Lamezia Terme | ||
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Comune | ||
Città di Lamezia Terme | ||
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Location of Lamezia Terme in Italy | ||
Coordinates: 38°58′N 16°18′E / 38.967°N 16.300°E | ||
Country | Italy | |
Region | Calabria | |
Province | Catanzaro (CZ) | |
Frazioni | Acquadauzano, Acquafredda, Annunziata, Bucolia, Cantarelle, Caronte, Crozzano, Fronti, Gabella, Miglierina, Mitoio, Piano Luppino, San Minà, San Pietro Lametino, Sant'Eufemia Vetere, Santa Maria, Serra, Serra Castagna, Telara, Vallericciardo, Vonio, Zangarona | |
Government | ||
• Mayor | Paolo Mascaro (since (16 June 2015) | |
Area | ||
• Total | 162.43 km2 (62.71 sq mi) | |
Elevation | 216 m (709 ft) | |
Population (31-03-2016) | ||
• Total | 70,699 | |
• Density | 440/km2 (1,100/sq mi) | |
Demonym(s) | lametini | |
Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |
• Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | |
Postal code | 88046 | |
Dialing code | 0968 | |
Patron saint | St. Peters and Paul | |
Saint day | 29 June | |
Website | Official website |
Lamezia Terme [laˈmetsja ˈtɛrme], commonly called Lamezia, is an Italian city and comune of 70,452 inhabitants (2013) in the province of Catanzaro in the Calabria region.
Lamezia is located on the eastern border of the coastal plain commonly called Piana di Sant'Eufemia, which was created by drying a wide marshy area.
The municipality borders with Conflenti, Curinga, Falerna, Feroleto Antico, Gizzeria, Maida, Martirano Lombardo, Nocera Terinese, Platania, San Pietro a Maida and Serrastretta.
The municipality of Lamezia Terme was formally created on 4 January 1968. Its territory includes those of the former municipalities of Nicastro, Sambiase and Sant'Eufemia Lamezia.
Nicastro's origins trace back to the 9th century, when Calabria was part of the Byzantine Empire, when a fortress called Neo Castrum ("New Castle") was created. A great Benedictine abbey, St. Eufemia, was founded here in 1062 by the Norman count Robert Guiscard. It was for a long time a fief of the Caracciolo family and, later, to the D'Aquino. The city was nearly destroyed after an earthquake in 1638 (more than 100 inhabitants died), and the abbey was turned into ruin. The castle, built by the Normans and enlarged by Emperor Frederick II and the Angevine kings, crumbled down. Floods and a further earthquake followed in the 18th century.