| Teano | ||
 | ||
| State | Italy | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Campania | |
| Inhabitants | 12.593 (2015) | |
| Prefix tel | 39 0823 | |
| POSTAL CODE | 81057 | |
| Time zone | UTC 1 | |
| Patron | San Paride | |
Position
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| [link not working]Tourism site | ||
| Institutional website | ||
Teano is a city of Campania.
To know
Geographical notes
Teano, capital of the ancient Sidicini people, rises on the south-eastern slopes of the Roccamonfina volcanic complex. The area is rich in waterways, the main one being the Savone river. It originates from the northeastern sources of the Santa Croce volcanic cone and flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea near Mondragone. The territory has a strong agricultural vocation: on the large tuff banks that characterize the Teanese territory, there is a strong agricultural activity characterized mainly by fruit growing (especially apples, peaches, cherries and apricots), production of hazelnuts and chestnuts, as well as wine and oil.
When to go
The city can be visited at any time of the year. In piazza 23 Settembre 1943, a beautiful and well-equipped restaurant is open and available to visitors Tourist Info-Point
Background
Defined by Strabone as the largest city located along the Via Latina immediately after Capuae, Teano rises at the foot of the Roccamonfina volcanic complex. The area, rich in water sources including the famous "Acidulous Water" named by Vitruvius and surrounded by rich forests full of life, has been a popular destination for man since prehistoric times. Founded by the Sidicini, a tribe probably descended from the ancient Ausoni, it became the main city of this population. Two distinct phases of growth of the sidicino people can be hypothesized: a first phase characterized by a territorial distribution to scattered villages starting from the VIII-VII century. B.C. and a second phase in which the phenomenon of synecism led to the foundation of the city of Teanum Sidicinum around the second half of the fourth century. BC An important strategic center for the control of the communication routes between Lazio, Campania and Daunia, Teano was at the center of the war events of the Samnite Wars, as well as the reason for the outbreak of the First Samnite War. Having become an ally of Rome, then Municipium, Teano flourished between the republican and imperial ages. The exploitation of agricultural and natural resources was accompanied by a notable commercial development based on the production of tableware, of which there is no lack of evidence of sidicini traders in the port of Delos after 189 BC. The Liber coloniarum reports the news of the deduction as a colony of Teano under Caesar Augustus, elected as a Colonia Classica Firma Teanum probably after the battle of Actium when Augustus distributed the best lands to the veterans of the fleet. up to the fifth century AD, it can be deduced not only from the sumptuous public and private buildings built between the second and third centuries AD, but also from the attention paid by the governors and emperors to the territory through acts of liberality, such as the renovation of the theater. The abundance of raw materials such as lava stone and pozzolan, wood and the fertility of the land are among the factors that have allowed Teano to have a strategic role in the territory even during the late antique period, when a strong Christian community with its own bishop and illustrious personalities including Flavio Lupo and the gens Geminia, from whose mausoleum, built along the Via Latina north-east of the town of Teano, comes a mosaic depicting the oldest representation of the Epiphany, dated to the middle of the 4th century AD, the abandonment of the lower city took place between the 6th and 8th century AD, a period in which the inhabited area was reduced to the upper city alone (Arx). In the VIII A.D. Teano was the seat of Gastaldato under Capua, and it is in this period that the quadrangular tower seat of the Gastaldo and the first medieval defensive structures were built under Arechi II. In the tenth century. A.D. it was conquered by the Normans, who expanded these defensive structures. In the fourteenth century. A.D. the Loggione-Cavallerizza was built (now home to the offices of the Archaeological Superintendence and the Archaeological Museum), a building inserted in a monumental palace complex of which today only a small part of the imposing structure can be appreciated. Furthermore, Teano was also at the center of the political events that affected Italy during the Risorgimento; famous is the historic meeting between Vittorio Emanuele II and Giuseppe Garibaldi which took place on October 26, 1860.
Culture and Traditions
Spoken languages
In Teano the spoken language is Italian, while the local dialect is the Neapolitan one.
How to orient yourself
Teano: full screen map.From an urbanistic point of view, the city develops around the top of the hill which corresponds to the Arx of the ancient Teanum Sidicinum. The historic center, recognizable as it is still surrounded by the ancient medieval walls, still has the ancient Roman road system: a large central artery, corresponding to the current Corso Vittorio Emanuele, which runs through the entire center. On it there are various secondary streets that lead into the medieval village, full of alleys overlooked by historic houses from the sixteenth-eighteenth century built with numerous Roman reuses. Outside the walls, two large arteries, viale Italia and viale Europa, surround the hill. In the southern area, starting from Porta Napoli, there is a large straight line, also of Roman origin, which connects the city with the railway station area. The whole southern area of the city, largely still used as a countryside, is affected by the presence of archaeological remains of the ancient city of Teanum Sidicinum. The northern area, on the other hand, is of modern origin having developed after the Second World War.
