Nursia
| Norcia | |
|---|---|
| Comune | |
| Comune di Norcia | |
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 Norcia
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| Coordinates: 42°47′36″N 13°5′38″E / 42.79333°N 13.09389°ECoordinates: 42°47′36″N 13°5′38″E / 42.79333°N 13.09389°E | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Umbria |
| Province / Metropolitan city | Perugia (PG) |
| Frazioni | see list |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Nicola Alemanno |
| Area | |
| • Total | 274 km2 (106 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 604 m (1,982 ft) |
| Population (31 December 2014) | |
| • Total | 4,937 |
| • Density | 18/km2 (47/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Nursini |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Postal code | 06046 |
| Dialing code | 0743 |
| Patron saint | St. Benedict |
| Saint day | 21 March, 11 July |
| Website | Official website |
Norcia (Italian pronunciation: [ˈnɔrtʃa]), traditionally known in English by its Latin name of Nursia /ˈnɜːrsiə/, is a town and comune in the province of Perugia (Italy) in southeastern Umbria. Unlike many ancient towns, it is located in a wide plain abutting the Monti Sibillini, a subrange of the Apennines with some of its highest peaks, near the Sordo River, a small stream that eventually flows into the Nera. The town is popularly associated with the Valnerina (the valley of that river).
The area is known for its air and scenery, and is a base for mountaineering and hiking. It is also widely known for hunting, especially of the wild boar, and for sausages and ham made from wild boar and pork. Such products have been named after Norcia; in Italian, they are called norcineria.
Traces of human settlement in Norcia's area date back to the Neolithic Age.
The town's known history begins with settlement by the Sabines in the 5th century BC. It became an ally of ancient Rome in 205 BC, during the Second Punic War, when it was known in Latin as Nursia, but the earliest extant Roman ruins date from around the 1st century.
St. Benedict, the founder of the Benedictine monastic system, and his twin sister St. Scholastica, were born here in 480. In the 8th century, an oratory was built so pilgrims could pray at St. Benedict’s birthplace. Monks came to Norcia in the 10th century. Contemporary monks care for the Monastery of St. Benedict, built over the Roman ruins of the house of Sts. Benedict and Scholastica.
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Wikipedia