San Benedetto del Tronto


San Benedetto del Tronto is a city and comune in Marche, Italy. Part of an urban area with 100,000 inhabitants, it is one of the most densely populated areas along the Adriatic Sea coast. Its port is one of the biggest on the Adriatic; it is the most important centre of Riviera of the Palms, with over 8,000 Phoenix canariensis, Washingtonia and P. sylvestris plants.

History

San Benedetto del Tronto was a martyr and a soldier born in Cupra during the reign of Roman Emperor Diocletian. Shortly thereafter, following the edict of Constantine in 313 AD, some believers built a chapel around the tomb. Since then, San Benedetto has been highly revered by locals. He later built a small church which included an apse facing the east and its entrance facing the west, in accordance with the early Christian tradition that the east, where the sun rises, and the sunrise is symbolic of Christ's resurrection. Historians argue that archaeological findings indicate Roman origins, linking San Benedetto to the ancient city of Alba Picena on the right bank of the Albula river.
The first document which indicated the name of the village dates from 998. The document was an act concerning the investiture of the benefice of SS. Vincent and Anastasius in the territory of Acquaviva Piceno by Hubert bishop of Fermo. The document contains the phrase "Pede sive terra et silva Sancti Benedicti", referring to the city. In 1211, Emperor Otto IV granted the territories ranging from the Tronto River to the Potenza river to the town of Fermo. In 1245, Emperor Frederick II granted Ascoli Piceno a stretch of coast between the Ragnola river and Tronto river to build a fortified port. In the following years, there were disputes between Ascoli and Fermo. In 1478, there was a plague epidemic which decimated the city's population. The area remained virtually uninhabited until refugees from Romagna repopulated San Benedetto where they were granted land leases. From the 16th century until the 19th century, the Turks repeatedly invaded the city where they captured sailors and forced them into slavery. Since 1650, the urban center expanded beyond the city walls. In 1754, the first marine suburbs, Sant'Antonio da Padova and Marina, were created. In 1860, the "Cacciatori delle Alpi" freed the city from the dominion of the church. The Royal Decree giving San Benedetto the "del Tronto" attribute was in 1896. In 1936, the village of Porto d'Ascoli was absorbed into the city of San Benedetto del Tronto.
During Second World War, the city suffered 144 air raids and 6 naval shellings. Following the end of the war, the city's economy and businesses prospered. Fishing became a cornerstone of the local economy and in the 1960s and 1970s, the city became one of the largest nationalvfishing ports. After the war, San Benedetto became a popular destination on the Adriatic coast.

Geography

The city has an ancient nucleus on a modest relief not far from the sea, at the foot of which develops the original settlement of the most recent part " Navy '. This is crossed by the Albula torrent and has developed over the years up to the river Tronto, to the south, incorporating the locality Porto d'Ascoli, while at north it joins with the Ischia district of Grottammare, with which it constitutes a single urban agglomeration that reaches almost until Tesino.
Southwest following the river bank Tronto merges with the Centobuchi, a frazione of Monteprandone.

Borders

The municipality borders with Acquaviva Picena, Grottammare, Martinsicuro and Monteprandone.

Metropolitan area of San Benedetto del Tronto

The municipality of San Benedetto del Tronto and the neighboring municipalities of Grottammare, Acquaviva Picena, Monteprandone, Colonnella and Martinsicuro are not a single urban entity there being a solution of continuity between the settlements. This agglomeration has undergone a considerable and constant development since the post-war period to the present day: in 1951 it had 47.337 inhabitants, 70.140 in 1971, 96.012 in 2007 and 100.611 in July 2010 distributed on a territory of 125 km2 and with a population density of 805 ab / km2.
However, the Metropolitan area of San Benedetto del Tronto, based on commuter flows and identified with the Functional Urban Regions' '' methodology, is much larger. According to this methodology, all the neighboring municipalities that have at least 10% commuting rate towards it must be aggregated to the metropolitan pole. The metropolitan area of San Benedetto del Tronto thus reaches a population of 175,818 inhabitants, distributed in 23 municipalities within a radius of 15 km ' from the city over a territory of 472 km2 and with a population density of 366 inhabitants / km2.

