Potenza

Potenza (/pəˈtɛnzə/, also US: /poʊˈtɛntsɑː/,[3][4] Italian: [poˈtɛntsa] (listen); Neapolitan: Putenza, Potentino dialect: Putenz) is a city and comune in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata (former Lucania).

For other uses, see Potenza (disambiguation).
"Potentia" redirects here. For the Roman town, see Potentia (ancient city). For the car, see Kia Potentia.
Potenza

Putenz(a)  (Neapolitan)
Comune
Città di Potenza
Left: A view of Mario Pagano Square, Stabile Theater, Potenza Province Office, Musmeci Bridge, Right: Potenza San Gerardo Cathedral, Potenza Royal Palace, San Gerardo Temple, (all item of above to below)
Coat of arms
Potenza within the Province of Potenza
Location of Potenza
Potenza
Location of Potenza in Basilicata
Potenza
Potenza (Basilicata)
Coordinates: 40°38′N 15°48′E
CountryItaly
RegionBasilicata
ProvincePotenza (PZ)
Government
 • MayorMario Guarente (LN)
Area
 • Total173 km2 (67 sq mi)
Elevation
819 m (2,687 ft)
Population
 (31 May 2015)[2]
 • Total67,348
 • Density390/km2 (1,000/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Potentini
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
85100
Dialing code0971
Patron saintSt. Gerard
Saint dayMay 30
WebsiteOfficial website

Capital of the Province of Potenza and the Basilicata region, the city is the highest regional capital and one of the highest provincial capitals in Italy, overlooking the valley of the Basento river in the Apennine Mountains of Lucania, east of Salerno. Its territory is bounded by the comuni of Anzi, Avigliano, Brindisi Montagna, Picerno, Pietragalla, Pignola, Ruoti, Tito, and Vaglio Basilicata.

History

Ancient times

The first settlement of Potentia (Potenza's original Latin name) was probably located at a lower elevation than at present, some 10 kilometres (6 miles) south of today's Potenza. The Lucani of Potentia sided against Rome's enemies during the latter's wars against the Samnites and the Bruttii. Subjugated during the 4th century BC (later gaining the status of municipium), the Potentini rebelled after the Roman defeat at Cannae in 216 BC. However, the Battle of the Metaurus marked the end of any Carthaginian aspirations in Italy and Potentia was reconquered by the Romans and reduced to the status of military colony.

Middle Ages

In the 6th century, the city passed to the Lombard Duchy of Benevento. Incursions by Saracens raiders menaced the city until the Norman conquest of southern Italy secured the area. In the 12th century, Potenza became an episcopal see. In 1137, the city hosted Pope Innocent II and Emperor Lothair II during their failed attempt to conquer the Norman kingdom. In 1148 or 1149 in Potenza, Roger II of Sicily hosted king Louis VII of France, whom the Norman fleet had freed from the Saracens. After pillaging by Emperor Frederick II, the city remained loyal to the Hohenstaufen: as a result, it was almost totally destroyed by Charles I when the Angevin lord conquered the Kingdom of Sicily. On December 18, 1273, an earthquake further devastated the city.

Cathedral Square

Modern age

In the following years of Late Middle Ages, the city was owned by various feudal families before the Spanish domination, during which Potenza was the site of riots against the Spaniards. In 1694, it was almost completely destroyed by another earthquake.

With the declaration of the Neapolitan Republic in 1799, Potenza was one of the first cities to rebel against the king. After temporary Bourbon repression, the city was conquered by the French army in 1806 and declared the capital of Basilicata. King Joachim Murat improved the city's living conditions and administration, while some urban improvements were also introduced for the visit of Ferdinand II in 1846. A revolt broke out in 1848 and was again put down by Bourbon forces, until a third devastating earthquake followed in 1857. Potenza rebelled for the last time in 1860, before Garibaldi's revolutionary army brought about the unification of Italy.

In September 1943, the city suffered heavy Allied bombing. In 1980, another strong earthquake struck Potenza.

Main sights
Panoramic overview of Potenza
  • Potenza Cathedral: The Duomo di San Gerardo, renovated in the 18th century. The cathedral still houses the rose window and the apse from the original 12th-century structure.
  • San Francesco: church founded in 1274. The portal and the bell tower date from the 15th century. The church houses the De Grasis sepulchre and a Madonna in Byzantine style (13th century).
  • The Torre Guevara, the last remnant of the old castle. It is now used to stage art exhibitions.
  • The Palazzo Loffredo, a 17th-century noble residence. It is now the seat of the "Dinu Adameșteanu" National Archaeological Museum.
  • Three gates of the old city walls, now demolished. The gates are the Porta San Giovanni, the Porta San Luca and the Porta San Gerardo.
  • San Michele: 11th-12th century Romanesque-style church.
  • Santa Maria del Sepolcro: church.
  • The ruins of a Roman villa in the Poggio Tre Galli quarter.
  • Musmeci Bridge, a unique construction, monument of modern civil engineering.

