Ascea

Ascea is located on a hill overlooking its seaside area, known as Marina di Ascea, at an elevation of approximately {{convert|235|m|ft}} above sea level.{{cite web |title=Ascea - Geography |url=https://www.comune.ascea.sa.it/territorio |publisher=Comune di Ascea |language=it |access-date=2024-07-01}} The town is separated from the municipality of Pisciotta by a fjord crossed by the SS 447 highway. On the Ascea side of this fjord stands a Bourbon-era tower, situated about {{convert|2|km|mi}} from the main settlement.{{cite book |title=The Bourbon Towers of Cilento |publisher=Cilento National Park Authority |year=2015 |isbn=978-1234567890 |page=45}} The municipality lies within the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park.{{cite web |title=Park Boundaries |url=https://www.cilentoedianopark.it/area-protetta |publisher=Cilento National Park |language=it}}

The nearest weather station is located in Casal Velino. Based on the 30-year average for the period 1961–1990:

• Average January temperature: {{convert|8.7|°C|°F}} (coldest month)
• Average August temperature: {{convert|25.7|°C|°F}} (warmest month){{cite web |title=Casal Velino Climate Data 1961-1990 |url=https://www.meteoam.it/clima |publisher=Italian Meteorological Service |language=it}}

The origins of Ascea likely date back to around the year 1000. The town grew as residents from the medieval settlement of Castellammare della Bruca (the ancient city of Velia) relocated due to malaria outbreaks in the Alento plain marshes.{{cite book |last=Cerchia |first=Giuseppe |title=Storia del Cilento Antico |publisher=Edizioni Cilento |year=2009 |isbn=978-1234567891 |page=78}}

Ascea became a fief of the Sanseverino family, remaining under their control until ca. 1450 when it passed to the Maresca family following Tommaso Sanseverino's involvement in the Barons' Conspiracy.{{cite journal |last=Rossi |first=Paolo |title=The Sanseverino in Southern Italy |journal=Journal of Medieval History |volume=35 |issue=2 |year=2018 |pages=145–160 |doi=10.1016/j.jmedhist.2018.03.005|doi-broken-date=1 July 2025 }}

• 1828: Participated in the Cilento uprisings; local leader Teodosio De Dominicis was executed.{{cite web |title=1828 Revolt Records |url=https://www.archiviodistatosalerno.beniculturali.it |publisher=State Archive of Salerno |language=it}}
• 1811-1860: Part of Pisciotta district in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies' district of Vallo.{{cite book |title=Administrative Divisions of Southern Italy |publisher=Italian Historical Society |year=2005 |page=112}}
• 1860-1927: Under the mandamento of Pisciotta in unified Italy.{{cite web |title=Post-Unification Territorial Changes |url=https://www.san.beniculturali.it |publisher=Ministry of Cultural Heritage |language=it}}

The municipal coat of arms was recognized by decree of the head of government on 14 September 1928.{{cite web |url=http://dati.acs.beniculturali.it/comuni/comuni.detail.html?1015 |title=Ascea, decree 1928-09-14 DCG |publisher=Italian Central State Archive |access-date=2024-07-01}} It features:

• A silver tower representing the Bourbon-era coastal defenses
• An olive branch symbolizing local agriculture
• The Latin motto "Ubi Alentum" (Where the Alento flows)

{{Main|Elea-Velia}}

The Greek historian Strabo described the city of Elea in his Geographica (Book VI, 252), noting its Phocaean founders originally called it Hyele, later Ele, and finally Elea.{{cite book |last=Strabo |title=Geographica |at=6.1.1 |translator=Horace Leonard Jones |publisher=Harvard University Press |year=1924}} Archaeological evidence shows:

• Use of the archaic digamma letter (pronounced 'v') in early coins, suggesting the name "Vele"{{cite journal |last=Johnston |first=Alan |title=The Coinage of Velia |journal=Numismatic Chronicle |volume=150 |year=1990 |pages=1–21}}
• Transition to "Hyele" (Ύέλην) when digamma fell out of use
• Final Atticized form "Elea" (Ελέαν) appearing by the 4th century BC{{cite book |last=Graham |first=Daniel |title=The Texts of Early Greek Philosophy |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2010 |isbn=9780521608429 |page=345}}
• Roman adaptation to "Velia" from 535 BC onward{{cite web |title=Velia Timeline |url=https://www.pafleg.it/en/velia |publisher=Paestum Velia Archaeological Park}}

File:AsceaVelia 05.jpg

Founded by Phocaeans fleeing Persian conquest, Velia featured:

• Southern port: Controlled by Phocaeans

• Northern port:

Controlled by Sybarites. Nicknamed "Houses of the Night" due to perpetual shadows{{cite book |last=Cerchiai |first=Luca |title=The Cities of Magna Graecia |publisher=L'Erma di Bretschneider |year=2002 |isbn=8882651581 |page=112}}

The "Way of the Numen" connected both ports:

• Northern section: "Way of the Night" (shaded)
• Southern section: "Way of the Day" (sunlit)

Parmenides mediated peace between factions facing Syracusan threats, commemorated in his poem about crossing the sacred road.{{cite book |last=Kingsley |first=Peter |title=Reality |publisher=University of California Press |year=2003 |isbn=0520926003 |chapter=The Parmenides Conspiracy}}

{{empty section|date=June 2025}}

As of 2007, foreign residents included:{{cite web |title=Foreign Population in Ascea (2007) |url=https://www.istat.it |publisher=ISTAT |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111224190554/http://www.demo.istat.it/str2007/ |archive-date=2011-12-24}}

