Italy, now one of the most important archaeological ruins in Italy. It is located c. 4 km north of San Gemini, a small comune in the province of Terni. Nearby is the comune of Montecastrilli .-Origins and history:Most historians fix the...
, destroyed in the 1st century BC by an earthquake. In the Middle Ages it was sacked by the Byzantines
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
and the Lombards
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
, and was later a fief of the Trinci
Trinci
The Trinci were a noble family from central Italy, who were lords of Foligno, in Umbria, from 1305 to 1439.-History:During the War of the Guelphs and Ghibellines which tore apart Italy from the 12th to the 14th century, the Trinci were initially Guelphs, but switched to the other party from 1240...
family. It was occupied by Papal troops
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
in the 15th century, and thenceforth it was a Papal town until the unification of Italy in 1860.
Cascia was the home of Saint Rita of Cascia, who was born in the nearby frazione
Frazione
A frazione , in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a comune; for other administrative divisions, see municipio, circoscrizione, quartiere...
of Roccaporena
Roccaporena
Roccaporena is a frazione of the comune of Cascia, Umbria, central Italy. It is located at 707 m of altitude, and, according to 2001 census, it had 71 inhabitants.-Overview:...
in 1381 and died there in 1457. After her canonization in 1900, a large shrine was built in Cascia, which is still an important place of pilgrimage; and the house where she was born may still be visited.
Frazioni
Atri, Avendita, Buda, Castel San Giovanni, Castel Santa Maria, Cerasola, Chiavano, Civita, Colforcella, Collegiacone, Colmotino, Coronella, Fogliano, Logna, Maltignano, Ocosce, Onelli, Opagna, Poggio Primocaso, RoccaporenaRoccaporena
Roccaporena is a frazione of the comune of Cascia, Umbria, central Italy. It is located at 707 m of altitude, and, according to 2001 census, it had 71 inhabitants.-Overview:...
, San Giorgio, Santa Anatolia, Trognano, Villa San Silvestro, Santa Trinità, Fustagna, Piandoli, Giappiedi, Capanne di Collegiacone, Sciedi, Valdonica, Capanne di Roccaporena, Tazzo, Manigi, Serviglio, Colle Santo Stefano, Puro, Palmaiolo.
External links
(Incorporates text from Bill Thayer's site, by permission.)