Castellammare di Stabia (; ) is a (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania region, in southern Italy. It is situated on the Bay of Naples about southeast of Naples, on the route to Sorrento.

History

Antiquity

Castellammare di Stabia lies next to the ancient Roman city of Stabiae, which functioned as a seaport for the inland city of Nuceria. The city's importance was diminished after it was razed in 90 BC during the Social War, a setback from which it never fully recovered. Nevertheless, it remained inhabited, with a center with a rectangular grid plan, shops, and a temple precinct that was active until the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD.

During the late 1st century BC, the surrounding escarpment attracted the construction of luxurious villas, which were expanded and elaborated upon in subsequent years. The villas were damaged in an earthquake in 62–63 AD. While many of these structures were still in the process of being rebuilt, they were ultimately buried under several meters of pumice during the eruption of 79 AD.

This new village, which lived primarily from fishing and agriculture, became part of the Duchy of Sorrento. It was the Sorrentines who built a castle on the hill near Pozzano to defend the duchy from barbarian incursions.

During this period, in 1086 to be precise, the name of the village, Castrum ad Mare, is found for the first time in a document, most likely deriving from the fact that the castle was located nearby, overlooking the sea. During the Middle Ages it was equipped with a city wall, like other cities.

The city of Castellammare asked Queen Giovanna I of Naples (also known as Giovanna I) for a loan for the construction of a new defensive tower called the Quartuccio Tower. The decree for its construction was made official on July 28, 1364.

Castellammare di Stabia passed first under the Swabians, and subsequently under the control of the Aragonese, who, in addition to the enlargement of the port and the construction of mighty surrounding walls, completed the construction of a royal palace on the Quisisana hill, used by the royals for their summer stays.

The importance of the palace was such that Giovanni Boccaccio made it the setting for a story of the Decameron, precisely the sixth of the tenth day.

From the 20th century to today

The comune, previously called "Castellamare", assumed the name "Castellammare" on 22 January 1863, and the current name on 31 May 1912.

Demographics

Religious buildings

  • Castellammare Cathedral
  • San Bartolomeo
  • Santa Caterina
  • Chiesa del Gesù
  • Chiesa del Purgatorio

Archaeology

Archaeological works at Castellammare di Stabia began with Bourbon excavations in 1749, which revealed an urban center with a rectangular street grid, shops, and a temple precinct. These works were documented by travelers such as the English travel writer Henry Swinburne, who saw rooms being uncovered in 1777.

It comprises the hamlets (frazioni) of Fratte, Madonna della Libera, Pioppaino, Ponte Persica, Pozzano, Privati, Quisisana, Scanzano and Varano.

Climate

Sport

The local football team, Società Sportiva Juve Stabia is an Italian football club based in Castellammare di Stabia, Campania. Juve Stabia will play in Serie B, the second tier of Italian football system, following their promotion ahead of the 2024-25 season.

People

  • Pliny the Elder, born Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23 – 25 August, AD 79), adoptive citizen and resident of Stabiae (ancient name of Castellammare di Stabia), where he died during the 25 August, AD 79 Mt. Vesuvius eruption. Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian.
  • Catello, Saint (9th century), Patron of the city
  • Giuseppe Bonito (1707–1789), painter
  • Nikolai Gogol (1809–1852) worked here on his Dead Souls in 1838, while living at the count Repnin's summer house.
  • Luigi Denza (1846–1922), composer of the most famous Italian traditional song Funiculì, Funiculà
  • Michele Esposito (1855–1929), influential composer, pianist, and conductor, who worked mostly in Ireland
  • Ettore Tito (1859–1941), painter
  • Raffaele Viviani (1888–1950), author, playwright, actor, musician
  • John Serry, Sr. (1915–2003; aka Giovanni Serrapica), American musician, composer, arranger, educator
  • Gabriele De Rosa (1917–2009), historian and politician
  • Marcel Jovine (1921–2003), sculptor and toy designer
  • Enzo Cannavale (1928-2011), actor
  • Pupetta Maresca (1935-2021), 86, Italian mobster convicted murderer, and beauty queen
  • Mario Merola (1934–2006), Neapolitan-style singer
  • Giuseppe (born 1959) and Carmine Abbagnale (born 1962), Olympic gold medal rowers, grown up and trained at the Castellammare Yachting Club
  • Aldo Arcangioli (born 1969), entrepreneur
  • Antonio Filosa (born 1973), business executive
  • Gennaro Iezzo (born 1973), football goalkeeper
  • Raffaele Imperiale (born 1974), Italian mobster, high-ranking member of Camorra
  • Bruno Cirillo (born 1977), footballer
  • Antonio Mirante (born 1983), goalkeeper for AC Milan
  • Fabio Quagliarella (born 1983), striker and captain for Sampdoria
  • Luigi Vitale (born 1987), footballer
  • Antonio Donnarumma (born 1990), Padova goalkeeper, older brother of Gianluigi Donnarumma
  • Ciro Immobile (born 1990), forward for SS Lazio
  • Alessio Lapice (born 1991), actor
  • Gianluigi Donnarumma (born 1999), goalkeeper for Manchester City and the Italy national team, second-youngest goalkeeper to play in Serie A
  • Gaia De Martino (born 2001), dancer from Amici di Maria De Filippi
  • Sebastiano Esposito (born 2002), forward for Empoli FC

Bibliography

Historical sources

See also

  • Bay of Naples
  • Juve Stabia
  • Gragnano
  • Metropolitan City of Naples
  • Pimonte
  • Pompei
  • Province of Naples
  • Regio Cantiere di Castellammare di Stabia
  • Reggia di Quisisana
  • Santa Maria la Carità,
  • Stabiae
  • Torre Annunziata
  • Vesuvius
  • Vico Equense

References

  • Castellammare di Stabia official website

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