Campobasso

Campobasso (, ; ) is a city and comune in southern Italy, the capital of the region of Molise and of the province of Campobasso. It is located in the high basin of the Biferno river, surrounded by the Sannio and Matese mountains.

Campobasso is renowned for the craftsmanship of blades (including scissors and knives), a fact well documented since the 14th century. In the old part of the town there is a medieval castle, Castello Monforte. It is also famous for the scamorza and caciocavallo. The city is home to the University of Molise and the Archdiocese of Campobasso-Boiano.

thumb|Castello Monforte

thumb|upright|Church of San Bartolomeo

Geography

Territory

The region's largest city by population, it stands at 701 m above sea level (Monforte Castle is at 792 m).

Climate

Situated above sea level and close to the Apennine Mountains, Campobasso is considered one of the coldest cities of central/southern Italy. It has an humid subtropical climate (Cfa) according to the Köppen climate classification, and an oceanic climate (Do) according to Trewartha climate classification, with an average temperature of about , with winter to summer ranging from on average. During the winter, snowfalls are frequent. The wettest time of year is the autumn with about of rain each November.

History

right|220px|thumb|Bell tower of S. Bartolomeo Church in the medieval centre of Campobasso

The origins of Campobasso are disputed. According to the most widely held theory, the city was founded by the Lombards before the 8th century as a fortified camp on the slope of the hill where the castle stands. The original name was Campus vassorum, suggesting that the city was the seat of the vassals of the duke of Spoleto.

After the Norman conquest of Southern Italy, Campobasso lost its importance as a defensive stronghold, but became a significant trading and administration centre.

From 1330 to 1745 the city was ruled by the Monforte-Gambatesa family, who built the castle and established a mint. Later it came under the control of the Di Capua, Gonzaga, Vitagliano, Carafa and Romano families. In 1763 the citizens abandoned the old city and settled in the lower valley. The current city was expanded in 1814 by the king of Naples Joachim Murat, and lies on the Campo Basso ("Low field").

In 1995 the city was awarded the bronze medal for Civil Valour in recognition of the hard work done in clearing the region of dangerous unexploded warheads, a task that lasted well into 1948.

Sassari, Italy

Transportation

Railways

Campobasso railway station, which is managed by Centostazioni, is located in the centre of the city at the junction of two lines: that from Termoli to Vairano and the branch from Benevento.

Roads and highways

Road traffic is regulated by the State Road Sannitica, by the State Road SS645 Del Tappino and by the State Road 647 Fondo Valle del Biferno.

Public transport

The urban public transport consists of 23 lines of autobus managed by the SEAC company.

Air transport

Campobasso doesn't have its own airport. The nearest major airport is Naples International Airport, which is located south-west of the city.

Notable people

Fred Bongusto, singer
Alberto Bonucci, actor
Dino Bravo, professional wrestler
Tony Dallara, singer
Pasquale Gravina, volleyball player
Baldasarre Labanca (1832 – 1913), theologian and historian
Tito Mattei, classical music composer
Fabrizio Brienza, model and actor
Chiara Izzi, jazz singer, composer and musician
Herbert Ballerina, actor, comedian and radio host