Geography

Climate

Potenza experiences a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Csb/Cfb in the Köppen climate classification).

Climate data for Potenza
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 20.0
(68.0)		 21.8
(71.2)		 23.6
(74.5)		 25.6
(78.1)		 29.8
(85.6)		 33.0
(91.4)		 36.8
(98.2)		 36.8
(98.2)		 33.2
(91.8)		 30.0
(86.0)		 21.8
(71.2)		 20.0
(68.0)		 36.8
(98.2)
Average high °C (°F) 6.9
(44.4)		 7.2
(45.0)		 9.7
(49.5)		 12.8
(55.0)		 18.1
(64.6)		 22.3
(72.1)		 25.7
(78.3)		 25.8
(78.4)		 21.7
(71.1)		 16.5
(61.7)		 11.0
(51.8)		 7.9
(46.2)		 15.5
(59.8)
Daily mean °C (°F) 4.0
(39.2)		 4.1
(39.4)		 6.1
(43.0)		 8.8
(47.8)		 13.7
(56.7)		 17.5
(63.5)		 20.6
(69.1)		 20.7
(69.3)		 17.2
(63.0)		 12.7
(54.9)		 7.9
(46.2)		 5.1
(41.2)		 11.5
(52.8)
Average low °C (°F) 1.2
(34.2)		 1.1
(34.0)		 2.5
(36.5)		 4.8
(40.6)		 9.2
(48.6)		 12.7
(54.9)		 15.4
(59.7)		 15.7
(60.3)		 12.7
(54.9)		 8.9
(48.0)		 4.7
(40.5)		 2.3
(36.1)		 7.6
(45.7)
Record low °C (°F) −9.6
(14.7)		 −10
(14)		 −7.8
(18.0)		 −3.6
(25.5)		 0.5
(32.9)		 4.0
(39.2)		 8.0
(46.4)		 6.8
(44.2)		 1.2
(34.2)		 −1.2
(29.8)		 −7
(19)		 −8
(18)		 −10
(14)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 55.7
(2.19)		 63.0
(2.48)		 48.6
(1.91)		 66.8
(2.63)		 42.8
(1.69)		 30.4
(1.20)		 26.1
(1.03)		 32.6
(1.28)		 46.2
(1.82)		 61.6
(2.43)		 73.3
(2.89)		 66.0
(2.60)		 613.1
(24.15)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) 8.3 8.7 8.8 9.4 6.2 4.2 3.3 4.3 5.3 7.5 8.7 8.1 82.8
Average relative humidity (%) 77 75 72 69 69 67 62 64 66 72 76 78 71
Source 1: Servizio Meteorologico (1971–2000 data)[5]
Source 2: Servizio Meteorologico (1961–1990 data on average humidity)[6]
Aerial view of the Duomo and Palazzo Loffredo

Population

Potenza has a population of 67,122 as of 2015. It is the largest city in Basilicata.

Potenza population
Date Census data
1991 65,714
2001 69,060
2011 66,777
2015 67,122

Source: [7]

View of Potenza

Transportation

Road

Potenza is located at the eastern end of the RA5 motorway, a 50 km (31 mi) branch from the A2 motorway.

Rail

Potenza is a rail junction on the main line from Salerno to Taranto, managed by FS Trenitalia. It has also a connection to Altamura and its own small metropolitan railway service, served by the Ferrovie Appulo Lucane regional company. The city's main station, which was originally named Potenza Inferiore, is now known as Potenza Centrale. The nearest airports are:

Escalators

With the city centre situated at the top of a steep hill, escalators provide a form of public transport in Potenza. The largest, Santa Lucia Escalator (Italian: Scale Mobili Santa Lucia), is approximately 500 m (1,600 ft) long and connects Potenza's historic centre with a residential neighbourhood to the west by descending 100 m (330 ft) into a valley. Potenza's public escalator network in the largest in Europe and the second largest in the world after Tokyo.[8]

People

International relations
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Italy

Potenza is twinned with:

References
  1. "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Istat. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. "Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018". Istat. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  3. "Potenza". The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (5th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  4. "Potenza". Oxford Dictionaries UK Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  5. "Potenza (PZ) 845 m. s.l.m. (a.s.l.)" (PDF) (in Italian and English). Servizio Meteorologico. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 April 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  6. "Stazione 300 Potenza, medie mensili periodo 61 - 90". Servizio Meteorologico. Archived from the original on 10 January 2010. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  7. "Potenza (Potenza, Basilicata, Italy)". City Population. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
  8. "Potenza Capoluogo è la città con le scale mobili più lunghe d'Europa". Le Cronache (in Italian). 4 June 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
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