Potenza

{{Unsourced|section|date=September 2022}}

The first settlement of Potentia (Potenza's original Latin name) was probably located at a lower elevation than at present, some {{convert|10|km|0|abbr=off}} south of today's Potenza. The Lucanians of Potentia sided against Rome's enemies during the latter's wars against the Samnites and the Bruttii. Subjugated during the 4th century BC (later gaining the status of municipium), the Potentini rebelled after the Roman defeat at Cannae in 216 BC.

However, the Battle of the Metaurus marked the end of any Carthaginian aspirations in Italy and Potentia was reconquered by the Romans and reduced to the status of military colony.

In the 6th century, the city passed to the Lombard Duchy of Benevento. Incursions by Saracen raiders menaced the city until the Norman conquest of southern Italy secured the area. In the 12th century, Potenza became an episcopal see. In 1137, the city hosted Pope Innocent II and Emperor Lothair II during their failed attempt to conquer the Norman kingdom. In 1148 or 1149 in Potenza, Roger II of Sicily hosted King Louis VII of France, whom the Norman fleet had freed from the Saracens. After pillaging by Emperor Frederick II, the city remained loyal to the Hohenstaufen: as a result, it was almost totally destroyed by Charles I when the Angevin lord conquered the Kingdom of Sicily. On 18 December 1273, an earthquake further devastated the city.

File:PiazzaDuomoPZ.jpg

In the following years of the Late Middle Ages, the city was owned by various feudal families before the Spanish domination, during which Potenza was the site of riots against the Spaniards. In 1694, it was almost completely destroyed by another earthquake.

With the declaration of the Neapolitan Republic in 1799, Potenza was one of the first cities to rebel against the king. After temporary Bourbon repression, the city was conquered by the French army in 1806 and declared the capital of Basilicata. King Joachim Murat improved the city's living conditions and administration, while some urban improvements were also introduced for the visit of Ferdinand II in 1846.

A revolt broke out in 1848 and was again put down by Bourbon forces, until a third devastating earthquake followed in 1857. Potenza rebelled for the last time in 1860, before Garibaldi's revolutionary army brought about the unification of Italy.

In September 1943, the city suffered heavy Allied bombing. In 1980, another strong earthquake struck Potenza.

File:Potenza1.jpg

• Potenza Cathedral: The Duomo di San Gerardo, renovated in the 18th century. The cathedral still houses the rose window and the apse from the original 12th-century structure.
• San Francesco: church founded in 1274. The portal and the bell tower date from the 15th century. The church houses the De Grasis sepulchre and a Madonna in Byzantine style (13th century).
• The Torre Guevara, the last remnant of the old castle. It is now used to stage art exhibitions.
• The Palazzo Loffredo, a 17th-century noble residence. It now houses the National Archaeological Museum of Basilicata, dedicated to archaeologist Dinu Adameșteanu.{{cite web|title=Potenza:Archaeological Museums|url=https://www.basilicataturistica.it/en/discover-basilicata/potenza/#archaeological-museums-of-potenza|access-date=26 September 2021|website=Basilicata Turistica}}
• Three gates of the old city walls, now demolished. The gates are the Porta San Giovanni, the Porta San Luca and the Porta San Gerardo.
• San Michele: 11th-12th century Romanesque-style church.
• Santa Maria del Sepolcro: church.
• The ruins of a Roman villa in the Poggio Tre Galli quarter.
• Musmeci Bridge, a unique construction, monument of modern civil engineering.

Potenza experiences an oceanic climate (Cfb in the Köppen climate classification), failing narrowly to classify as warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Csb) because the month with the most precipitation has slightly less than three times as much as the driest month.