Climate

San Benedetto del Tronto enjoys a particularly benign climate Mediterranean, with winters mild and Summer C about seasonal average. The temperature annual average is about 15 ° C while the Precipitation are generally between 700 and 800 mm.

Main sights

Gualtieri Tower

The Gualtieri Tower is an old observatory dating back to the 12th–13th century located on the highest and oldest part of the city known as San Benedetto Alta. The tower is tall and provides a complete view of the city.

Monument to the fisherman

This statue is located at the point where the waterfront joins the southern dock of the harbor basin and reproduces the fishermen's estate during storms, when, to draw attention to the danger deriving from the looming fog over the sea, they used the trumpet. It is the work of Cleto Capponi, a Grottammarese artist.

The Jonathan seagull monument

Created by the artist Mario Lupo in 1986, the monument to the seagull Jonathan Livingston Seagull, protagonist of the book by Richard Bach, rises along the southern pier promenade, the one that was renamed The Jonathan's way. The work, projected for 10 meters, encloses the life of seagulls and water in a blue circle. It is the symbol of the generous industriousness and tenacity typical of seafarers, people used to face and overcome obstacles and difficulties silently.

Museum of the Sea Museum

The "Polo del Mare" museum complex is composed of five sections: the "Augusto Capriotti" Fish Museum, the Amphora Museum, the Marche Marine Civilization Museum, the Truentinum Antiquarium and the Sea Picture Gallery. The first four are located in the Wholesale Fish Market area. The Pinacoteca del Mare instead is located inside the Palazzo Piacentini.
"Augusto Capriotti" Fish Museum
It is among the most important museums in the Piceno area. Named after the distinguished Sambenedese scientist Augusto Capriotti, inaugurated in 1956 it now includes over 9,000 specimens divided into: fish, crustaceans, molluscs, cetacea, echinoderms, coelenterates and fossils. Also interesting is the library containing more than 1,000 volumes including rare texts of historical and scientific value.
Museum of Amphorae
Housed near the port, it represents a unique collection of amphoras of disparate ages collected throughout the Mediterranean from the Sambenedetti fishing boats that they practiced bottom trawling, a technique that had not been permitted for years, which made it possible to recover these lost finds from past civilizations.

Museo d'Arte sul Mare (MAM)

The Museo d'Arte sul Mare is a permanent open-air museum that stretches over 1,150 meters along the 'Molo sud' . It contains 189 artworks, of which 165 are sculptures made on the faces of the breakwater blocks of travertine lined up along the walk and 24 murals. The artworks have been created over the years by 164 sculptors and wall painters coming from 37 nations of five continents, guests of the International Art Symposium " Festival dell'Arte sul Mare" .

The course

The historic Viale Secondo Moretti, built at the beginning of the thirties of the last century by the engineer Luigi Onorati as part of the project that led to the construction of the waterfront, located in the city center, perpendicular to the beginning of the northern waterfront, has been for decades now, the meeting place of the Sambenedettese population and the surrounding area. Pedestrian area, recently renovated, home to the city's historic premises and numerous commercial activities, for some years now it has been enriched by a collection of works of modern art, in particular sculptures, by Ugo Nespolo, Enrico Baj, Mark Kostabi, Paolo Consorti, Marco Lodola, Paolo Annibali.
The center of the course, the undisputed reference point and meeting place of the town, is the evocative Giorgini square, dedicated to Carlo Giorgini, one of the most beloved mayors of the city, famous as the Rotunda, located at the intersection of the end of Viale Secondo Moretti and the north start of the waterfront. The characteristic fountain located in the center of the square has now become one of the most famous symbols and images of the city.

