Gargano ( Italian: [ɡarˈɡaːno] ) is a historical and geographical sub-region in the province of Foggia , Apulia , southeast Italy , consisting of a wide isolated mountain massif made of highland and several peaks and forming the backbone of the Gargano Promontory projecting into the Adriatic Sea , the "spur" on the Italian "boot".
26-535: The high point is Monte Calvo at 1,065 m (3,494 ft). Most of the upland area, about 1,200 km (460 sq mi), is part of the Gargano National Park , founded in 1991. The Gargano peninsula is partly covered by the remains of an ancient forest, Foresta Umbra , the only remaining part in Italy of the ancient oak and beech forest that once covered much of Central Europe as well as
52-408: A decline of the local economy and the progressive ruin of the land, which again became marshy. In 1456 , an earthquake struck Foggia, followed by others in 1534, 1627 and 1731, the last destroying one third of the city. The House of Bourbon promoted a certain economic growth by boosting the cereal agriculture of Capitanata and rebuilding much of the settlement. In the 19th century, Foggia received
78-509: A handful of times a year. Summers are very hot, with temperatures in July and August often reaching 33–38 °C (91–100 °F). Temperatures exceed 40 °C (104 °F) a handful of times a decade. Extremes are −10.4 °C (13 °F) on 8 January 1985 and 47 °C (117 °F) - the highest temperature recorded in Italy and one of the highest recorded in Europe - on 25 June 2007. It
104-518: A railway station and important public monuments. The citizens also took part in the riots which led to the annexation to Italy in 1861. By 1865, there was a definitive shift from the custom of sheep farming in favour of an agricultural economy. The historical lack of water resources was solved with the construction of the Apulian aqueduct in 1924, when Foggia was already an important hub between northern and southern Italy. During World War II, Foggia
130-571: Is a city and comune (municipality) of Apulia , in Southern Italy , capital of the province of Foggia . In 2013, its population was 153,143. Foggia is the main city of a plain called Tavoliere , also known as the " granary of Italy". The name " Foggia " (originally Focis ) probably derives from Latin " fovea ", meaning " pit ", referring to the pits where wheat was stored. The name's etymology remains uncertain however, as it could as well stem from " Phocaea ", or possibly probably from
156-466: Is a communication and industrial center and the main wheat market of Southern Italy. Foggia is famous for its watermelons and tomatoes. Although less important than once before, the agricultural sector remains the mainstay of Foggia's economy. This area is nicknamed the "granary of Italy". The few industries present are mostly devoted to food processing. Craftsmanship is also encouraged and developed. Foggia railway station , opened in 1864, forms part of
182-473: Is home to the football club Calcio Foggia 1920 S.S.D. , which plays in Serie C , the third football division in Italy, for the 2020-2021 season . The club earned popular recognition in the early 1990s because of its sparking interpretation of total football led by coach Zdeněk Zeman , which led to promotion to and a brief period in Serie A . The club plays at Stadio Pino Zaccheria , named after Pino Zaccheria,
208-654: The 12th Air Force , the Royal Air Force and the South African Air Force . In 1959 and 2006, Foggia received, respectively, the gold medal for Civil and Military value for its role in World War II. Foggia has a dry summer, Mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification Csa ). Winter days are generally between 11 and 13 °C but can be as cool as single figures. Low temperatures are generally above freezing, but frosts are experienced
234-655: The Adriatic Railway (Ancona–Lecce) , and is the terminus of the Naples–Foggia railway . It is also a junction for several other, secondary lines, namely the Foggia–Manfredonia , Lucera–Foggia and Foggia–Potenza railways, making Foggia the most important railway junction of southern Italy and the third one of whole Italy. Foggia is served by Gino Lisa Airport , which offers direct flights operated with helicopters to ITremiti Islands and Vieste . Foggia
260-584: The Apennine deciduous montane forests ecoregion . The Latin poet Horace spoke of the oaks of Garganus in Ode II, ix. In this region since 1978 a feud has been fought between the clans of the Società foggiana . The coast of Gargano houses numerous beaches and tourist facilities, including resorts such as Vieste , Peschici and Mattinata . The two major salt lakes of Lesina and Varano are located in
286-645: The Early Pleistocene (some 1.8–0.8 mya) a second karstic cycle occurred, producing the neokarst which removed part of the paleokarst fill. The Gargano Island endemic mammals included: Non-endemic mammals found on the island included: Bird species occurring at Gargano included (studied by Ballmann, 1973, 1976): According to Pellegrini, Gargano is home to area IIIb of Southern Italo-Romance varieties. Each town, in turn, speaks its own sub-variety. The Candeloro (or Candelaro in Italian) river defines
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#1732772425318312-468: The Late Miocene to Early Pliocene , a highly endemic vertebrate fauna evolved on what was then Gargano Island due to higher sea levels than today. Several of these animals were subject to island gigantism . The fossils are found in partially infilled paleokarst fissures across Monte Gargano. The Gargano Island fauna is known as Mikrotia fauna after an endemic rodent genus of
