Tuscania

Tuscania is a town in Italy with 8127 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012). It is located about 90 kilometers northwest of Rome in the province of Viterbo, a part of the historic landscape of Tuscia. Tuscania is known for its Etruscan tombs and Roman churches.

Geography

The city is located on a tuff plateau surrounded by deep valleys, including the river Marta. Especially from the south and east of Tuscania offers a unique panorama with its perfectly preserved medieval city walls and towers of the Romanesque outside the city on a hill church of San Pietro. Tuscania is the center of the nature reserve of Tuscania, founded in 1997, which includes 1901 acres and also includes a cork oak forest situated in the northeast part.

Tuscania carries the Orange Flag a seal of quality in the field of tourism and the environment of the TCI.

History

As early as the Bronze Age, the region was inhabited by Tuscania. In the 8th century BC formed on seven hills in the area of ​​the present town of Etruscan villages that belonged to the territory of Tarquinia. Over time, the location on the present hill of San Pietro settlement developed into an urban center with an acropolis site of the present church. 285 BC the city was conquered by the Romans and incorporated their dominion under the name Tuscana. Pliny mentions this city for the first time speaking of the Tuscanern as its inhabitants. Both the Etruscan and the Roman city had a significantly greater extent than today Tuscania. They flourished, not least through the construction of the Via Clodia, about 225 BC, which led from Rome to Saturnia in Tuscany and crossed here with the old paths through the Martatal from Lake Bolsena to the sea.

In the migration period Tuscania was strongly affected and lost most of its inhabitants. The place consisted of only the immediate vicinity of the Acropolis outside the present-day city.

In 569 or 574, the city came under the rule of the Lombards. During this time she also became a bishopric with Santa Maria Maggiore church as a bishop.

778 they came through donation of Charlemagne to the Papal States. The place now was called Tosca Ella. In the year 852 was built on the ruins of the temple of the Acropolis San Pietro as the new bishop's church.

1207 reached Toscanella by Pope Innocent III. recognition as a free commune. Thus began a period of prosperity, when the town expanded again on the neighboring hills. The citizens preferred, in contrast to the bishop, the hill Rivellino as its center. Here still stands the town hall.

As early as the 14th century, the city's independence was threatened by neighboring noble families again. Two blows then sealed the decline. In 1494, the population was decimated by the plague. 1495 Finally, a mercenary army under King Charles VIII of France invaded the city and plundered it for five days. Tosca Ella was largely destroyed. As a result, the district was abandoned around San Pietro and moved the episcopal seat to Santa Maria della Rosa. The city retreated behind the city walls still preserved today. Thus, the urban area had again more than halved. Tosca Ella lost its supremacy in northern Lazio to Viterbo and finally fell off to a country town.

1911 Tosca Ella received its ancient name Tuscania again.

On the evening of February 6, 1971 Tuscania was hit by a massive earthquake, which claimed 31 lives. 70 % of all buildings were damaged or destroyed, including all churches. During more than ten years of reconstruction, however, care has been taken to preserve the historic townscape. Careful and accurate reconstruction was preferred over the construction of new houses. In the churches 700 m² frescoes were restored in many years of work. So today are hardly any traces of the disaster to find. Tuscania today despite its checkered history, one of the most atmospheric historic city images of the province of Viterbo.

Demographics

Source: ISTAT

Attractions

The Basilica of San Pietro

In the 9th century, the first bishop of San Pietro Basilica was built on the ruins of a temple at the site of the Etruscan acropolis. Whether and how many remains of this building have been preserved in the Church today, is controversial.

The stock of the present building is mainly due to the 11-12. Century. The complex is situated on a hill outside the city today, and dominates with its three massive, belonging to the former attachment of the hill towers the landscape. Next to the church stands the Romanesque Bishop's Palace.

The facade was, perhaps, new built between the late 12th and the early 13th century as a result of an earthquake. The great central portal with Cosmatenarbeiten probably written later. In the gable is determined by a magnificent marble rosette. In the attached around her relief figures are partly to Etruscan spoils (eg, running man ). The earthquake of 1971 fallen rosette has now been painstakingly assembled again.

Inside, one enters a columned basilica with open roof, the almost unchanged shows the image of the 12th century. In the right aisle is a ciborium with columns of 1093 ( inscription ). Noteworthy is the mosaic floor in the style of Cosmatesque. The marble chancel screen with Flechtbandornamenten from the 8th century have been carried over from the previous church. In the apse stands the stone bishop's throne. Distributed over the whole church are frescoes from the 12th century. In the apse an important fresco in the Byzantine style, '' Ascension '', by the earthquake of 1971 was unfortunately lost. In the aisles, some Etruscan sarcophagi are placed.

Also in the hall crypt with 28 antique, recycled columns, frescoes from the 12th century, including the representation of the patron saints of Tuscania. Here also Roman walls in opus are obtained Reticulatum.

