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Porto Torres | |
---|---|
Città di Porto Torres | |
Coordinates: 40°50′N8°24′E / 40.833°N 8.400°E | |
Country | Italy |
Region | Sardinia |
Province | Sassari (SS) |
Founded | 46 b.C (Roman settlement) 11 June 1842 (comune) |
Frazioni | Li Lioni, Asinara, Fiume Santo, Platamona |
Government | |
• Mayor | Massimo Mulas |
Area | |
• Total | 104.41 km2 (40.31 sq mi) |
Elevation | 17.00 m (55.77 ft) |
Population (31 January 2020) [2] | |
• Total | 22,134 |
• Density | 210/km2 (550/sq mi) |
Demonym(s) | Turritani, Bainzini or Portotorresi |
Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Postal code | 07046 |
Dialing code | 079 |
ISTAT code | 090058 |
Patron saint | St. Gavinus, St. Proto, St. Gianuario |
Saint day | 30 May |
Website | Official website |
Porto Torres (Sassarese : Posthudorra; Sardinian : Portu Turre) is a comune (municipality) and a city of the Province of Sassari in north-west of Sardinia, Italy. Founded during the 1st century BC as Colonia Iulia Turris Libisonis, it was the first Roman colony of the entire island. It is situated on the coast at about 25 kilometres (16 mi) east of Falcone Cape and in the center of the Gulf of Asinara. The port of Porto Torres is the second biggest seaport of the island, followed by the port of Olbia. The town is very close to the main city of Sassari, where the local university takes office.
Historically the settlement was founded with the Latin name "Colonia Iulia Turris Libisonis", composed with Colonia (name of the Roman settlements) Iulia (name of the Julia gens) Turris (litt. "tower", referred probably to a nuraghe built not so far from the town or to the Monte d'Accoddi) and Libisonis (referred to Libya, probably because in the same are there was a Phoenician trading outpost. "Libya" is the ancient name of the entire northern coast of Africa). [3] After the fall of the Western Roman Empire the town was known simply as "Turris". During the Middle Ages during the Judicate of Logudoro the name was corrupted with "Torres" and after, during the Aragonese period, the town was known simply with the Catalan name of "Lo Port" (The port). During the Savoy reign it was known with the name of Portotorre (Porto+Torre; "Towerport").
Until the 1960s the town was commonly known as "Portotorres", and only after the official recognition of the status of city the name has officially changed in Porto Torres. [4]
In the frazione of Fiume Santo in 1994 has been find a lot of animal fossils presumably dated at the Miocene. Some 8/9 million years old rests of Oreopithecus bambolii has been find in the same area. The discovering has started casually thanks to some hobbyist paleontologists that have noticed after some maintenance works in the near thermal power station the presence of some fossils in the excavation debris. In the area has been individuated 15 vertebrate species like giraffes, crocodiles, turtles, suidae and Mustelidae. Most of these animals like the Umbrotherium azzarolii were herbivorous, but some others like the Indarctos anthracitis were omnivores. [5]
Ancient human presence in the municipal territory of Porto Torres is certified thanks to many necropolis in the area. The altar of Monte d'Accoddi (very near to the town but in the municipality of Sassari) witness the human presence in that area during this ages.
Finds dated at this ages has been find in the Necropolis of Su Crucifissu Mannu. In this necropolis has been find two skulls with the presence of some sort of surgical procedure probably practiced to heal issues like migraines and tumors. Another theory is that this surgical procedure has been practiced for religious and/or magical purposes. Many nuraghes belong to this ages, and nowadays only 7 of these structures are in a well state of preservation. The Domus de Janas of Andreolu also witness the presence of the Nuragic civilization.
