Terlizzi
Encyclopedia
Terlizzi is a town and comune
in Apulia
, Italy
, in the province of Bari
, to the west of the city of Bari
, situated in the midst of a fertile plain. As of 2008, its population was some 27,400.
possessor donated the area to the Abbey of Montecassino. After the Byzantine domination, from the 11th century Trelizzi was under the influence of the counts of Giovinazzo
, whose member Amico fortified both the cities. Later it was ruled by the Tuzziaco, Wrunfort, Orsini di Taranto and Grimaldi families. The oldest map of Terlizzi still hangs in the Palace at Monte Carlo
of the latter's house.
It became a commune after the Unification of Italy in 1861, when it had 18,000 inhabitants.
sovereigns of Naples. Its remains include a 31 m-high clock tower in the center of town that was built by the Norman conquerors in the 12th Century AD. The back-lit clock on that tower is the second largest in Europe
after Big Ben.
The Co-Cathedral of San Michle Arcangelo was built in Neo-Classicist style in the 18th-19th centuries, replacing the old Romanesque
Duomo of the 13th century. It houses several canvasses and a notable collection of wooden statues.
The walls and towers of the town remain, but the fosse has been turned into boulevards.
Terlizzi has some trade in the wine
and fruit
of the region. In 1745, a fine Greek-made inkstand inlaid in silver was found in a nearby, ancient cove, in Suberito (at now, Sovereto). Starting from that date, was built a 22 meters tall triumphal wagon to keep the picture in Terlizzi's streets.
One of the last remaining stretches of the Appian Way
that is still unpaved runs through the outskirts of Terlizzi. This stretch of the Appian Way is part of the Via Appia Traiana, built by Emperor Trajan
sometime around 115 AD. Just off this road, 1 km out of the town, is the church of Santa Maria di Cesano, built in 1055 AD. It houses a precious Byzantine fresco of Christ Pantocrator.
In the centre of the city is notable the big Palace built by the Barons de Gemmis, with the annexed church of Santa Maria La Nova. It is of the XVIII century and was designed by the architect Luigi Vanvitelli
, literary man, Gennaro de Gemmis and other exponent of this old family. The current Governor of Apulia
, Nichi Vendola was born in Terlizzi. It is also the birthplace of the castrato contemporary of Farinelli, Giuseppe Millico (1739–1802).
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 Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
, Italy
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...
, in the province of Bari
Province of Bari
The Province of Bari is a province in the Apulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Bari.It has an area of 5,138 km², and a total population of 1,594,109 . There are 48 comuni in the province, see Comuni of the Province of Bari...
, to the west of the city of Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
, situated in the midst of a fertile plain. As of 2008, its population was some 27,400.
History
Terlizzi is first mentioned in a 8th century AD document, when its LombardLombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
possessor donated the area to the Abbey of Montecassino. After the Byzantine domination, from the 11th century Trelizzi was under the influence of the counts of Giovinazzo
Giovinazzo
Giovinazzo is a port city situated on the Adriatic coast in the region of Apulia, southern Italy. Giovinazzo lies 18 km WNW of the provincial capital of Bari, and is adjacent to the city ofMolfetta.-History:...
, whose member Amico fortified both the cities. Later it was ruled by the Tuzziaco, Wrunfort, Orsini di Taranto and Grimaldi families. The oldest map of Terlizzi still hangs in the Palace at Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
of the latter's house.
It became a commune after the Unification of Italy in 1861, when it had 18,000 inhabitants.
Main sights
It had a castle which at one time was very strong, and occasionally resorted to by the Emperor Frederick II, and later by the AragoneseHouse of Aragon
The House of Aragon is the name given several royal houses that ruled the County, the Kingdom or the Crown of Aragon.Some historiansGuillermo Fatás y Guillermo Redondo, Alberto Montaner Frutos, Faustino Menéndez Pidal de Navascués...
sovereigns of Naples. Its remains include a 31 m-high clock tower in the center of town that was built by the Norman conquerors in the 12th Century AD. The back-lit clock on that tower is the second largest in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
after Big Ben.
The Co-Cathedral of San Michle Arcangelo was built in Neo-Classicist style in the 18th-19th centuries, replacing the old Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
Duomo of the 13th century. It houses several canvasses and a notable collection of wooden statues.
The walls and towers of the town remain, but the fosse has been turned into boulevards.
Terlizzi has some trade in the wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
and fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
of the region. In 1745, a fine Greek-made inkstand inlaid in silver was found in a nearby, ancient cove, in Suberito (at now, Sovereto). Starting from that date, was built a 22 meters tall triumphal wagon to keep the picture in Terlizzi's streets.
One of the last remaining stretches of the Appian Way
Appian Way
The Appian Way was one of the earliest and strategically most important Roman roads of the ancient republic. It connected Rome to Brindisi, Apulia, in southeast Italy...
that is still unpaved runs through the outskirts of Terlizzi. This stretch of the Appian Way is part of the Via Appia Traiana, built by Emperor Trajan
Trajan
Trajan , was Roman Emperor from 98 to 117 AD. Born into a non-patrician family in the province of Hispania Baetica, in Spain Trajan rose to prominence during the reign of emperor Domitian. Serving as a legatus legionis in Hispania Tarraconensis, in Spain, in 89 Trajan supported the emperor against...
sometime around 115 AD. Just off this road, 1 km out of the town, is the church of Santa Maria di Cesano, built in 1055 AD. It houses a precious Byzantine fresco of Christ Pantocrator.
In the centre of the city is notable the big Palace built by the Barons de Gemmis, with the annexed church of Santa Maria La Nova. It is of the XVIII century and was designed by the architect Luigi Vanvitelli
Luigi Vanvitelli
Luigi Vanvitelli was an Italian engineer and architect. The most prominent 18th-century architect of Italy, he practiced a sober classicizing academic Late Baroque style that made an easy transition to Neoclassicism.-Biography:Vanvitelli was born at Naples, the son of a Dutch painter of land and...
Notable people
Terlizzi is the birthplace of Ferrante de GemmisFerrante de Gemmis
Ferrante de Gemmis was an Italian philosopher and literary man.-Biography:Ferrante de Gemmis was born in Terlizzi, near Bari, he was the son of the Baron Tommaso de Gemmis and Francesca Bruni....
, literary man, Gennaro de Gemmis and other exponent of this old family. The current Governor of Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
, Nichi Vendola was born in Terlizzi. It is also the birthplace of the castrato contemporary of Farinelli, Giuseppe Millico (1739–1802).