Teramo is a city in the central Italian region of Abruzzo, the capital of the province of Teramo.
The town is situated near the confluence of the Vezzola and Tordino rivers and is a very old city, founded in pre-Roman times, though the general aspect is more recent due to many 19th- and 20th century buildings. For a long period of time, Teramo was a border place between the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the Papal States, and therefore acquired a distinct identity. Largely because of the difficulty with communications to the other parts of Italy, it also remained fairly isolated. The completion of the Gran Sasso tunnel allowed Teramo to increasingly move away from this isolation.
The economy of the town is mostly based on activities connected with agriculture and commerce, as well as a sound industrial sector: textiles, foods, engineering, building materials and ceramics. Teramo can easily be reached from the A14 autostrada or, in about two hours by car from Rome via the A24 autostrada.
Interamna was the name of several cities in different parts of Italy. Its obvious etymology, already pointed out by Varro and Festus, indicates their position at the confluence of two streams. The form Interamnium, and the ethnic form Interamnis, are also found, but more rarely. The name referred to the two rivers Vezzola and Tordino, between which it lies.
The name is already corrupted in extant manuscripts of the Liber Coloniarum into Teramne, whence its modern form of Teramo. But in the middle ages it appears to have been known also by the name of Aprutium, supposed to be a corruption of Praetutium, or rather of the name of the people Praetutii, applied to their chief city. Thus we find the name of Abrutium among the cities of Picenum enumerated by the Geographer of Ravenna and under the Lombards we find mention of a comes Aprutii. The name has been retained in that of Abruzzo, now a region of Italy.
Interamna was founded by the Praetutii (who according to some ancient legends were possibly connected to the Phoenicians, although most scholars consider them related to another nearby Italic tribe, the Piceni) as their capital. The name is omitted by Pliny, but is found in Ptolemy, who distinctly assigns it to the Praetutii; and it is mentioned also in the Liber Coloniarum among the Civitates Piceni (cities of Picenum). It there bears the epithet of "Palestina" or, as the name is elsewhere written, "Paletina"; the origin and meaning of which are wholly unknown but may be related to legendary associations between the Praetutii and the Phoenicians. Teramo was conquered by consul Manius Curius Dentatus in 290 BCE, and made a Municipium. During the Social War it sided against Sulla, who deprived it of its municipium status. This was restored by Julius Caesar. Vestiges of the ancient theatre, of baths and other buildings of Roman date, as well as statues, altars, and other ancient remains, have been discovered in Teramo. Numerous inscriptions have been also found, in one of which the citizens are designated as Interamnites Praetutiani.
The city rapidly declined after the fall of the Western Empire. Following Goth and Byzantine domination it became part of the territories of the Lombard Duchy of Spoleto. In 1156 it was put on fire by Norman Count Robert of Loretello and then rebuilt thanks to Bishop Guido II. In the 14th- and 15th centuries it was plagued by feuds between local families which finally ended under the Aragonese dominion. After that it shared the fortunes of the Kingdom of Naples – under which it was the capital of the province of Abruzzo Ulteriore – until in 1860 it was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy.
During World War II the people of Teramo rebelled against the German occupation. This deed earned the province of Teramo the Gold Medal for Civil Valour, assigned by Carlo Azeglio Ciampi on September 15, 2005. The town was liberated from forces of the Nazis and fascists of Salò on June 14, 1944.
The main monuments of the city include the majestic Cathedral of San Berardo, the Romanesque church of Sant'Antonio, the church of San Getulio, the church of San Domenico, the sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie, the Palazzo Vescovile, and the remains of the Roman theatre. The region of Teramo also houses an important astronomical observatory.
The summer calendar of events is very rich, with the Teramo Literary Prize and the Interamnia Handball Cup, an international event with athletes coming from all over the world. A week in October is also dedicated to an important international photography of film show.
Casale - Italy Self Catering Villa