How to get
By plane
The closest airport is Naples-Capodichino. The airport is about 55km from the city and can be reached by taking the A1 motorway to the Caianello tollbooth and then continuing towards Teano.
By car
The city can be reached via the A1 motorway by exiting at the Caianello (8 km) and Capua (14km) toll booths, then continuing towards Teano via the Appia or Casilina.
The nearest port is that of Naples, which is about seventy km from the city and can be reached via the motorway.
On the train
Teano is crossed by the Rome-Cassino-Naples railway line and the railway station is about 2km from the city center.
How to get around
The sights of the city are easily reachable on foot. As for the connection with the hamlets and the railway line, it is necessary to have your own means. The area is excellent for cyclists, who can visit the entire territory surrounded by the greenery of the Roccamonfina Regional Park, of which Teano is a part.
What see
The millenary history of Teano has allowed the construction and birth of countless sites of cultural and landscape interest, each with its own uniqueness.
- 1 Castle, From Piazza Vittoria to Piazza Umberto I. It is visible only on the outside. The first nucleus of the Teanese castle is the tower (donjon) still visible today in Piazza Vittoria, built in the Norman period together with the walls. Subsequent extensions and alterations have transformed the castle of teano into a large monumental complex of which some vestiges can still be seen today incorporated in the buildings of the post-medieval era.
- 2 [link not working]Archaeological Museum of Teanum Sidicinum, Via Nicola Gigli 23, ☎ 39 0823 657302, fax: 39 0823 658442.
Free entry. 
Wed-Mon 8: 30-19: 30. Built within the medieval complex of the Loggione, an ancient horseman of the city castle, the Museum exhibits artifacts found over the years during the various survey campaigns in the Sidicino area. The finds cover a chronological period that goes from the prehistoric age to the late antiquity. - 3 [link not working]Roman Theater of Teanum Sidicinum, Via Pioppeto, ☎ 39 0823 657302, fax: 39 0823 658442. Free entry. Mon-Sun 10:30 am until one hour before sunset. The Roman Theater of Teanum Sidicinum is the oldest known Roman theater in Italy. Built on arches, it has two construction phases: the oldest is part of the classic scheme of the Theater-Temple complex, the most recent, from the imperial era, has made the Theater of Teano one of the most impressive known in the world.
- 4 Archaeological area cd. "Macellum", Viale Ferrovia, free access. Free entry.
Free entry. 
Wed-Mon 8: 30-19: 30. Built within the medieval complex of the Loggione, an ancient horseman of the city castle, the Museum exhibits artifacts found over the years during the various survey campaigns in the Sidicino area. The finds cover a chronological period that goes from the prehistoric age to the late antiquity.- 5 Roman roads - Via Adriana. In the territory of Teano, paved sections of the ancient roads that connected the ancient city with the surrounding cities are still visible. The best preserved is undoubtedly the Via Adriana, located to the west of the city and which connected Teano with Sessa Aurunca. Other roads worth visiting are via Teanum-Allifae and Molara, the latter excellent for walking or cycling for a healthy walk surrounded by nature.
- 6 Roman domus, Borgo S. Antonio Abate. Free admission.
- Constantinian miliary, Via Pioppeto. Free admission.
- Cathedral, Piazza Duomo. Free admission. Mon-Sun. Built on the ancient tomb of San Paride, patron saint of Teano, the current church is the post-war reconstruction of the ancient Romanesque church that was erected here. Inside it is possible to admire numerous elements of Roman reuse, the sixteenth-century choir, the crucifix dating back to the fourteenth century and the Cosmatesque ambo. In the crypt it is possible to admire the original marbles that adorned the church over the centuries and numerous funerary epigraphs, including the first evidence of the presence of a strong Christian community in the Sidicino area. It is also possible to access a large Roman cistern, divided into three naves, reused by the first Christians for liturgical functions.
- 7 Basilica San Paride ad Fontem, SP112. Sun 10: 30-12: 00. The basilica stands on Roman remains that belonged to a sanctuary. Legend has it that in this very place San Paride defeated the dragon that threatened the inhabitants of Teano. The current church still has its original Romanesque structure and inside the apse there is still an eighteenth-century fresco depicting the Madonna with San Giovanni Battista and San Paride next to it. It is also possible to access the archaeological area below the church.