Seafront

In 1931, on the project of the engineer Luigi Onorati, the promenade was built which, still today, as well as being an essential means of communication, is the pulsating center of San Benedetto and has also become the place with which the town image is identified, in Italy and also abroad, for the portal virgilio.it that of San Benedetto is one of the most beautiful promenades of Italy. Considered disproportionate at the time of construction, it has a roadway with a total width of 30 meters and starts from the famous and evocative Giorgini roundabout, at the end of the central Viale Moretti, and, in its northernmost part, for the withdrawal of the sea consequent to the continuous enlargement of the port, it is very backward compared to the sea shore. Concludes at the Salvo D'Acquisto roundabout in Porto d'Ascoli for a total length of about 6 km.
It is bordered by lush gardens, a pine forest, tennis courts, a skating rink and a building, the "Palazzina Azzurra", the city's local historian, on the mouth of the Albula stream that determines the end of the first stretch, to the south of which the most touristy area, with beachside resorts on one side and villas and hotels on the other side of the road. A peculiar feature of the waterfront is the abundant presence of palm trees which have become a bit of a city symbol in the tourist sense, having taken the same tourist promotion company the name of Riviera delle Palme.
In 2001 the cycle path was completed which is a single walk to Cupra Marittima to the north and to Porto d'Ascoli to the south. The southern part of the waterfront has been subject to interventions at different times. In 2004, a radical reconstruction was launched which saw the modernization of the first part of the southern promenade: both the pedestrian area and the cycle path were extended. Then in 2007 the 2nd section was inaugurated. The cycle path is part of the larger project called Ciclovia Adriatica which once completed will connect the entire Adriatic coast.
In addition to the pedestrian area and the cycle path, there are "thematic gardens", the "oases": arid garden, wet garden, palm garden, rose garden, Mediterranean bush garden. The materials chosen are compatible with the new vocation of the waterfront in order to make these features look like real natural spaces on the sea, where to stop to admire the view, or for direct access to the beach. On the official website of the Municipality it is possible to admire the photos of the new waterfront and also make a virtual tour. In 2016, work began on the redevelopment of the northern promenade, which extends for about 2 km and goes from the "Palazzo Las Vegas" to the Albula stream.

Riviera delle Palme

The "Riviera delle Palme" is a beach located in San Benedetto del Tronto. It has annually been awarded a Blue Flag since 1998. The Blue Flag is a certification awarded to beaches and marinas by the Foundation for Environmental Education which qualify with its environmental standards.

Economy

Fishing

San Benedetto del Tronto has become, over the centuries, a fishing and tourist center of primary national importance. In 1912 the launch of a motorized fish-carrier began a process of transformation of the propulsion of the ships that, from the sail, reached the ocean fishing vessels. Alongside these events there have also been modernizations and developments also in other sectors directly linked to maritime activities, such as shipbuilding, hemp processing, cable and network construction, naval workshops, on-board instrumentation, fish marketing, the cold chains for the transport of fish.
Although in continuous decline, this sector remains a driving force for the local economy if we do not consider only the properly maritime part but all related industries are taken into account and above all the highly developed canning industry which, established to support the marketing of fish, now operates on all food products, mainly fruit and vegetables. In San Benedetto del Tronto we also find a vocational training center for offshore fishing workers.

Tourism

The tourism represents the most important item of the city income. San Benedetto has established itself, since the early decades of the twentieth century, as one of the most famous and popular seaside resorts italia ne. Since the second half of the sixties, it has also established itself as the first tourist destination of Marche in terms of number of presences. During the summer San Benedetto, triples and sometimes quadruples its inhabitants, can reach a daily population of between 150,000 and 200,000 inhabitants among tourists housed in accommodation and commuters.
It boasts the Blue Flag of the European Community and invests in promoting and consolidating an image acquired not only nationally. This image has been conveyed, for about a decade, with the mark "Riviera delle Palme", a name which, sharing them under the same Tourism Promotion Company, also encompasses the other two countries bordering the southernmost part of Province of Ascoli Piceno, Grottammare and Cupra Marittima, as well as some villages in the San Benedetto area, Offida, Monteprandone, Acquaviva Picena, Ripatransone and the Lazio municipality of Accumoli.
The accommodation consistency, between hotels and apartments is remarkable: San Benedetto del Tronto boasts over 300 establishments including hotels, residences and Bed and breakfast; 150 Seaside resort and 42 free beaches along the Sambenedetto coast must be added.
The proximity of San Benedetto del Tronto to the green hills of Piceno with important medieval villages, allows interesting excursions for art lovers, history and food and wine lovers, within a few kilometers.

