Amatrice

Amatrice
Comune
Comune di Amatrice
View of Corso Umberto I in Amatrice before the 2016 earthquake
Coat of arms
Amatrice Location of Amatrice in Italy
Coordinates: 42°37′37″N 13°17′41″E / 42.62694°N 13.29472°ECoordinates: 42°37′37″N 13°17′41″E / 42.62694°N 13.29472°E
Country	Italy
Region	Lazio
Province / Metropolitan city	Rieti (RI)
Frazioni	see list
Government
• Mayor	Sergio Pirozzi
Area
• Total	174 km^2 (67 sq mi)
Elevation	955 m (3,133 ft)
Demonym(s)	Amatriciani
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	02012
Dialing code	0746
Patron saint	Filetta's Madonna
Saint day	Ascension Day
Website	Official website

Amatrice is a town and comune in the province of Rieti, in northern Lazio (central Italy), and the center of the food-agricultural area of Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park. The town was devastated by a powerful earthquake on 24 August 2016.

History

Archaeological discoveries show a human presence in the area of Amatrice since prehistoric times, and the remains of Roman buildings and tombs have also been found. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the area became part of the Lombard Duchy of Spoleto, included in the comitatus of Ascoli. The town of Matrice is mentioned in the papers of the Abbey of Farfa in 1012 as commanding the confluence of the Tronto and Castellano rivers. In the year 900 the Pope was from Amatrice.

The medieval and early modern periods

Church of Sant'Agostino in May 2011

In 1265, during the reign of Manfred of Sicily, Amatrice became part of the Kingdom of Naples. After the capture of Naples by the Angevines, Amatrice rebelled but was vanquished by Charles I of Anjou in 1274, although it maintained some sort of autonomy as an universitas.

In the 14th and 15th century, Amatrice was frequently in conflict with the neighbouring cities of Norcia, Arquata and L'Aquila, and its troops took part in the siege of l’Aquila under Braccio da Montone. In the course of the conflict between Angevines and the Aragonese for the possession of the Kingdom of Naples, Amatrice sided with Naples.

The Church of Sant'Agostino (pictured left) was built in 1428.

In 1529, Amatrice was stormed by troops of Philibert of Chalon, a general in the service of Emperor Charles V, who gave it to its general Alessandro Vitelli.

The city was severely damaged by an earthquake in 1639.

Later, Amatrice was held by the Orsini and the Medici of Florence, who kept it until 1737.

The modern period

After the unification of Italy in the 19th century, Amatrice became part of the province of L'Aquila in the region of Abruzzo, eventually being annexed to Lazio in 1927.

On 24 August 2016, a powerful earthquake struck Amatrice,^[1] devastating the town and killing at least 295 people.^[2] Sergio Pirozzi, the mayor of Amatrice, said that the town "is no more".^[2] Later, Pirozzi said that "three-quarters of the town was destroyed".^[3][4] Nearby Accumoli and Pescara del Tronto were also devastated.

Historical buildings

Historical buildings and their condition after the 2016 earthquake

Building	Completed	Status	Additional elements / notes
Civic tower	13th century	‡
Church of Sant'Agostino	1428	†	Includes a Gothic portal and some frescoes, including the Annunciation and Madonna with Child and Angels. Severe damage after the earthquake: Part of the roof and the upper half of the façade including the rose window collapsed.[5]
Church of Sant'Emidio	15th century	†
Church of San Francesco	late 14th century		includes a marble Gothic portal and 15th-century frescoes in the apse
Church of Santa Maria Porta Ferrata		†
Gothic church		†	located in the frazione of San Martino
Sanctuary of Madonna delle Grazie	15th century	†	located on the alleged site of Marcus Terentius Varro's villa
Sanctuary of Icona Passatora	late 15th century	†	located in the frazione of Ferrazza

‡ Withstood the 2016 earthquake
† Did not withstand the earthquake

Cuisine

Amatrice is especially famous for a pasta sauce, sugo all'amatriciana,^[6] usually served with a long pasta such as bucatini, spaghetti, or vermicelli. According to popular tradition, numerous cooks of the Popes down the centuries came from Amatrice.

People

• Elio Augusto Di Carlo (1918–1998), Italian ornithologist, historian and physician.
• Sara Pichelli (born 1983), artist.

Frazioni

Frazioni of the town include Aleggia, Bagnolo, Capricchia, Casale, Casale Bucci, Casale Celli, Casale Masacci, Casale Nadalucci, Casalene, Casale Nibbi, Casale Sanguigni, Casale Sautelli, Casale Zocchi, Casali della Meta, Cascello, Castel Trione, Collalto, Collecreta, Collegentilesco, Collemagrone, Collemoresco, Collepagliuca, Colletroio, Colli, Conche, Configno, Cornelle, Cornillo Nuovo, Cornillo Vecchio, Cossara, Cossito, Crognale, Domo, Faizzone, Ferrazza, Filetto, Fiumatello, Francucciano, Le Forme, Moletano, Musicchio, Nommisci, Osteria della Meta, Pasciano, Patàrico, Petrana, Pinaco Arafranca, Poggio Vitellino, Prato, Preta, Rio, Retrosi, Roccapassa, Rocchetta, Saletta, San Benedetto, San Capone, San Giorgio, San Lorenzo a Pinaco, San Sebastiano, Santa Giusta, Sant'Angelo, San Tommaso, Scai, Sommati, Torrita, Torritella, Varoni, Villa San Cipriano, Villa San Lorenzo e Flaviano, and Voceto.^[7]

References

1. "'This used to be my home': Italians in shock after devastating earthquake". The Guardian. United Kingdom. 24 August 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
2. "Italy earthquake leaves 159 dead; towns ruined". CNN. 23 August 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
3. "Italy earthquake: Death toll rises to at least 159". BBC News. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
4. "Italian town of Amatrice badly hit by quake, people under rubble – mayor". Thomson Reuters. 24 August 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
5. "Amatrice, il crollo della chiesa di Sant'Agostino". askanews (in Italian). 24 August 2016. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016.
6. Brigit Binns (2004). Sauce. Williams Sonoma Collection. Chuck Williams (editor). Simon and Schuster. p. 63. ISBN 9780743261876.
7. [email protected], Gianfranco Pulsoni. "comune di AMATRICE (RI), 49 frazioni, 2.630 abitanti (ISTAT 2013)".