- Church of the Annunciation, Piazza Umberto I. Only during public events. Deconsecrated church. The Casa Santa dell'Annunziata originated in the 14th century as an institution of assistance to abandoned children and young mothers based on the model of the Santa Casa dell'Annunziata in Naples. The church, on the other hand, had an adverse fate: built at the beginning of the second millennium, in 1733 it collapsed following an earthquake and rebuilt in 1750. The baroque decorative apparatus, however, was swept away when, in 1943 the church was bombed and almost entirely destroyed. The majestic bell tower, symbol of the city of Teano, the external facade and part of the interior are still preserved from the original structure.
- Church of San Francesco, Town Hall Square. Fourteenth-century church with adjoining monastery, today Town Hall, with numerous renovations in the Baroque era, it is the only church in Teano that still retains the Baroque decoration with a gilded wooden ceiling with one hundred lacunars decorated with a series of painted roses with a rose window in the center carved. The panel in the center of the ceiling, built in modern times to replace the old one destroyed during the bombing of 1943, depicts popes Pius XII, John XXIII and the bishop of Teano Sperandeo.
- Church of Sant'Antonio Abate, Borgo Sant'Antonio Abate. Probably built in the late Gothic period, it has a single nave plan with an apse at the end. On the walls of the apse are still visible the frescoes which are part of a pictorial cycle depicting the life of the saint.
- Church of Sant'Agostino, Via Porta Roma. Closed to the public. Founded before 1390, it belonged to the PP. Dominicans. The Gothic church has a single-plan interior with numerous Baroque renovations that took place during the eighteenth century, while the facade still retains its Gothic appearance, with the entrance portal flanked by two lateral spiers with a central spire.
- Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, Via Nicola Gigli. Sun morning.
- Church of Santa Maria la Nova, Via Santa Maria la Nova. Mon-Sun. The origin of the church is shrouded in mystery: a legend tells that a painting of the Madonna della Quercia was found and was placed in a small chapel just outside the city walls. The devotion of the faithful towards this painting led to the construction of the church and the replacement of the painting with a new fresco. The architectural style is Romanesque and has a sixteenth-century portal, while the altar, coming from the cathedral, was saved from the destruction of the bombings of 1943.
- Church of Santa Maria Celestina, Victory Square. Closed to the public. We do not know the origin of the church, founded according to some scholars before the fourteenth century. However, the first mention dates back to 1510 in a notarial deed by Antonio De Latinis. The building has a unique plant with classical decorations on the facade and inside.
- Church of Santa Maria de Intus. One of the oldest monastic complexes in Thea, it was founded in 860 by Landone and the works ended in 887 with Landulfo. Destroyed by the Normans in 1063, it was rebuilt on a Greek plan in 1174 and consecrated with a papal bull of Alexander III. In 1743 it passed into the hands of the presbyters, who restored the church by now in ruins and remained in their possession until the order was abolished in 1868, hence the name “Cappelloni”. Passed into the hands of the nuns of N. Signora del Sacro Cuore, the church remained active until the mid-1900s and is now awaiting restoration. Closed to the public.
- Church of San Benedetto, Vico San Benedetto. The church and convent were built in the first half of the 9th century AD. from the Benedictine community that already existed in Teano from the 6th century AD. Thanks to its position close to the Porta Superiore or Silice (today Porta Roma) it also carried out a control function for access to the court area. It is here that the "Benedictine Rule" was transferred in 883, which was then destroyed in 891 following the fire of the church and monastery. From the architectural point of view it is a pre-Romanesque church, with three internal naves divided by columns with reused capitals. On the bottom there are three apses, of which the central one is closed by a wall. From the historical point of view, according to some scholars this church must have been one of the Palatine churches of the city, both for its strategic position and because the sources affirm that the Salerno prince Guaireiro, on his way to Montecassino, was buried in the Palatine church of Teano. dedicated to San Benedetto. Closed to the public.
- Church of San Pietro in Aquariis, Calata San Pietro. Only during events. Deconsecrated church. Named in this way because there were probably streams or fountains in the area, the church was mentioned for the first time in 1300. It has pointed arches on the facade, a rose window and a 17th century portal. With a single plan with an apse, the interior is rich in 17th century frescoes while traces of 15th century frescoes can be glimpsed in the intrados of the arch to the left of the entrance.
- Church of San Michele, Via Nicola Gigli. Originally dedicated to San Marco, the church has a modest appearance without any significant elements. There is no specific information on the date of construction of the structure, while the only historical information in our possession concerns the modest size of the parish and its transfer due to a strong internal humidity. The presence of the patronal altar dedicated to Saint Lucia, however, attest that the parish must have had a fair weight of masses. Closed to the public.
- Church of Santa Maria de Foris, Calata Santa Maria de Foris. In a state of ruin. Built around the 10th century, it is one of the oldest churches in the city. Founded by Athenulf and Hildegard, it was occupied by Benedictine nuns belonging to the noble caste. The monastery, corresponding to the current hospital complex, grew over time thanks to the numerous gifts received from noble families: in 1770 the majestic monumental fountain was erected which today, in a state of neglect, is visible inside the hospital complex and which in past it had to stand in the courtyard in front of the entrance to the monastery. In 1893 it passed into the hands of the Municipality of Teano which transformed the monastery into a hospital.
