Orte
Orte | |
|---|---|
| Comune di Orte | |
 Coat of arms | |
Location of Orte  | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Lazio |
| Province | Viterbo (VT) |
| Frazioni | Orte Scalo |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Dino Primieri |
| Area | |
• Total | 70.16 km2 (27.09 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 132 m (433 ft) |
| Population (31 December 2006)[2] | |
• Total | 8,364 |
| • Density | 120/km2 (310/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Ortani |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 01028 |
| Dialing code | 0761 |
| Patron saint | St. Giles Abbot |
| Saint day | September 1 |
| Website | Official website |
Orte is a comune (municipality) in the province of Viterbo, in the Italian region Latium Lazio, located about 60 km north of Rome and about 24 km east of Viterbo. As of 31 December 2006, Orte had a population of 8,364.
Orte is situated in the Tiber valley on a high tuff cliff, encircled to North and East from a handle of the Tevere river. It is an important road and rail hub.
History
The Etruscans inhabited the area from the 6th century BC and called it *Hurta,[3] as testified by the findings in a necropolis nearby, now preserved in the Vatican Museums. Orte was theatre of battles between Etruscans and Romans (310 and 283 BC), near the Vadimone lake, in both of which the Romans were victorious.
The Romans domination made it the municipality of Horta (also Hortanum).[4] Under the rule of Augustus it received numerous public works. Subsequently, because of its strategic position, Orte was occupied by the Ostrogoths, the Byzantines and the Lombards.
In the Middle Ages the city was never seat of a fief, becoming a free comune under a podestà.
Events
- Saint'Egidio Abate's Day and Ottava of Saint'Egidio: from 31 August to the second Sunday in September. A Medieval festival with shows, fairs, conventions, seminaries of study, art exhibitions of art and archery competitions (the "Palio", contented by the archers of the Seven Contrade).
- Religious procession of Dead Christ: every Friday before Easter. A torchlight procession representing early religions orders ("Confraternite").
Transport
Orte railway station, opened in 1865, forms part of the Florence–Rome railway and the Rome–Ancona railway. It is situated in Piazza Giovanni XXIII, in the locality of Orte Scalo, approximately two kilometres southeast of the town centre.
External links
References
- ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
- ^ "Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
- ^ Chiesa, Tarquinia: archeologia e prosopografia tra ellenismo e romanizzazione, 2006, p.267.
- ^ John Murray, A dictionary of Greek and Roman geography, Volume 1, 1873, p.1091