In ancient times, Turris Libisonis was one of the most considerable cities in Sardinia. [6] It was probably of purely Roman origin, founded apparently by Julius Caesar, as it bore the title Colonia Julia. [7] Pliny described it as a colony, the only on the island in his time, suggesting that there was previously no town on the spot, but merely a fort or castellum. It is noticed also by Ptolemy and in the Itineraries, but without any indication that it was a place of any importance. [6] The ancient remains still existing prove that it must have been a considerable town under the Roman Empire. According to inscriptions on ancient milestones, the principal road through the island ran directly from Caralis (Cagliari) to Turris, a sufficient proof that the latter was a place much frequented. [6] Indeed, two roads, which diverged at Othoca (modern Santa Giusta) connected Caralis to Turris, the more important keeping inland and the other following the west coast. [7] It was also an episcopal see during the early part of the Middle Ages. [6] There exists also the remains of a temple (which, as we learn from an inscription, was dedicated to Fortune, and restored in the reign of Philip between 247 and 249), of thermae , of a basilica and an aqueduct, as well as a bridge over the adjoining small river, still called the Fiume Turritano.
The ancient city continued to be inhabited till the 11th century, when most of the population migrated to Sassari, about 15 kilometres (9 mi) inland, and on a hill. [6] It was partly under Genoese hands until the early 15th century, when it was conquered by the Aragonese. After a period of Spanish rule, it became part of the Kingdom of Sardinia.
Torres was separated from the Commune of Sassari in 1842. At the time, the area which had been built around the basilica of Saint Gavino joined the fishermen's community near the port to form the new Porto Torres. On 10 May 1942, Benito Mussolini visited the town. [8] On Palm Sunday, 18 April 1943, the city was bombed by the Allies. [9]
Porto Torres is on the north-west coast of Sardinia.
The area of the municipality is almost 10,200 hectares and is subdivided into two parts, almost equal in size. One part includes the city, the industrial area, and the Roman ruins; the other consists of two islands, Asinara and the smaller Isola Piana. Since 1997, this part of the municipality is the Asinara National Park.
The morphology of "city part" is flat; the area of Porto Torres and the rest of north-west Sardinia is characterized by a Nurra plain, with some hill formations in the middle of it. Part of this hill formation is in the municipality of Porto Torres, the highest elevation being Monte Alvaro, rising to a height of 342 m above sea level.
The communal territory is crossed by two rivers, Rio Mannu and Fiume Santo. The first flows along the edge of Porto Torres to the west, while the second runs near the city and was used as a navigable river as early as the days of ancient Rome.
Climate data for Porto Torres (1981-2010) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 13.6 (56.5) | 14.0 (57.2) | 16.2 (61.2) | 18.5 (65.3) | 23.1 (73.6) | 27.2 (81.0) | 30.3 (86.5) | 30.8 (87.4) | 26.8 (80.2) | 22.8 (73.0) | 17.7 (63.9) | 14.2 (57.6) | 21.3 (70.3) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 5.1 (41.2) | 5.0 (41.0) | 6.7 (44.1) | 8.4 (47.1) | 12.0 (53.6) | 16.0 (60.8) | 18.7 (65.7) | 19.5 (67.1) | 16.5 (61.7) | 13.2 (55.8) | 9.5 (49.1) | 6.7 (44.1) | 11.4 (52.5) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 44.5 (1.75) | 37.3 (1.47) | 41.8 (1.65) | 47.6 (1.87) | 33.3 (1.31) | 13.6 (0.54) | 3.3 (0.13) | 9.8 (0.39) | 42.6 (1.68) | 82.9 (3.26) | 89.4 (3.52) | 65.9 (2.59) | 511.9 (20.15) |
Source: Climatologia della Sardegna per il trentennio 1981-2010 |
Until the 1960s, the town was considered to be more or less like a large village. After that, thanks to industrialization, the population increased rapidly until the 1980s, when the local petrochemical industry managed by the "SIR – Società Italiana Resine" owned by Angelo Rovelli entered into a deep financial crisis. [10]
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1861 | 2,025 | — |
1871 | 2,248 | +11.0% |
1881 | 3,228 | +43.6% |
1901 | 4,225 | +30.9% |
1911 | 5,154 | +22.0% |
1921 | 5,792 | +12.4% |
1931 | 7,116 | +22.9% |
1941 | 7,311 | +2.7% |
1951 | 9,118 | +24.7% |
1961 | 11,199 | +22.8% |
1971 | 16,230 | +44.9% |
1981 | 21,990 | +35.5% |
1991 | 21,264 | −3.3% |
2001 | 21,064 | −0.9% |
2011 | 22,391 | +6.3% |
Source: ISTAT |
In Porto Torres in 2019 there were 599 foreign residents, many of them from Africa and eastern Europe. The main nationalities recorded were: [11]
Starting in 2008, tourism has become a very important activity for the economy of the city. The town have several attractions, both natural and anthropic. The main attraction is the Asinara National Park. The Aragonese seaport tower is considered the symbol of the city and because of this it is one of the main tourist attractions. Other main attractions are the Roman bridge of Riu Mannu and the Basilica of Saint Gavinus. Due to the decline of the industrial sector, the tourist sector has started to become the leading sector of the local economy (despite the local industrial zone, that importance for the city remains high).
