Jump to content

Massa Martana

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Plasticspork (talk | contribs) at 05:24, 24 September 2009 (Clean infobox + general fixes using AWB). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Massa Martana
Massa Martana
Comune di Massa Martana
Location of Massa Martana
Map
CountryItaly
RegionUmbria
ProvincePerugia (PG)
FrazioniCastel Rinaldi, Colpetrazzo, Mezzanelli, Viepri, Montignano, Villa San Faustino
Area
 • Total
78.11 km2 (30.16 sq mi)
Elevation
351 m (1,152 ft)
Population
 (2007)[2]
 • Total
3,839
 • Density49/km2 (130/sq mi)
DemonymMassetani
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
06056
Dialing code075
Patron saintSaint Felix
Saint day31 October
Websitehttp://www.comune.massamartana.pg.it/

Massa Martana (near the well attested ancient site of the Vicus ad Martis Tudertium on the Via Flaminia) is an ancient Italian town and commune in the Monti Martani mountain range in the province of Perugia (Umbria). It is 10 km N of Acquasparta, 18 km N of San Gemini and 32 km N of Narni; 14 km S of Bastardo and 27 km S of Bevagna. As of the 2003 census, the town had 3558 inhabitants.

It is one of the classic walled towns of central Italy, and in its main gate can be seen several ancient inscriptions, including a Roman one of some interest. The modern town has spread northwards along the road.

The territory of the commune includes three of Umbria's best Romanesque churches, each built in part of Roman stone: the abbeys of S. Fidenzio, of S. Maria in Pantano and of S. Faustino. The medieval abbey church of S. Maria in Viepri should also be mentioned, as well as the modern shrine at Colvalenza (6 km southwest), which draws busloads of pilgrims.

The walled town was seriously damaged in the 1997 earthquake which damaged much of Umbria, including the Basilica and city of Assisi. The Commune celebrated the completion of restoration works and the reopening of the old town in August 2006, ten years after the earthquake.

Massa Martana town has an annual ice-cream festival ("sagra del gelato") in early August each year. Similar food festivals are celebrated in summer months in a number of surrounding villages and hamlets within the commune, including Colpetrazzo and Villa San Faustino.

(The text of this article is partly based on the article in Bill Thayer's Gazetteer of Italy, by permission.)

  1. ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.