| Melfi | |||
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| — Comune — | |||
| Comune di Melfi | |||
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  Melfi
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| Coordinates: 41°00′N 15°39′E / 41°N 15.65°E | |||
| Country | Italy | ||
| Region | Basilicata | ||
| Province | Potenza (PZ) | ||
| Frazioni | Capannola, Foggianello, Foggiano, Leonessa, Parasacco, S. Giorgio, S. Nicola | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Alfonso Ernesto Navazio | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 205 km2 (79.2 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 532 m (1,745 ft) | ||
| Population (April 2009) | |||
| - Total | 17,397 | ||
| - Density | 84.9/km2 (219.8/sq mi) | ||
| - Demonym | Melfitani | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| Postal code | 85025 | ||
| Dialing code | 0972 | ||
| Patron saint | St. Alexander | ||
| Saint day | February 9 | ||
| Website | Official website | ||
Melfi is a town and comune in the Vulture area of the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata.
On a hill at the foot of Mount Vulture, Melfi is the most important town in Basilicata's Vulture, both as a tourist resort and economic centre.
Inhabited by the Daunians and Lucanians, under the Romans it was included in the area of the colony of Venusia, founded in 291 BC. After the fall of Western Roman Empire, Melfi gained importance in the Middle Ages as a strategic point between areas controlled by the Byzantines and those controlled by the Lombards. Melfi was captured several times by the struggling powers of the region, until it was assigned to the Norman leader William I of Hauteville. The Hauteville family started from here their conquest of southern Italy, which, in the early 12th century, led to the creation of the Kingdom of Sicily.
In 1059 Melfi became the capital of the Duchy of Apulia. Papal counciles were held in the city in the same year and in 1109.
In 1231, Emperor Frederick II proclaimed the Constitutions of Melfi (or Constitutiones Augustales) here, reinforcing control over his ever-expanding territory. He created a bureaucracy of paid officials, who among other things imposed a tax system on the local feudal rulers, who resented it but could not resist.
Later, the town shared the fate of the entire Kingdom of Naples, falling into a long period of decline, and suffering from a number of earthquakes.
The town enjoyed a revival of sorts from the beginning of the 19th century, and recently has gained additional prosperity when the Italian auto firm, FIAT, built a factory here.
The town winds along the Norman walls, with various gates, the most noteworthy being the Venosina gate (dating to the early 13th century), an ogival arch with two cylindrical towers on either side.
Main attractions include:
Melfi is a city in Basilicata, Italy.
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MELFI, a city and episcopal see of Basilicata, Italy, in the province of Potenza, 30 m. by rail N. of the town of that name. Melfi is picturesquely situated on the lower slopes of Monte Vulture, 1J91 ft. above sea-level. Pop. (1901), 14,547. The castle was originally erected by Robert Guiscard, but as it now stands it is mainly the work of the Doria family, who have possessed it since the time of Charles V.; and the noble cathedral which was founded in 1153 by Robert's son and successor, Roger, has had a modern restoration (though it retains its campaniles) in consequence of the earthquake of 1851, when the town was ruined, over one thousand of the inhabitants perishing. It is the centre of an agricultural district which produces oil and wine. In the town ha1l J is a fine Roman sarcophagus found 6. m. W. of Venosa.
Melfi does not seem to occupy an ancient site, and its origin is uncertain. By the Normans it was made the capital of Apulia in 1041, and fortified. The council held by Nicholas I. in 1059, that of Urban II. in 1089, the rebellion against Roger in 1133 and the subsequent punishment, the plunder of the town by Barbarossa in 1167, the attack by Richard, count of Acerra in 1190, and the parliament of 1223, in which Frederick II. established the constitution of the kingdom of Naples, form the principal points of interest in the annals of Melfi. In 1348 Joanna I. of Naples bestowed the city on Niccolo Acciajuoli; but it was shortly afterwards captured, after a six months' siege, by the king of Hungary, who transferred it to Conrad the Wolf. In 1392 Goffredo Marzano was made count of Melfi; but Joanna II. granted the lordship to the Caracciolo family, and they retained it for one hundred and seven years till the time of Charles V. An obstinate resistance was offered by the city to Lautrec de Foix in 1528; and his entrance within its walls was followed by the massacre, it is said, of 18,000 of its citizens.
See G. de Lorenzo, Venosa e la regione del Vulture (Bergamo, 1906).
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Categories: MEG-MEN | Southern Italy
   | Official site - Comune della Città di Melfi - Sito ufficiale |
| | ItalianVisits.com - ItalianVisits.com - Welcome to Melfi - Region of Basilicata |
| | National archeological museum - Melfi - DGBA - Museo Archeologico Nazionale del Melfese |
| | Sagra della Castagna - Sagra della Varola - APT Basilicata: Sagra della Varola |
| | A.S. Melfi calcio - serie C2 - :: A.S.MELFI.it :: |
| | APT Basilicata - Melfi touristical information - APT Basilicata: Melfi |
| | 2003 data istat.it - Demo-Geodemo. - Mappe, Popolazione, Statistiche Demografiche dell'ISTAT |
| | Crypht of Santa Margherita - APT Basilicata: Crypth of S. Margherita |
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