{{Weather box|width=auto

|metric first=y

|single line=y

|location = Potenza (1991–2006)

|Jan record high C=20.0

|Feb record high C=21.8

|Mar record high C=23.6

|Apr record high C=25.6

|May record high C=29.8

|Jun record high C=33.0

|Jul record high C=36.8

|Aug record high C=36.8

|Sep record high C=33.2

|Oct record high C=30.0

|Nov record high C=21.8

|Dec record high C=20.0

|Jan high C = 7.7

|Feb high C = 8.1

|Mar high C = 11.4

|Apr high C = 14.0

|May high C = 19.7

|Jun high C = 24.6

|Jul high C = 27.5

|Aug high C = 27.7

|Sep high C = 22.7

|Oct high C = 18.6

|Nov high C = 12.8

|Dec high C = 8.6

| year high C =

|Jan mean C = 4.9

|Feb mean C = 4.8

|Mar mean C = 7.5

|Apr mean C = 9.8

|May mean C = 14.9

|Jun mean C = 19.3

|Jul mean C = 22.1

|Aug mean C = 22.4

|Sep mean C = 18.1

|Oct mean C = 14.5

|Nov mean C = 9.5

|Dec mean C = 5.8

| year mean C =

|Jan low C = 2.0

|Feb low C = 1.6

|Mar low C = 3.6

|Apr low C = 5.6

|May low C = 10.2

|Jun low C = 14.0

|Jul low C = 16.7

|Aug low C = 17.1

|Sep low C = 13.4

|Oct low C = 10.3

|Nov low C = 6.1

|Dec low C = 3.0

| year low C =

|Jan record low C=−9.6

|Feb record low C=−10.0

|Mar record low C=−7.8

|Apr record low C=−3.6

|May record low C=0.5

|Jun record low C=4.0

|Jul record low C=8.0

|Aug record low C=6.8

|Sep record low C=1.2

|Oct record low C=−1.2

|Nov record low C=−7.0

|Dec record low C=−8.0

|precipitation colour=green

|Jan precipitation mm=55.7

|Feb precipitation mm=63.0

|Mar precipitation mm=48.6

|Apr precipitation mm=66.8

|May precipitation mm=42.8

|Jun precipitation mm=30.4

|Jul precipitation mm=26.1

|Aug precipitation mm=32.6

|Sep precipitation mm=46.2

|Oct precipitation mm=61.6

|Nov precipitation mm=73.3

|Dec precipitation mm=66.0

|humidity colour=

|Jan humidity=77

|Feb humidity=75

|Mar humidity=72

|Apr humidity=69

|May humidity=69

|Jun humidity=67

|Jul humidity=62

|Aug humidity=64

|Sep humidity=66

|Oct humidity=72

|Nov humidity=76

|Dec humidity=78

|unit precipitation days=1 mm

|precip days colour=

|Jan precipitation days=8.3

|Feb precipitation days=8.7

|Mar precipitation days=8.8

|Apr precipitation days=9.4

|May precipitation days=6.2

|Jun precipitation days=4.2

|Jul precipitation days=3.3

|Aug precipitation days=4.3

|Sep precipitation days=5.3

|Oct precipitation days=7.5

|Nov precipitation days=8.7

|Dec precipitation days=8.1

|Jan sun=

|Feb sun=

|Mar sun=

|Apr sun=

|May sun=

|Jun sun=

|Jul sun=

|Aug sun=

|Sep sun=

|Oct sun=

|Nov sun=

|Dec sun=

|source 1=Servizio Meteorologico (precipitation 1971–2000, humidity 1961–1990){{cite web|url=http://clima.meteoam.it/AtlanteClim2/pdf/%28300%29Potenza.pdf|title=Potenza (PZ) 845 m. s.l.m. (a.s.l.)|publisher=Servizio Meteorologico|access-date=10 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150409184451/http://clima.meteoam.it/AtlanteClim2/pdf/(300)Potenza.pdf|archive-date=9 April 2015|language=it, en}}{{cite web|url=http://clima.meteoam.it/web_clima_sysman/Clino6190/CLINO300.txt|title=Stazione 300 Potenza, medie mensili periodo 61 - 90|publisher=Servizio Meteorologico|access-date=10 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100110033011/http://clima.meteoam.it/web_clima_sysman/Clino6190/CLINO300.txt|archive-date=10 January 2010}}

|source 2 = Climi e viaggi{{cite web

| url = https://www.climieviaggi.it/clima/italia/potenza

| title = Clima - Potenza (Basilicata)

| publisher= Climi e viaggi

| access-date = 27 November 2024}}

}}

File:DuomoMUSEOnaz.jpg

Potenza has a population of 67,122 as of 2015. It is the largest city in Basilicata.