Chemical industries support the modern economy of Porto Torres. Fiume Santo, a 1,040 MW power station owned by E.ON, is 5 to 10 kilometres (3 to 6 mi) west from the city, in the municipality of Sassari. [12]
Plans related to industrial conversion are in progress in Porto Torres, where seven research centers are developing the transformation from traditional fossil fuel related industry to an integrated production chain from vegetable oil using oleaginous seeds to bioplastics. [13]
Fishing and farming activities are also practiced around the land.
In charge | Name | Political alliance | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
20 July 1988 24 June 1990 | Rodolfo Cermelli | Christian Democracy | Mayor | [14] |
27 July 1990 28 June 1993 | Giacomo Rum | Italian Socialist Party | Mayor | [14] |
28 June 1993 12 May 1997 | Alfredo Dessì | PRC, Democratic Party of the Left, PSd'Az | Mayor | [14] |
12 May 1997 28 May 2001 | Eugenio Cossu | PRC, Democratic Party of the Left, FdV | Mayor | [14] |
28 May 2001 1 February 2005 | Gilda Usai Cermelli | FI, AN, civic list, CCD, CDU | Mayor | [14] |
23 May 2005 15 June 2010 | Luciano Mura | Democrats of the Left, PSd'Az, DL, Italian Democratic Socialists, PCI, PRC | Mayor | [14] |
15 June 2010 10 February 2015 | Beniamino Luigi Scarpa | Many civic lists, IDV | Mayor | [14] |
18 June 2015 9 November 2020 | Sean Christian Wheeler | Five Star Movement | Mayor | [14] |
9 November 2020 in charge | Massimo Mulas | Progetto Turritano, PD, Italy in Common | Mayor | [14] |
Country | City | Date | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Camposano | 2016 | [15] |
At the end of August it took place the festival called "Suoni & Sapori", a festival that put together the tasting of local food and the listening of music composed by local artists. [16] "La giornata dello sport" is an annual local festival that promote the sport activity for both children and adults. [17] The "Festival Internazionale di Musiche Polifoniche Voci d’Europa" organized by the local polyphonic choir is an annual music festival of the town. [18] The "Fisherman's regatta" is a competition where the fishermen try to fishing using only traditional early 20th-century equipment like rowing boats without any use of modern tools like the GPS tracker. [19]
In the Porto Torres's comprehensive planning there are many civil buildings both of private propriety and owned by the comune that are considered historically significant. [4] These buildings witness the urban and the economic development of the city through the centuries until the 1960s; period of the local golden age of the industrial development thanks to the Italian economic miracle. Many of these architectures, especially the industrial ones, are not fully restored and visitable.
Main football clubs:
Main association:
Main associations:
There are many boxing clubs and martial arts schools. Sports like Karate shotokan, MMA, Boxing, Jujitsu, Krav-Maga and Self-defense are very appreciated and practiced by some part of the citizens.
