Terni

Located in southeastern Umbria, Terni is spread over a large plain at the confluence of the Serra and Nera rivers, surrounded by a natural amphitheater of hills.
In the latter half of the 19th century Terni was one of the first cities in Italy to take part in the industrial revolution, and thanks to the enormous amount of power provided by Marmore Falls, it earned the nickname of "Manchester of Italy".

HISTORY
Terni's origins are very ancient, and the area became an important Roman municipium called "Interamna Nahartium" ("land between two rivers," the Nera and the Serra), as can be seen from the remains of the Fausto Amphitheater: it was also the birthplace of the emperor Marcus Claudius Tacitus and the historian Cornelius Tacitus. It enjoyed a period of peace and prosperity under the Romans, who drained large sections of marshland and greatly developed agriculture in the area. Christianity was brought to Terni by its bishop and patron saint, Valentine; in the 6th century it was attacked and destroyed by the Goths and the Byzantines, followed by the Lombards (755 AD), who added Terni to the Duchy of Spoleto. In 1159 it was subjugated and destroyed by Frederick Barbarossa and rebuilt soon after. It came within the orbit of the papacy and the empire several times, and after centuries of struggles between factions and wars with nearby cities and outside seigniories, in 1420 it became part of the Papal States, under the rule of which it remained (except for the Napoleonic period) until 1860.

ART, CULTURE, ENVIRONMENT
The city's layout and architectural style is mainly modern and dynamic, mostly the result of reconstruction in the 1950s following the heavy bombing it suffered in World War II.
Today Terni shows visitors a decidedly modern face, although many traces of the past can still be seen, such as the ruins of the Fausto Amphitheater, a classic Roman circus where theater performances were held. Sections of its walls are still visible.
Religious buildings of interest include, among others, the Church of San Francesco (13th-century), with a fine bell tower by Angelo da Orvieto, Gothic mullioned windows, and the beautiful Paradisi Chapel; the Cathedral, originally erected in the 6th century and rebuilt in the 17th century to a design by Bernini; the old Church of Sant'Alò, a small Romanesque jewel; San Salvatore, probably built over a previous Roman temple of the sun; San Lorenzo, and the Church of San Pietro, with an interesting apse and cloister.
There are many excellent palazzi, such as Palazzo Spada, the town hall, built in the mid-1550s by Count Michelangelo Spada to a plan by Antonio Sangallo the Younger; the medieval Palazzo Mazzancolli, home of the Terni State Archives; the 18th-century Palazzo Gazzoli, which houses the Orneore Metelli Municipal Picture Gallery (with valuable works such as the Franciscan altarpiece by Piermatteo d'Amelia) and the Aurelio De Felice Museum; Palazzo Morelli (16th century); and Palazzo Bianchini-Riccardi (16th century).

The industrial archeology sites and monuments provide an occasion for an unusual and interesting visit among abandoned factories and plants that are now undergoing extensive restoration. Of interest in particular are the Great Maul, a giant hydraulic press used for working steel and now standing in front of the train station, and the Papigno plant, which has been converted into film studios.
Terni is also interesting for its modern art and architecture: Piazza Tacito with its magnificent fountain, Corso del Popolo and Largo Villa Glori were all designed by the architects Mario Ridolfi and Mario Fagiolo, and the sculptor Arnaldo Pomodoro created Lance of Light, a gigantic, triangular-based obelisk made from 105 tons of steel.
One building definitely worthy of a visit in Terni is the Basilica of San Valentino, which holds the body of St. Valentine, the bishop of Terni who was martyred in the 3rd century AD, the patron saint of lovers
Saint Valentine, Terni's first Bishop, died in 273 on the orders of the Roman prefect Placidus Furius during the persecutions ordered by the emperor Aurelius.

The history and the legend
His life, given to the apostolate and enobled by his matyrdom, induced the citizens of Terni in 1644 to proclaim him the Patron Saint of the City and patron saint of lovers. But the fame which Saint Valentine all over the world is due to the legend which originated in the anglo-saxon countries, that he used to make the present of a flower from his own garden to his young visitors. Two of these young people fell in love; and this love risulted in a union so happy that many other couples followed their example, to such a point that the Saint was induced to dedicate one day of the year to a general benediction of the state of matrimony. The present Basilica was built in 1605 on the ruins of precedent temples, and contains works of art of a certain interest, in particular in the crypt.

Saint Valentine's day tradition
Every year in the February month Terni celebrates Saint Valentine, the patron saint of town, with a series of cultural and religious meetings.

Essential stops nearby are the impressive Marmore Waterfalls, which, with falls totalling 165 meters in height, are the highest waterfalls of Europe, are to be found.
Taking the State Road "Valnerina" from Terni, you'll reach the very famous Marmore Waterfalls after only 7 km.
This is definitely an absolute must for whoever decides to visit Umbria. The Waterfalls, which are immersed in a natural scenery of incomparable beauty, are an artificial work due to the Romans. In fact, at that time, the Velino river was greatly enlarged and had created a vast zone of stagnant waters, swampy and unhealthy. Aiming to make these waters deflow, the consul Curius Dentatus had a canal dug which directed them in direction of the Marmore cliff. From there, he had them precipitate, in a total fall of 165 meters, into the river-bed of the Nera river which runs along below. In every age, the beauty of the Waterfalls has inspired poets and artists, among these: Virgilius, Cicero, G. Byron, and many others.

Piediluco Lake, lying amid ilex-covered hills at the border with Lazio, is an ideal place for sailing, canoeing and water-skiing enthusiasts. A typical fishermen's village of colorful houses stretches out along its shore, and rising out of the lake is a conical mountain known as the Montagna dell'Eco (Echo Mountain) because of the incredible sentence-long echoes that can be heard there. The Recentino and San Liberatore wetlands are small oases frequented by flocks of migratory birds, an ideal ecosystem for flora and fauna.

Worthy of a visit in the immediate vicinity is the Carsulae archeological area, site of a Roman municipium along the ancient Flaminian Way. Excavations and research have made it possible to uncover a large part of the Forum, with the remains of a basilica and two twin temples, the Theater and Amphitheater and the superb Arch of San Damiano, beyond which are interesting burial monuments. The handsome medieval Church of San Damiano, built from materials taken from the ruins, stands next to the forum

TO SEE
Palazzo Spada
Lake Piediluco
Marmore Falls

EVENTS
Valentinian Events (February-March)
Cantamaggio (April-May)
Water Festival - Lake Piediluco (June)
Terni in Jazz (June)
Villalago Makes Music Festival - Villalago di Piediluco (July)

TYPICAL PRODUCTS
Pampepato (typical Christmas sweet)
Typical bread of Terni