Source: {{cite web|url=http://www.citypopulation.de/php/italy-basilicata.php?cityid=076063|title=Potenza (Potenza, Basilicata, Italy)|publisher=City Population|access-date=31 March 2017}}

File:Potenza, Italia.jpg

Potenza is located at the eastern end of the RA5 motorway, a {{cvt|50|km|mi}} branch from the A2 motorway.

Potenza is a rail junction on the main line from Salerno to Taranto, managed by FS Trenitalia. It has also a connection to Altamura and its own small metropolitan railway service, served by the Ferrovie Appulo Lucane regional company. The city's main station, which was originally named Potenza Inferiore, is now known as Potenza Centrale.{{cn|date=September 2022}}

The nearest airports are:

• Salerno-Pontecagnano QSR {{convert|85|km|0|abbr=on}}
• Foggia-Gino Lisa FOG {{convert|101|km|0|abbr=on}}
• Bari-Palese BRI {{convert|130|km|0|abbr=on}}

With the city centre situated at the top of a steep hill, escalators provide a form of public transport in Potenza. The largest, Santa Lucia Escalator ({{langx|it|Scale Mobili Santa Lucia}}), is approximately {{cvt|500|m|ft}} long and connects Potenza's historic centre with a residential neighbourhood to the west by descending {{cvt|100|m|ft}} into a valley. Potenza's public escalator network is the largest in Europe and the second largest in the world after Tokyo.{{cite web |title=Potenza Capoluogo è la città con le scale mobili più lunghe d'Europa |url=http://www.lecronachelucane.it/2017/06/04/potenza-capoluogo-e-la-citta-con-le-scale-mobili-piu-lunghe-deuropa/ |website=Le Cronache |access-date=28 December 2020 |language=it |date=4 June 2017}}

• Saint Gerard of Potenza (died 1118) – bishop
• Giovanni Andrea Serrao (1731-1799) – intellectual and churchman
• Ascanio Branca (1840-1903) - politician {{Cite web|url=https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/ascanio-branca_%28Dizionario-Biografico%29/|title = Treccani - la cultura italiana | Treccani, il portale del sapere}}
• Domenico Montesano (1863-1930) - mathematician
• Tanio Boccia (1912–1982) – film director
• Emilio Colombo (11 April 1920 – 24 June 2013) – politician
• Salvatore Dierna (1934-2016), architect
• Ruggero Deodato (1939–2022) – film director
• Wally Buono (1950) – (CFL) football head coach (Calgary Stampeders, BC Lions)
• Luciana Lamorgese (1953) – politician
• Cecilia D'Elia (1963) – politician
• Donato Sabia (1963-2020) – former middle distance runner
• Francesco Colonnese (1971) – former football player
• Giovanni Frezza (1972) – film actor
• Danilo Restivo (1972) – double murderer
• Vito Postiglione (1977) – racing driver
• Roberto Speranza (1979) – politician
• William Cutolo (1949 - 1999), also known as "Billy Fingers" and "Wild Bill", powerful labor racketeer and underboss for the Colombo Crime Family
• Giuseppe D'Amico (1983) – double bassist and composer.

{{see also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Italy}}

Potenza is twinned with:

• {{flagicon|USA}} Denver, United States
• {{flagicon|ROM}} Focșani, Romania
• {{flagicon|ESP}} Osuna, Spain
• {{flagicon|ITA}} Amatrice, Italy
• {{flagicon|COL}} Tunja, Colombia

{{reflist}}

{{commons category|Potenza}}

{{wikisource|Potenza}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160224082320/https://www.comune.potenza.it/ Official website] (in Italian)
• [http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/battlehonours/italiancampaign/potenza.htm Battle of Potenza at canadiansoldiers.com]
• [http://www.conservatoriopotenza.it/ Music State Conservatory "Carlo Gesualdo da Venosa"]

{{Province of Potenza}}

{{Regional Capitals of Italy}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Potenza}}

Category:Cities and towns in Basilicata