Main association:
Right below the ancient Roman bridge Porto Torres has a riding hall where the local A.S.D. Centro Ippico Equitazione Porto Torres practice horse riding [43] .
Road | Connection | Type | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Strada Statale 131 "Carlo Felice" | Porto Torres – Cagliari | [48] | |
Strada provinciale 93 | Porto Torres – La Corte (SS) | [48] | |
Strada Provinciale 81 | Porto Torres – Platamona | [48] | |
Strada Provinciale 57 | Porto Torres – Palmadula (SS) | [48] | |
Strada Provinciale 42 "Dei due mari" | Porto Torres – Alghero | [48] | |
Strada Provinciale 34 | Porto Torres – Stintino | [48] | |
Strada Provinciale 25 | Porto Torres – Sorso | [48] |
A railway operated by Trenitalia connects the town with Sassari and the rest of the island. The town has two train stations, one built at the end of the 20th century (considered as the main station) and one smaller and more historical built during the 19th century (referred as "Porto Torres marittima").
The existing port of Porto Torres, which is almost wholly artificial, is based in great part on Roman foundations. In the north-west of Sardinia, the harbor of Porto Torres is the biggest. [49] The city has connections with the rest of the Italy, of Spain and France. Not so far from the harbor there is the Maritime Terminal (Stazione marittima). In the same area there is built the new passenger terminal (Terminal passeggeri; the building is still under construction). From the seaport there is also available a connection for the island of Asinara.
Company | Route | Frequency | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tirrenia Grandi Navi Veloci | Genoa | Daily (winter) / Double-daily (summer) [with Tirrenia] Three times at week [with G.N.V.] | [50] | |
| Corsica Ferries - Sardinia Ferries | Ajaccio Porto Vecchio Livorno Toulon | Weekly | [50] | |
Grimaldi Lines | Civitavecchia | Five times at week | [50] | ||
Barcelona | Five times at week | [50] | |||
La Méridionale | Marsiglia | weekly | [50] | ||
Propriano | weekly | [50] | |||
Delcomar | Asinara | Daily (Summer and Spring) Three times at week (Winter and Autumn) | [51] |
Porto Torres is part of the metropolitan network of north Sardinia (Italian "Rete metropolitana del nord Sardegna"). Due to this, the city is well-connected with nearly all towns via intercity autobus provided by ARST. Local rides are managed by the local public transport agency (A.t.p. Sassari).
The town has many state secondary schools and several state primary schools within it. [52] [53] In the urban area there is also a music school named in memory of the Italian songwriter Fabrizio De André. [54]
Being near the city of Sassari and thanks to the intercity lines managed by ARST, travel to the University of Sassari is very easy. [55]
The "Antonio Pigliaru" public library is the only one in the town.
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, and one of the twenty regions of Italy. It is located west of the Italian Peninsula, north of Tunisia and 16.45 km south of the French island of Corsica.
Gavinus is a Christian saint who is greatly celebrated in Sardinia, Italy, as one of the Martyrs of Torres, along with his companions Protus, a bishop, and Januarius, a deacon.
Sassari is an Italian city and the second-largest of Sardinia in terms of population with 127,525 inhabitants, and a Functional Urban Area of about 260,000 inhabitants. One of the oldest cities on the island, it contains a considerable collection of art.
Alghero is a city of about 45,000 inhabitants in the Italian province of Sassari in the north west of the island of Sardinia, next to the Mediterranean Sea. The city's name comes from Aleguerium, which is a mediaeval Latin word meaning "stagnation of algae".
Sassarese is an Italo-Dalmatian language and transitional variety between Sardinian and Corsican. It is regarded as a Corso–Sardinian language because of Sassari's historic ties with Tuscany and geographical proximity to Corsica. Despite the robust Sardinian influences, it still keeps its Corsican roots, which closely relate it to Gallurese; the latter is linguistically considered a Corsican dialect despite its geographical location, although this claim is a matter of controversy. It has several similarities to the Italian language, and in particular to the old Italian dialects from Tuscany.
