Policastro Bussentino

Policastro Bussentino
Frazione
Policastro Bussentino

Location of Policastro Bussentino in Italy

Coordinates: 40°04′00″N 15°31′00″E / 40.06667°N 15.51667°E / 40.06667; 15.51667Coordinates: 40°04′00″N 15°31′00″E / 40.06667°N 15.51667°E / 40.06667; 15.51667
Country  Italy
Region  Campania
Province Salerno (SA)
Comune Santa Marina
Elevation 4 m (13 ft)
Population 2011
 • Total 1,625[1]
Demonym(s) Policastresi
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 84067
Dialing code (+39) 0974
Gulf of Policastro
Defensive walls

Policastro Bussentino (or simply Policastro) is an Italian town and hamlet (frazione) of the municipality of Santa Marina (even of its seat) in the province of Salerno, Campania region. It is a former bishopric, now titular see, and has a population of 1,625.[1]

History

Overview

The town was founded in 471 BC as Pixunte (or Pixous),[2] a colony of Magna Graecia. It has been a Latin Rite bishopric twice, as Bussento (Latin: ''Buxentum'') and as Policastro, and remains a Catholic titular see as "Capo della Foresta".[3]

During the fascist period, with the union of municipalities of Ispani and Santa Marina, Policastro became a hamlet of Capitello.

Ecclesiastical history

The Bishopric of Bussento was established in the sixth century as Diocese of Bussento (Italian) / Buxentum (Latin) / Buxentin(us) (Latin adjective). It was suppressed in the seventh century, without direct successor.[4]

On 24 March 1058 the territory of the defunct bishopric was reassigned to establish the Diocese of Policastro, which became a suffragan of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Salerno. Suppressed on 30 September 1986, merging title and territory into the thus renamed Diocese of Teggiano-Policastro, where its Marian former cathedral remains the Co-Cathedral: Concattedrale di S. Maria Assunta, dedicated to the Assumption of Mary.

Geography

The town is located on the southern side of Cilento, not too far from the national park, in the middle of its Gulf of Policastro on the Tyrrhenian Sea. Situated by the estuary of river Bussento, it is 10 km far (north) from Sapri, 5 from Santa Marina, 4 from Scario (hamlet of San Giovanni a Piro), 25 from Marina di Camerota (hamlet of Camerota) and almost 90 from Salerno. The nearest villages by the sea are Capitello (hamlet of Ispani, far 2 km) and Villammare (hamlet of Vibonati, far 4 km).

Tourism

Policastro attracts visitors, especially in summer, due to the quality of its water, its rural surroundings and a good rail link and for camping.

Transport

The railway station is situated in the middle of the town, by the main line Rome-Naples-Reggio Calabria-Palermo/Catania. Regional trains run every hour. The town recently inaugurated (2006) as the final track of national road SS18, which runs from Salerno - Battipaglia - Paestum - Agropoli - Vallo della Lucania - Palinuro to Sapri. Policastro has another carriageway, a variation of SS 517 that reaches Padula and the A2 Motorway[5] exit Padula-Buonabitacolo, via Sanza.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 (in Italian) Infos on italia.indettaglio.it
  2. ↑ (in Italian) "Pixunte" on the Italian Encyclopedia Treccani
  3. ↑ GCatholic - former bishopric of Buxentum and titular see of Capo della Foresta
  4. ↑ GCatholic - former titular see of Bussento
  5. ↑ Naples-Salerno-Cosenza-Reggio Calabria
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