338-691: The Medieval Greek word for " fire ", which is " fotia ", as according to legend the original settlers of the 11th century AD were peasants, allegedly after having [miraculously] discovered there a panel portraying the Madonna Nicopeia, on which three flames burnt. The area had been settled since Neolithic times, and later on a Daunian settlement known as Arpi (in Greek Argos Hippium or Ἀργόριππα ) existed nearby, close to present-day Arpinova [ it ] . It
364-629: The armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943, the town was briefly occupied by German troops in Operation Achse . There was some fighting there during the Allied invasion of Italy . In response to the Allied advance towards them, the German troops occupying Foggia abandoned the city on the 27th of September. By the 1st of October British troops had successfully occupied the city. In order to clear
390-636: The province of Foggia in southern Italy . Aside from the Gargano promontory (encompassing the ancient woodlands of the Foresta Umbra) from which it takes its name, it includes also the Tremiti Islands archipelago and the wetlands Lago Salso. It is the largest park in Apulia . The National Park of Gargano (UNESCO site) is one of the few national protected areas efficiently contributing to
416-573: The "un Bosco per Kyoto" project, which in 2007 has involved several schools in the realization of projects for a social and responsible tourism. It is one of the most appreciated areas, unique for the decrease of fires and for the politics of environmental awareness. 41°48′22″N 15°55′30″E / 41.80611°N 15.92500°E / 41.80611; 15.92500 Foggia Foggia ( UK : / ˈ f ɒ dʒ ə / , US : / ˈ f oʊ dʒ ə / ; Italian: [ˈfɔddʒa] ; Foggiano : Fògge [ˈfɔddʒə] )
442-740: The Germans from the hills north and west of the Fogia plain and to reach the Vinchiaturo-Termoli road near the Biferno River, Britain's General Montgomery sent his British XIII Corps beyond Foggia on a two division drive, the 78th Division (sometimes known as "the Battle Axe division" ) moved on the coastal road to Termoli and the 1st Canadian Division struck inland through the mountains. British V Corps followed, protecting
468-490: The area. Initially named Microtia , this had to be corrected, because the genus name Microtia was already used for butterflies . The surface features of the ancient karst developed in Mesozoic limestone . In these, sediment accumulated together with the remains of the local fauna, forming thick layers of reddish, massive or crudely stratified silty - sandy clays , known as terrae rossae ("red soils "). Through
494-410: The boundaries of the promontory as well as the borders with area IIb (that of Foggiano varieties). [REDACTED] Media related to Gargano at Wikimedia Commons 41°43′59″N 15°45′00″E / 41.733°N 15.750°E / 41.733; 15.750 Parco nazionale del Gargano The Gargano National Park ( Italian : Parco nazionale del Gargano ) is a national park in
520-473: The city "Regalis Sedes Inclita Imperialis", the preferred seat of the Empire, as we can now read on the entrance epigraph of the remains of the imperial palace. It was also seat of his court and a studium , including notable figures such as the mathematician and scholar Michael Scot , but little of it remains now. In 1447, King Alfonso V of Aragon built a Custom Palace to tax the local sheep farmers. This caused
546-492: The late 11th century, when Robert Guiscard directed draining the wetland, boosting the economic and social growth of the city. The city was the seat of Henry, Count of Monte Sant'Angelo during the last twenty years of the 11th century. In the 12th century, William II of Sicily built a cathedral here and further enlarged the settlement. Frederick II had a palace built in Foggia in 1223, in which he often sojourned. He elected
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#1732772425318572-470: The mid- Pliocene , some of these deposits were flooded, probably due to tectonic movement of the Apulian Plate . Others were overlaid by other sediments of terrestrial or freshwater origin. In this way a buried, partially reworked paleokarst originated. Later, as the ice ages cycle got underway, sea levels sank and the former island was continentalized. In the cool and semiarid conditions of
598-740: The northern part of the peninsula. Gargano is the site of the oldest shrine in Western Europe dedicated to the archangel Michael , Monte Sant'Angelo sul Gargano . Other tourist attractions include San Giovanni Rotondo , the Abbey of Santa Maria of Ripalta (Lesina) and the volcanic rocks, dating back to the Triassic Period, known as "Black Stones" in Lesina, as well as the Sanctuary of San Nazario. Some 12 to 4 million years ago, during
624-591: The west flank and the rear. The German 1st parachute division had largely withdrawn to the Biferno River near Termoli and dug in. Based out of Foggia, the British launched Operation Devon and succeeded in dislodging the Nazi German forces from Termoli . The Foggia airfields were subsequently used by Allied fighter and bomber formations until the end of the war, mainly from the American 15th but also from
650-417: Was heavily bombed by the Allied air forces for its important airfields and marshalling yards. On 22 July 1943, Foggia was bombed over 100 B-17 Flying Fortresses . The city was devastated, and 7,643 residents were killed and over 700 injured. On 19 August 1943, Foggia's marshalling yards were bombed by 233 B-17s and B-24 Liberators – obliterating what was left of the city and killing another 9,581. After
676-515: Was the largest city in ancient Daunia . An anachronistic legend reported by Pliny claimed that the Daunian city had been founded by Diomedes following the Trojan War . However the first document attesting to the existence of the modern city dates to 1100, in the papal bull of Pope Paschal II which mentions the church of Sancta Maria de Focis . The area remained marshy and unhealthy until
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