Afragola
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox Italian comune
| name = Afragola
| official_name = Comune di Afragola
| native_name = {{native name|nap|Afravola}}
| image_skyline = Municipio Afragola.jpg
| imagesize =
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Afragola City Hall
| image_shield = Afragola-Stemma.png
| shield_alt =
| image_map =
| map_alt =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| coordinates = {{coord|40|55|N|14|19|E|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_footnotes =
| region = Campania
| metropolitan_city = Naples (NA)
| frazioni =
| mayor_party =
| mayor = Antonio Pannone
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 = 17.9
| population_footnotes ={{cite web|title=Monthly Demographic Balance|url=https://demo.istat.it/app/?l=en&a=2025&i=D7B|publisher=ISTAT}}
| population_total = 61449
| population_as_of = 2025
| pop_density_footnotes =
| population_demonym = Afragolesi
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 43
| twin1 =
| twin1_country =
|istat=| saint = St. Anthony of Padua
| day = June 13
| postal_code = 80021
| area_code = 081
| website = {{Official website|http://www.comune.afragola.na.it}}
| footnotes =
}}
Afragola ({{IPA|it|afraˈɡoːla|lang}}; {{langx|nap|Afravola}} {{IPA|nap|afraˈvoːlə|}}, {{IPA|nap|afraˈoːrə|local}}) is a city and {{lang|it|comune}} (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Naples, in Italy. It is one of the 100 largest Italian cities, with a population of 61,000.
The communal territory, measuring {{convert|18|km2|0|abbr=off}}, borders the municipalities of Acerra, Casalnuovo di Napoli, Caivano, Cardito and Casoria, forming a single metropolitan area of around 100,000 inhabitants. The comune of Afragola is one of the most densely populated of the country.
History
{{Main article|History of Afragola}}
The area of modern Afragola was already settled in ancient times by the Samnites. Older remains, belonging to an early Bronze Age settlement buried by a Vesuvius eruption in the 19th century BC, were found in 2005.Halpin, Danny. [https://talker.news/2022/10/11/village-found-that-was-preserved-by-mount-vesuvius-eruption-2000-years-before-pompeii "Village found that was preserved by Mount Vesuvius eruption 2,000 years before Pompeii"], Talker News, October 11, 2022
According to a tradition now recognized as false,{{cite book|first1=Gaetano |last1=Capasso|title=Afragola, Dieci secoli di storia comunale. Aspetti e Problemi|publisher=Athena Mediterranea}} the town was founded in the Middle Ages, in 1140, by Roger II of Sicily, who assigned the land to its veterans. It is more likely that the city stemmed from the merger of several villages and churches already existing here. The territory was originally held by the archbishops of Naples, but from 1576 it was directly subjected, as an autonomous community, to the Kings of Naples.
Demographics
{{Historical populations|1861|16074|1871|17543|1881|18909|1901|21849|1911|22548|1921|23069|1931|27293|1936|29281|1951|37477|1961|45881|1971|50769|1981|57367|1991|60065|2001|62319|2011|63820|2021|62198|footnote=Source: ISTAT|cols=2|align=none}}
Main sights
- Baroque sanctuary-basilica of St. Anthony's sanctuary-basilica. It was begun in 1633 and has a nave with two aisles, internally decorated with marbles. The bell tower was constructed from 1590.
- The castle, documented from 1495, was likely built from around 1420. According to the tradition, it was a residence of queen Joanna II of Naples. It currently houses a childhood school.{{cn|date=August 2022}}
- Santa Maria d'Ajello Church, founded in 1190. It houses works by Giovan Angelo Criscuolo, Alessandro Viola (1695) and Angelo Mozzillo.
- San Marco in Sylvis Church, built around 1179. On its external wall is a slab on which, according to the legend, once sat both St. Mark and San Gennaro.
- San Marco all'Olmo Church, built in 1615
- Palazzo Migliore (17th century)
- San Giorgio Martire: Parish church built in 1695-1702
Transport
File:Stazione alta velocita, Zaha Hadid, Napoli Afragola.jpg]]
Napoli Afragola railway station was designed by the architect Zaha Hadid and opened in 2017. This station is only used by high-speed trains on the Rome–Naples high-speed railway line, which link Afragola to many Italian cities including Bologna, Milan, Florence and Turin.
Afragola's bus network is managed by CTP (the Consorzio Trasporto Pubblico or Public Transport Consortium).
The proposed Line 10 of the Naples Metro will also serve Afragola.
Crime and social issues
Afragola is the seat of one of the largest camorra clans of the area, led by Anna Mazza. In 1999 and 2005, the communal council was disbanded by rule of the President of Italian Republic due to mafia allegiance of some of its members.{{cite web|title=le decisioni del Tar|url=http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2005/12/29/le-decisioni-del-tar.html|publisher=La Repubblica|access-date=June 11, 2013}}
Along with most of the nearby communes, Afragola also suffers from high pollution rates, as well as a high unemployment rate; unreported employment is also widespread.{{cite web|title=I cantieri della vergogna|url=http://archivio.rassegna.it/2007/sicurezza/articoli/napoli2.htm|website=Archivio.rassegna.it|access-date=June 11, 2013}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Wikivoyage}}
- [http://www.comune.afragola.na.it/ Official website] {{in lang|it}}
- {{Cite NIE|short=x|wstitle=Afragola}}
{{Province of Naples}}
{{authority control}}