The province of Sassari is a province in the autonomous island region of Sardinia, Italy. Its capital is the city of Sassari. As of 2017, the province had a population of 493,357 inhabitants.
Asinara is an Italian island of 52 km2 (20 sq mi) in area. The name is Italian for "donkey-inhabited", but it is thought to derive from the Latin "sinuaria", and meaning sinus-shaped. The island is virtually uninhabited. The census of population of 2001 lists one man. The island is located off the north-western tip of Sardinia, and is mountainous in geography with steep, rocky coasts. Because fresh water is scarce, trees are sparse and low scrub is the predominant vegetation. Part of the national parks system of Italy, the island was recently converted to a wildlife and marine preserve. It is home to a population of wild albino donkeys from which the island may take its name.
Castelsardo is a town and comune in Sardinia, Italy, located in the northwest of the island within the Province of Sassari, at the east end of the Gulf of Asinara. It is one of I Borghi più belli d'Italia.
Stintino is a coastal comune (municipality) in the Province of Sassari in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 200 kilometres (120 mi) north of Cagliari and about 35 kilometres (22 mi) northwest of Sassari.
Pabillonis, Pabillonis in the Sardinian language, is a comune (municipality) in the Province of South Sardinia in the Italian region Sardinia, about 50 kilometres (31 mi) northwest of Cagliari and about 15 kilometres (9 mi) west of Sanluri.
The Nurra is a geographical region in the northwest of Sardinia, Italy. It is the second-largest plain of the island, located between the towns of Sassari, Porto Torres and Alghero. It covers a surface of 700 km2 and is bounded by the Sardinian Sea on the west and by the Gulf of Asinara on the north.
The Nuragic civilization, also known as the Nuragic culture, formed in the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, Italy in the Bronze Age. According to the traditional theory put forward by Giovanni Lilliu in 1966, it developed after multiple migrations from the West of people related to the Beaker culture who conquered and disrupted the local Copper Age cultures; other scholars instead hypothesize an autochthonous origin. It lasted from the 18th century BC, or from the 23rd century BC, up to the Roman colonization in 238 BC. Others date the culture as lasting at least until the 2nd century AD, and in some areas, namely the Barbagia, to the 6th century AD, or possibly even to the 11th century AD. Although it must be remarked that the construction of new nuraghi had already stopped by the 12th-11th century BC, during the Final Bronze Age.
The Gulf of Asinara is a sea sector included between the Asinara Island, Cape Falcone and the town of Castelsardo, in northern Sardinia, Italy. The communes facing its coast include also Stintino, Porto Torres, Sassari, Sorso, Valledoria and Badesi.
The Basilica di San Gavino is a proto-Romanesque church in Porto Torres, Sardinia, Italy. A former cathedral, it is now a place for the veneration of local martyrs and a parish church.
Associazione Calcio Porto Torres is an Italian association football club located in Porto Torres, Sardinia. The club currently plays regional football in the second division of Sardinia's Promozione, the 6th tier of Italian football. His home ground is the town's municipal stadium located in the "Cittadella dello sport" area. The A.C. Porto Torres is the main football club of the town.
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and an autonomous region of Italy. Tourism in Sardinia is one of the fastest growing sectors of the regional economy. The island attracts more than a million tourists from both Italy, from the rest of Europe, and, to a lesser degree, from the rest of the world. According to statistics, tourist arrivals in 2016 were 2.9 million people.
Duke of Vallombrosa was a title created for the House of Manca. The present holder is disputed.
Architecture of Sardinia has developed since 4000 B.C., presenting characteristic aspects in certain historical periods, especially in the Nuragic age.
The Cammino 100 Torri is a multi-day trekking route that begins and ends in Cagliari (Sardinia). The path is named after the 105 historical coastal towers along the route.