Gastronomy

Typical local cuisine

San Benedetto is in fact the home of "Brodetto alla sambenedettese", a Fish soup that differs from other recipes in the addition of Bell pepper and Vinegar. It is unique in its kind and has existed, according to the locals, "since the fishermen exist".

Drinks

As far as alcohol is concerned, the whole area of Province of Ascoli Piceno is known for the production of Rosso Piceno Superiore, Falerio, Rosso Piceno, Passerina, Vino cotto and Il Caffè del Marinaio , an ancient recipe of the fishermen of San Benedetto del Tronto.

Transport

San Benedetto del Tronto can be reached by various means:

Motorways

Motorway A14 ', from the south exit San Benedetto - Ascoli Piceno, north side exit Grottammare. From Rome, take the A24 ' to the end, then follow to Giulianova until reaching the A14: From Florence you can exit at the Valdichiana exit of the A1 and then follow several highways, Perugia - Foligno, Muccia, Macerata - Civitanova Marche, San Benedetto del Tronto. The alternative from Florence is to exit the Orte tollbooth and follow the highways crossing Terni, Foligno, the Sibillini Mountains and Ancona.

Rail

The San Benedetto del Tronto train station is connected to lines that connect it to Milan - Bologna - Ancona - Lecce and also Rome - Falconara Marittima - Ancona.

Bus

There are several regional bus companies that connect San Benedetto del Tronto to the main cities of the center, including Rome .

Airport

The nearest airports are the Marche Airport and the one of Abruzzo Airport in Pescara.

Ship

The nearest port is in Ancona.

Cycle paths

The city has a large number of cycle paths, so much so that it is possible to follow it without interruption from the north to the south.
From 2001 to 2010, the section that completes a single walk up to Cupra Marittima was completed by extending the long Green Adriatic Corridor.
In the coming years the construction of a bridge over the river Tronto is planned, which will make possible the connection between the cycle path inside the Sentina and the waterfront track of Martinsicuro.
At the central railway station and the Sentina natural reserve there is a free Bicycle-sharing system, for tourists and residents, called C'entro in Bici .
The San Benedetto del Tronto cycle path is part of the Green Adriatic Corridor, the bike path that runs along the Adriatic coast and crosses five regions from Emilia-Romagna to Apulia. From the Ciclovia Adriatica the Ciclovia Salaria branches off, a cycling route that, once completed, will go to connect Adriatic coast with Rome and the coast tirrenica closely following the route of the ancient Via Salaria.

Sport

Soccer

San Benedetto del Tronto is home to the football team S.S. Sambenedettese Calcio. The team has played in Serie B and is currently playing in Lega Pro.

Beach Soccer

The Sambenedettese Beach Soccer company, runs the Serie A, of the Italian beach soccer championship. He won: the Scudetto in 2014 and 2017, the Italian Cup, in 2013 and 2017, the Super Cup in 2014, 2015 and 2017.

Cycling

In March, the city hosts the final stage finish of the Tirreno–Adriatico bicycle race.

Tennis

San Benedetto also hosts a popular, Challenger Tour tennis event every July that attracts some of the world's best players.

Skating

In 2010 the municipality hosted the European Inline Speed Skating Championships; in 2011 the Italian championships.

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

San Benedetto del Tronto is twinned with: