Andria
Iàndrie
Città di Andria
Castel del Monte
Flag of Andria
Coat of arms of Andria
Location of Andria
Map
Andria is located in Italy
Andria
Andria
Location of Andria in Italy
Andria is located in Apulia
Andria
Andria
Andria (Apulia)
Coordinates: 41°13′N 16°18′E / 41.217°N 16.300°E / 41.217; 16.300
CountryItaly
RegionApulia
ProvinceBarletta-Andria-Trani (BT)
FrazioniCastel del Monte, Montegrosso, Troianelli
Government
 • MayorGiovanna Bruno (PD)
Area
 • Total402.89 km2 (155.56 sq mi)
Elevation
151 m (495 ft)
Population
 (31 March 2018)[2]
 • Total99,784
 • Density250/km2 (640/sq mi)
DemonymAndriesi
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
76123
Dialing code0883
Patron saintRichard of Andria
Saint dayApril 4
WebsiteOfficial website

Andria (Italian: [ˈandrja] ; Barese: Iàndrie) is a city and comune (municipality) in the Apulia region of Southern Italy. It is an agricultural and service center, producing wine, olives and almonds. It is the fourth-largest municipality in the Apulia region (behind Bari, Taranto, and Foggia) and the largest municipality of the province of Barletta-Andria-Trani.[3] It is known for the 13th-century Castel del Monte.

Geography

The city is located in the area of the Murgia and lies at a distance of 10 km (6.21 mi) from Barletta and the Adriatic coast. Its municipality, the 16th per area in Italy,[4] borders with Barletta, Canosa di Puglia, Corato, Minervino Murge, Ruvo di Puglia, Spinazzola and Trani.

History

Andria Cathedral.

Different theories exist about the origins of Andria. In 915 it is mentioned as a "casale" ("hamlet") depending from Trani; it acquired the status of city around 1046, when the Norman count Peter enlarged and fortified the settlements in the area (including also Barletta, Corato and Bisceglie).

In the 14th century, under the Angevins, Andria became seat of a Duchy. In 1350 it was besieged by German and Lombard mercenaries of the Hungarian army, and in 1370 by the troops of Queen Joan I of Naples. In 1431 the ruler of Andria Francesco II Del Balzo found the mortal remains of Saint Richard of Andria, the current patron saint, and instituted the Fair of Andria (23–30 April). In 1487 the city was acquired by the Aragonese, the Duchy passing to the future King Frederick IV of Naples. Later (1552), it was sold by the Spanish to Fabrizio Carafa, for the sum of 100,000 ducats.

The Carafas ruled the city until 1799, when the French troops captured it after a long siege. After the Bourbon restoration, Andria was a protagonist of the Risorgimento and, after the unification of Italy, the brigandage era.

Main sights

Porta Sant'Andrea.
The 13th-century church of Sant'Agostino.
Torre dell'orologio.

Andria was a favorite residence of Emperor Frederick II, who built the imposing 13th-century Castel del Monte about 15 km south of the city center; it is one of the most famous Italian castles, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.[5]

Other sights include:

Government

See also: List of mayors of Andria

Transportation

Andria is connected by the A14 National Motorway, and the SP 231 provincial road connecting it to Bari and Foggia.

Andria has a railway station in the Bari–Barletta railway, part of the Ferrovie del Nord Barese network managed by Ferrotramviaria. The nearest Trenitalia-FS (Italian national railroads) station is that of Barletta, 10 kilometres (6 miles) from Andria. On 12 July 2016, a head-on collision between two passenger trains occurred on the line south of Andria. At least 23 people were killed and dozens more injured.[6]

The nearest airport is that of Bari, 45 kilometres (28 miles) away.

Sport

Andria is the home of football team Fidelis Andria. The team's home stadium is Stadio Degli Ulivi.

People

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Italy

Andria is twinned with:

See also

References

  1. ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. ^ Source: Istat 2010
  3. ^ "Adesso è ufficiale: Andria è la sede legale della sesta provincia". AndriaLive.it. 2010-05-21. Retrieved 2013-03-25.
  4. ^ List of first 100 Italian municipalities per area (on it.wiki)
  5. ^ Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Castel del Monte". whc.UNESCO.org. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
  6. ^ "Italy train crash: 'Twelve killed' near Bari". BBC News. 12 July 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  7. ^ "Conrad IV." . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 6 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 967.