Capua

Capua is a southern Italian town with 18 778 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012) in the province of Caserta in the Campania region on the river Volturno.

History

Antiquity

For the history of ancient Capua Capua Vetere see Santa Maria.

Middle Ages

After the destruction of located at today's Santa Maria Capua Vetere ancient and early medieval Capua by the Saracens (840 ) founded 856 the Lombards the city as Capua nova ( " New Capua " ) again at one of the earlier somewhat remote location near the ancient Casilinum. In the 11th century Capua came in Norman possession. The Assizes of Capua were adopted by the Hohenstaufen Emperor Frederick II and are an early example of decrees on the creation of an official state.

Modern Times

1860 Capua was the center of the futile resistance of the Neapolitan army against Giuseppe Garibaldi. During the Second World War Capua was heavily damaged by air raids.

Traffic

Capua is located on State Road SS7 Appian Way, next to the A1 motorway and the railway line Roma - Cassino - Napoli, connecting it to Naples and Rome. About three kilometers north- west of the city center is the airfield Capua.

Attractions

Interesting is, inter alia, the cathedral of Santo Stefano (built in 856). In the city there are furthermore a Roman bridge, a medieval castle, a cathedral (for the most part restored ) and an archaeological museum. In the museum you will find a unique collection called Matres - Matutae statues, cult images of a regional cult of the pre-Roman period.

Right on the Roman Bridge and the impressive remains one of the most famous buildings can be found, which was created during the reign of Frederick II: the " bridge gate of Capua ". The stone material for this once exceptionally impressive medieval gate system was in large part the gigantic Roman amphitheater in nearby Santa Maria Capua Vetere ( where once the ancient Capua was ) removed. In the remains of the Bridge Gate is a museum on the history of the Bridge Gate and architecture during the reign of Frederick II of Hohenstaufen is to be established in the near future.

Sons and daughters of the town

• Giovanni Furno (1748-1837), composer
• Errico Malatesta (1853-1932), anarchist
• Giuseppe Martucci (1856-1909), composer