The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore

The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore at the foot of the hill of San Pietro. According to tradition, it should have been built in the 6th century as the first Episcopal church Tuscanias on the ruins of the temple of Janus. In fact, the foundations of a large Roman building were discovered during the restoration after the earthquake of 1971. However, it was first mentioned in a bull of Pope Leo IV in 852.

The point of construction of the present church is controversial, but the construction will have been completed well at the consecration of the new church on October 6, 1206 for the most part.

The facade is similar to that designed by San Pietro rich, with three portals, a dwarf gallery and a large rosette. The rich sculptural decoration is very different stylistic influences. Around the rosette, the symbols of the four evangelists are attached. In the lunette of the central portal, the Madonna is shown with the child. In addition, the sacrifice of Isaac and the Agnus Dei is shown. The portal is framed by the apostles Peter and Paul. The heads of the statues are modern replicas, as the originals were stolen. The sculptural decoration was probably not prepared for the actual construction, but transferred here from other buildings.

Inside, one enters a three-aisled basilica with open roof and Romanesque columns. The magnificent pulpit in the nave is composed of marble slabs of the 8th and 9th centuries ( from the previous church ). Here will also find a ciborium and the old bishop's throne. There are numerous, partly damaged frescoes on the walls. Particularly eye catches the fresco of the Last Judgment on the triumphal arch of the apse. Interesting here is mainly the devil right below that eats the damned and at the end of the digestive tract excretes.

Santa Maria della Rosa

After the devastation of San Pietro in 1495, the church was the city's cathedral. It shows a simple Gothic-Romanesque facade with strong horizontal structure. Inside it was redesigned after 1495. The earthquake in 1971, some of the frescoes of the 13th century came through the fall of plaster, however, to the fore. The fresco of the Madonna liberation of Giulio Pierino d' Amelia is reminiscent of the looting in 1495 and a thunderstorm, is said to have sent the Mother of God, to end the evil.

Santa Maria del Riposa

The from 1495, built on a previous building church is kept in the style of the Renaissance. It harbors inside many important frescoes and paintings, among others by Giulio Pierino d' Amelia, Scalabrino da Pistoia, Antonio del Massaro and others.

In the connected former convent buildings now the Archaeological Museum is housed.

Cathedral of San Giacomo

The Gothic church was remodeled in Renaissance style, as in 1572 the bishop's seat was moved here. Inside there are numerous works of art to be found, among other things, by Andrea di Bartolo.

Torre di Lavello

It is the last noble tower of Tuscania. He belonged to the Palazzo Tartaglia. Angelo Tartaglia tried again in the 15th century, to establish independence Tuscanias the Papal State. After his execution, Pope Martin V 's palace free to plunder and destruction.

Palazzo Comunale

The Town Hall is the last remnant of the former city castle Rivellino. Their last tower collapsed in 1954, destroying the town theater. In the 13th century have been here emissary of Pope Boniface VIII, who demanded the submission of the city, thrown out the window.

Bagno della Regina

In the so-called Baths of Queen on the road to Santa Maria Maggiore is the ruins of the Roman baths. A female statue found here (now gone ) was called in the Middle Ages as Queen of Tuscania.

Etruscan necropolis

In the immediate vicinity of Tuscania are numerous grave sites, some of which are open to the public.

The most important necropolis is located at the Church of the Madonna dell ' Olivo. Among them are the labyrinth-like scale grave of the queen and the grave of the Amazons. The numerous sarcophagi found since 1967 and grave goods are exhibited in the Archaeological Museum in Tuscania and in the Villa Giulia in Rome.

The necropolis Peschiera is exceptional especially because of the monumental architecture of the tombs. The graves are obviously modeled after the Etruscan houses.

The necropolis of Pian di Mola, located on the opposite bank of the Marta is designed quite similar.

The necropolis of le Scalette, San Lazzero, San Giusto and San Pinzuto have interesting grave forms.

Monastery of San Giusto in Tuscania

Three kilometers south of the city stands the monastery of San Giusto in Tuscania.

Policy

Alessandro Cappelli (center - left coalition ) was chosen on 28 May 2006 to the mayor. The center-left alliance also with 11 of 20 seats, the majority in the City Council.

Swell

• Christoph Henning Lazio. The country around Rome. With walks in the Eternal City ( = DuMont Art Guide ). 3rd updated edition. DuMont Travel Verlag, Ostfildern 2006, ISBN 3-7701-6031-2.
• Anton Henze, Cunibert Bering, Gerhard Wiedmann: Art Guide Rome. 5th revised edition. Philipp Reclam GmbH, Stuttgart 1994, ISBN 3-15-010402-5.
• Italo Faldi: Tusculum. Moments and products of the Italian cultural landscape. Bonechi Editori, Florence 2000, ISBN 88-7204-428-6.