Loreto Aprutino
| Loreto Aprutino | ||
|---|---|---|
| Comune | ||
| Comune di Loreto Aprutino | ||
 | ||
| ||
  Loreto Aprutino | ||
| Coordinates: 42°26′N 13°59′E / 42.433°N 13.983°ECoordinates: 42°26′N 13°59′E / 42.433°N 13.983°E | ||
| Country | Italy | |
| Region | Abruzzo | |
| Province | Pescara (PE) | |
| Frazioni | Acquamorta, Belvedere, Bufarale, Burlesco, Camposacro, Cancelli, Cardito, Cartiera, Casafora, Castelluccio, Cecalupo, Collatuccio, Collecera, Collefreddo, Collepalma, Colle Carpini, Colle Cavaliere, Colle Ospedale, Cordano, Cupello, Farina, Ferrauto, Fiorano, Fiume, Fontemaggio, Fonte Murata, Fornace, Galliano, Gallo, Gomma, Lauriana, Madonna degli Angeli, Moscone, Muretto, Palazzo, Pallante, Pantano, Passo Cordone, Paterno, Piano della morte, Poggio Ragone, Pozzelle, Pretore, Pretosa, Remartello, Rielli, Rotacesta, Sablanico, Saletto, Salmacina, San Domenico, San Giovanni, San Pellegrino, San Quirico, Santa Maria in Piano, Scannella inferiore, Scannella Superiore, Scrizzetto, Sgariglia, Silvi, Valle Passeri, Valle Stella, Vicenne, Villa Erminia | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 59 km2 (23 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 307 m (1,007 ft) | |
| Population (1 January 2007) | ||
| • Total | 7,675 | |
| • Density | 130/km2 (340/sq mi) | |
| Demonym | Loretesi, Lauretani, Rotesi | |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | |
| Postal code | 65014 | |
| Dialing code | 085 | |
| Patron saint | San Zopito | |
| Saint day | Monday after Pentecost | |
| Website | Official website | |
Loreto Aprutino (Lurèt in Abruzzese dialect) is a comune and town in the Province of Pescara in the Abruzzo region of central Italy.
History
The presence of necropoli at Colle-Fiorano and at Farina-Cardito indicate the presence of a significant pre-Roman settlement nearby the modern town.[1] The Vestini, defeated by the Romans in the Social War, eventually built a town around the castellum and called it Laurentum, because of the many bay laurels (laurus) that then grew in the area. With the decline of the Romans, the area came under the control of Norman counts. The modern town grew up around a castle and Benedictine abbey in the 11th century. In the 13th century, the d'Aquino family - Lombard nobility became lords of the town, and though there are legends that [Thomas of Aquinas] (Tommaso d'Aquino) once took residence in Loreto, evidence of this is obscure. In the Middle Ages many of the characteristic buildings of the city were built, with a particularly notable example being the parish church of San Pietro Apostolo.
In 1863, after the unification of Italy, the adjective "Aprutino" was added to the name of the town to distinguish it from several other towns in Italy: in Ancona province, in Asti province, in Novara province, and two separate towns in Perugia province.
Economy
The production of olive oil and wine is a mainstay of the local economy. The most important estates include Valentini, Talamonti, Torre dei Beati.
Festivals
Each spring on the first Monday after Pentecost, the city celebrates the Festa di San Zopito and a parade is held. A child, dressed all in white and wearing a crown of flowers, rides a white ox that is decorated with colored ribbons on its horns and a red mantle bearing an image of San Zopito.