- Monastery and Church of Santa Caterina, Large Garden. Only during religious ceremonies. Consisting of numerous buildings that gradually expanded, it was founded in 1554 by the princess of Teano Clarice Orsini. Over the centuries, it welcomed nuns from modest social classes, however receiving important donations that have allowed the monastery to survive until today. The church still has the original Baroque decoration; at the entrance it is possible to see, on the left side of the door that allows access to the monastery, the wheel of exhibits and the grate for conversations with the cloistered nuns. Below the convent, in the western wing, an enormous Roman nymphaeum was found (late 1st century BC with restorations in the 3rd century AD) with a rectangular apse, decorated with pilasters and niches entirely covered with Tatars in Roccamonfina lava.
- Convent of Sant'Antonio da Padova, Hill of Sant'Antonio. Mon-Sun. The foundation of the convent took place in the first half of the fourteenth century AD. by the Franciscans Fra Martino da Campagna and Fra Nicola da Castellamare. According to tradition, the convent was founded at the instigation of San Bernardino da Siena, who lived there for some time. Immediately it received substantial donations from the Theanese noble families that allowed its expansion and construction of the church in a few years. The refectory and the fifteenth-century cloister, sculpted entirely in local gray tuff, adorned with columns with decorative plant and animal motifs and with relatives decorated with frescoes, belong to the period of the foundation. In 1718 the bell tower was built by the Zarone family, who had the opportunity to bury one of its exponents, Bishop Tommaso Zarone, in the center of the church nave. The French troops, in 1799, however, devastated and plundered the monastery, plundering it of all its possessions. Only in 1897 the monks managed to buy back the monastery to renovate it and bring it back to life. Inside the church it is possible to admire the patronal altars of some Theanese noble families, with relative burials. Of particular value is the sepulchral chapel of the D'Amato family, the walls of which feature a fresco depicting the Angel who offers greetings to Mary, the adoration of the Magi and, on the ceiling, God holding the globe.
- Monastery and Church of Santa Reparata, Via Santa Reparata. Only during religious ceremonies. The convent of Santa Reparata was founded around the 9th century AD. da Paga, daughter of the Duke of Benevento Sicone. Legend has it that the duke took his daughter to Scauri, near the relics of the saint, to heal her. Obtained the miracle, he stole the relics to take them to Benevento but once in Teano the cart carrying the remains of the saint sank into the stream of the pine forest and refused to move. The daughter Paga, then, attributing this episode to the divine will, pleaded for the saint's body to remain in Teano. Paga herself remained in the monastery to guard the saint's body. In 880, due to the Saracen presence, the relics were moved to the Cathedral for better protection. Despite everything, the Benedictines continued to live in the convent until 1559, when they were replaced by the Capuchin Friars. In 1879 it was entrusted to the Redemptorist Fathers and in 1909 the relics of Santa Reparata returned to the church. Today the convent is managed by a group of Liguorini fathers. The church, which has a single nave, houses two frescoes in the presbytery area, one depicting the martyrdom of Santa Reparata and the other the legend of the chariot sunk in the stream. Below the alteral chapel of the church there is a putridarium.
Events and parties
- Guided tours every first Sunday of the month. First Sunday of the month. Guided tours by the "Teano in Movimento" Association.
- Chocolatean. Second weekend of October. Organized by the "Pro Loco Teanum Sidicinum".
- Feast of St. Anthony of Padua. Between 11 and 14 June. Characteristic of this festival is the trade fair where products of different types are sold and space is given to the stands of local associations for the promotion of the territory.
- Pig Festival in Cappelle di Teano. In the week of Ferragosto.
- Carnival in Fontanelle di Teano. The attraction of the folkloristic event is the representation of the Months of the Year riding donkeys.
- Monday in Albis. On Monday in Albis, on the shrine of Cappelle, the Madonna delle Grazie is celebrated with the meeting of the 3 Madonnas of Chapels, San Giuliano and Fontanelle.
- Teano Jazz. In July.
- White Night of Campania wines. In August.
What to do
Shopping
How to have fun
Where to eat
The agricultural nature of the city has allowed the creation of unique local products of their kind. Local products include a particular type of cheese, called “Caso di Marzo” (in Italian Cacio Fiore), made with sheep's milk and rennet with thistle flower. The procedure for making this cheese is particular: exposed to night dew, it is then sprinkled with a particular thyme called “Pimpinella” (Nepitella or Mentuccia in Italian) and is ready in March.
