Larino
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Comune di Larino | |
|---|---|
 Municipal coat of arms |
|
| Country |  Italy |
| Region | Molise |
| Province | Campobasso (CB) |
| Mayor | |
| Elevation | 341 m |
| Area | 88 km² |
| Population | |
| - Total (as of December 31, 2004) | 7,230 |
| - Density | 80/km² |
| Time zone | CET, UTC+1 |
| Coordinates | |
| Gentilic | Larinesi |
| Dialing code | 0874 |
| Postal code | 86035 |
| Patron | San Pardo and San Primiano |
| - Day | May 26 |
| Website: www.comune.larino.cb.it | |
Larino (Latin: Larinum) is a town and commune of approximately 7,000 inhabitants in the Italian Region of Molise, province of Campobasso. It is located in the fertile Biferno Valley.
The old town, seen from the mountains, is shaped like a bird's wing. The new town, called Piano San Leonardo, is built on a mountainside. The new area is expensive, with large houses and new construction.
Contents |
[edit] History
The city of Larino has been continuously inhabited for millennia. Originally settled by the Samnite and Frentani tribes of Southern Italy, the city came under the control of the Oscan civilization. In 217 BC, the Romans defeated Hannibal here, and it was later incorporated into the Roman Empire, where it was classified as a municipium, and added to the Secunda Regio (Apulia).
The modern city was built in 1300, after the old one, less than 1 mile away, was destroyed in an earthquake after having repeatedly sacked by the Saraceans. The old Roman city of Larinum, from which Larino grew, was situated along the main road to the South-East, which started on the coast in Histonium (Vasto), and ran from Larinum eastward to Sipontum. The main road also branched off at Larinum into a secondary road to Bovianum Vetus.
In 1656, a plague nearly wiped out the city; thousands died. The 373 survivors were prepared to abandon the settlement, but through the vigorous efforts of then Bishop Giuseppe Catalano, they were convinced to stay, and the city grew and thrived once again.
The city gave birth to three saints: Primiano, Firmiano, and Casto, although the city’s patron and most celebrated saint is San Pardo, a native of Greece. Cluentius, a client of Cicero, who delivered a speech in his favour, was also born in Larinum. A transcript of the trial, Pro Cluentio, gives a revealing image of life in Larino six decades before the birth of Christ. Caesar wrote about the city in his account of the Social Wars, and Alexandre Dumas described the festival of San Pardo so vividly in his writings (A Bloody Reign) that he must have seen it during his travels to Italy.
During World War II the radio reported that Larino had been totally destroyed in a bombardment. While it was true that the Allies and the Germans were in the vicinity of the town, hostility was avoided and the town was preserved.
[edit] Main sights
The old town includes important monuments, such as a fountain, now in disrepair, and the Duomo (Cathedral), made a minor basilica in 1928 by Pius XI, which is considered by some to be one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in Italy. It was built in the tenth and 11th centuries and inaugurated in 1319. It was added onto and renovated many times, with the addition of a Gothic arch in 1451, a belltower in 1523 and interior renovations in the 18th century. It was declared a national heritage site for its gothic façade and famous rose window, as well as its austere interior, which houses great treasures such as the silver bust of Saint Pardo.
Other churches in the city include:
- San Francesco
- Santo Stefano
- Santa Maria della Pietà
Other important sites are the old Palazzo Ducale (Ducal Palace), which has relinquished its function as town hall to a jail, and a notable ancient Roman archeological site containing an amphitheater and forum belonging to the ancient site of Larinum.
[edit] Culture
The city has many fairs and festivals, notably those of San Primiano and of San Pardo. These include parties and religious processions. Traditional recipes of the town include La Pigna Larinese (a type of cake) and Taralli Con L'Uovo (egg taralli). It also has its own cultivar of olive, known as the Gentile di Larino, which is highly prized for its oil.
The city faced a large exodus during the 1950-60s due to the extreme poverty of the Molise region, and there is a large community of Larinesi living abroad, as well as their first- and second-generation descendants. Immigrants from Larino to Montreal built a church in Little Italy called Chiesa della Madonna della Difesa.
After the recent earthquakes in the Molise, old Larino is being reborn. Citizens whose houses had been damaged by the quake could apply for public funding. As a result scores of houses and public buildings are being restored to their former beauty. One example is the exterior Palazzo Ducale which is repainted as it was decades ago. The exterior walls are alternating panels of whitish grey and charcoal black. The upper levels, surrounding the stone windows are a combination of pink and cream. The top level, overlooking what used to be a large terrace, is faced in sunflower yellow. If you look closely at the structure you can see the ancient centre which may have been constructed as a Norman castle. Later the building became Albergo Moderno (the Modern Hotel). That, too, is now abandoned.
The church of San Francisco has been resurfaced in a beautiful coral.
The "Galuppi Tower", across from the Cathedral, has been strengthened by large square metallic plates. The tower, which was part of the old town's defenses, was the campanile (bell tower) of a now abandoned convent.
On Via Cluenzo (named after the young man defended by the orator, Cicero) features a number of beautifully restored private homes. The exterior walls, all approved by the town, are in light blues, creams, and ochres. The old jail has been transformed into a municipal centre of great beauty.
Recently, more and more expatriates have begun returning to Larino to purchase vacation homes. Termoli, a resort town on the Adriatic, is only 15 minutes away via a near-trafficless autoroute.
In the summer a series of festivals is held. May 25-27 of each year is dedicated to the Festival of San Pardo. In 2005, there were over 110 carts festooned with hand-made flowers. Each wagon is pulled by two white oxen. A procession moves from the historic centre and the cathedral to the cemetery and the old church which dates from the earliest days of the Christian era. It is at once a religious event, a historic event, and a family celebration. Each cart belongs to a particular family, and the cart's position in the procession is a sign of social standing. The entire event is choreographed with great precision.
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