Perugia | Terni | Assisi | Gubbio | Foligno | Spoleto | Orvieto | Amelia | Todi | Trasimeno | Norcia-Cascia | C. Castello
 Versione Italiana |
Historical outline of Terni Even before the Second World War, when Terni - southern Umbria's provincial capital - was largely destroyed by bombing, it was already industrial: its position, on a flat plain with plenty of available water provided by two rivers (Nera and Serra), and good communications made it an ideal centre for industrial expansion. Its aspect today is uncompromisingly modern - functional office and apartment blocks have largely taken the place of ancient monuments lost in the war - and its economic strength, based on the manufacture of steel, small arms, plastics, chemicals, synthetic fabrics and hydro-electricity, is comparable with towns in post-war northern Italy but with nowhere else in Umbria.Its origins are ancient, dating as far back as the Bronze Age, and, long before the Romans claimed the site, Sabine and then Umbrian tribes had settled here. Its easy access made it a vulnerable as well as a desirable target and it was savagely attacked in turn by Goths, Byzantines and Longobards. In 1174 the troops of Frederick Barbarossa smashed it almost out of existence and it suffered centuries of feuding between Guelphs and Ghibellines, which only finally ended when Terni was taken by the Church in the fifteenth century. Its claim to universal fame is as the birthplace of St Valentine, patron saint of lovers. What to see at Terni - Picture gallery and Archaeological Museum (Palazzo Manassei) - Remains of Roman amphitheatre (32 BC) - Cathedral (Romanesque, rebuilt seventeenth century) and crypt (sixth century) - Churches of San Francesco (thirteenth century); San Salvatore (fifth and twelfth centuries) - San Pietro (fourteenth/fifteenth-century frescoes) - Palazzo Mazzancolli - Palazzo Spada Environs: - Falls of Marmore - Lake of Piediluco - Basilica di San Valentino - Carsulae Feasts and festivals in Terni - 14 February: Feast of patron saint, San Valentino - 30 April: Cantamaggio - cart parade with allegorical tableaux - May: Local wine festival at Lago di Piediluco - 24 June: Festa delle Acque - July: Sagra del pesce (Fish festival) - July/August: Feast of the Madonna del'Eco (night-time procession on lake with fireworks); Crafts fair How to Get There By car - Autostrada A1, exit Orte, then follow main road - E45 to Terni By train - Rome-Ancona line to Terni - Rome-Florence line; change Orte By air - International flights to Rome and Florence - Internal flights to Perugia |
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Perugia | Terni | Assisi | Gubbio | Foligno | Spoleto | Orvieto | Amelia | Todi | Trasimeno | Norcia-Cascia | C. Castello
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