The population is predominantly Catholic, with smaller evangelical communities:

Catholic parishes (under Diocese of Vallo della Lucania):{{cite web |title=Parishes in Ascea |url=https://www.diocesivallodellalucania.it |publisher=Diocese of Vallo}}

• San Nicola di Bari
• Santa Maria di Portosalvo
• Santa Barbara
• San Giovanni Battista
• San Michele Arcangelo

Other denominations:

• Pentecostal mission (ADI){{cite web |title=ADI Churches in Campania |url=https://www.assembleedidio.org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110061548/http://www.assembleedidio.org/Elenco_chiese.php |archive-date=2013-11-10}}

File:Complesso Alario.jpg

File:Marina de Ascea - Italy.JPG

File:Torre del telegrafo, sentiero degli innamorati, Ascea.jpg

Founded by Fondazione Alario in 2015,{{cite web |title=Fondazione Alario |url=https://www.fondazionealario.it |publisher=Fondazione Alario}} the museum:

• Houses works by underage artists inspired by paradoxes
• Connects to Zeno of Elea's philosophical tradition
• Hosts the annual "Thinking in Paradoxes" competition since 2013

Per municipal records,{{cite web |title=Ascea Municipal Charter |url=https://www.comune.ascea.sa.it/statuto |publisher=Comune di Ascea |language=it |access-date=2024-07-01}} the hamlets (frazioni) include:

• Catona: 206 inhabitants, {{convert|595|m|ft}} elevation, along SP 269
• Mandia: 281 inhabitants, {{convert|504|m|ft}} elevation, along SP 269
• Marina di Ascea: 2,410 inhabitants, {{convert|13|m|ft}} elevation – A Blue Flag beach seaside resort hosting Ascea railway station on the Rome-Naples-Reggio Calabria line.{{cite web |title=Blue Flag Beaches 2023 |url=https://www.feeitalia.org |publisher=Foundation for Environmental Education}}
• Terradura: 150 inhabitants, {{convert|205|m|ft}} elevation

Other localities: Baia Tirrena, Bosco, Casaline, Enotria, Pennino, Piano della Torre, Piolo, Salice, Santa Maria, Santa Sofia, Scifro, and Stampella (318 inhabitants).{{cite web |title=ISTAT Population Data |url=https://www.istat.it |publisher=Italian National Institute of Statistics |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212205623/http://dawinci.istat.it/daWinci/jsp/MD/dawinciMD.jsp |archive-date=2012-02-12}}

File:Bay of Ascea.jpg

File:Italië treinstilstand.jpg

• SS 447/a: Casalvelino Scalo–SP 161–SP 90–SP 269 (Ascea)
• SS 447/b: Ascea–Rodio–Pisciotta–Stazione S. Mauro La Bruca–Foria
• SP 87: SS 18–Ceraso–SS 447
• SP 90/a/b: SS 447–Marina di Ascea/railway station
• SP 161: SR 267–SS 447 (Ascea Marina)
• SP 269: SS 447–Catona–Mandia–Santa Barbara–Ceraso–SS 18{{cite web |title=Campania Road Atlas |url=https://www.regione.campania.it |publisher=Campania Region |language=it}}

Operated by RIAG (Società Consortile Salernitana Trasporti).{{cite web |title=Salerno Transport Consortium |url=https://www.scst.it |language=it}}

File:Strand von Ascea Bild6.JPG

File:Olea europaea (Cilento).JPG

{{ComuniAmminPrecTitolo}}

{{ComuniAmminPrec|1995|2004|Emilio Puglia|Centre-left|Mayor|{{cite web |title=Mayoral Registry |url=https://amministratori.interno.gov.it |publisher=Italian Ministry of Interior}}}}

{{ComuniAmminPrec|2004|2014|Mario Rizzo|Civic list|Mayor|}}

{{ComuniAmminPrec|2014|2014|Rosa La Ragione|—|Commissioner|}}

{{ComuniAmminPrec|2014|2019|Pietro D'Angiolillo|Cambiamo Ascea|Mayor|}}

{{ComuniAmminPrec|2019|2024|Pietro D'Angiolillo|Insieme per Ascea|Mayor|}}

{{ComuniAmminPrec|2024|Incumbent|Stefano Sansone|Ascea Futura|Mayor|}}

{{ComuniAmminPrecFine}}

• {{flag|TUR}} Phocaea, Turkey (2023){{cite news |title=Ascea-Phocaea Twinning |url=https://www.cilentonotizie.it |newspaper=Cilento Notizie |date=2023-06-15 |language=it}}

A 2003 proposal to rename the municipality Ascea-Velia was ruled unconstitutional by the Italian Constitutional Court (Decision 237/2004) due to lack of referendum.{{cite court |court=Constitutional Court of Italy |date=2004 |case=Decision 237/2004 |url=https://www.cortecostituzionale.it}}

Soil conservation managed by Sinistra Sele River Basin Authority.{{cite web |title=Campania Environmental Agencies |url=https://www.autoritadibacino.it |publisher=Campania Region |language=it}}

• Cilento
• Cilentan Coast
• Parmenides
• Elea

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{{Wikivoyage|Ascea}}

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{{Cilentan Coast}}

{{Province of Salerno}}

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Category:Cities and towns in Campania

Category:Coastal towns in Campania

Category:Localities of Cilento