| Muro Lucano | |
|---|---|
| — Comune — | |
| Comune di Muro Lucano | |
| Panoramic view | |
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Muro Lucano
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Basilicata |
| Province | Potenza (PZ) |
| Frazioni | Capodigiano, Casale San Giuliano, Le Marze, Pontegiacoia, Raitiello |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Gerardo Mariani |
| Area | |
| • Total | 125 km2 (48.3 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 600 m (1,969 ft) |
| Population (2009[1]) | |
| • Total | 5,812 |
| • Density | 46.5/km2 (120.4/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Muresi |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Postal code | 85054 |
| Dialing code | 0976 |
| Patron saint | St. Gerard Majella |
| Saint day | September 2 |
| Website | Official website |
Muro Lucano is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the region of Basilicata, southern Italy.
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The town is situated on the site of the ancient Numistri, at the foot of the Apennines, the scene of a battle between Hannibal and Marcellus in the second Punic war.
The town has a cathedral; and it was in its castle that Queen Joan of Naples was killed by order of her adopted son Charles III of Naples.
The town of Muro Lucano is composed by the old town and the surrounding quarters of Cappuccini in the north, and Giardini (meaning gardens) in the south. It is 51 kilometers from Potenza, which is the chief town of the province. It rises 650 metres above sea level, has a surface of 125.7 square kilometers and in 2005 had a population of approximately 6,000. The population, which was over 10,000 in the 1950s, has been shrinking steadily through the years due to social changes, lack of local work and heavy emigration. There are about 2,200 families with an average of close to 2.7 people per family.
The territory of the municipality lies between 300 and 1450 metres above sea level. The altimetric span is thus of 1100 metres, and the town rises on a slope over the Muro ravine, with picturesque houses built on terraces, and its name comes from the medieval wall (in Italian muro) that surrounded the medieval center.
The town's dialect is called Murese. This dialect is exclusive to the town and is often intelligible to Italian speakers. It is believed to have originated from the Oscan language.
Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Muro_Lucano Muro Lucano] at Wikimedia Commons