Chieti is an ancient and medium-sized town (2015 pop. 51,945) on the Pescara River, near the Adriatic Sea, in the Abruzzo region of South Central Italy, 200 km northeast of Rome. It's a commercial and industrial center.
Known as the town of the chamomile for its tranquility, it offers a wide range of monuments, traces of its glorious and articulated past, but also a delicious urban park, two archaeological museums, and scenic views on Pescara valley, Gran Sasso and Majella mountains.
Chieti is the capital of the Province of Chieti. The town lies on a crest along the Pescara River a few kilometers away from the Adriatic Sea, with the Maiella and Gran Sasso mountains in the background. It has a fine Romanesque cathedral (11th century), a 14th-century tower, and a university. The order of the Theatine Brothers (founded 1524) takes its name from the ancient Roman town.
The town is divided into two parts: Chieti Alta (that means “Upper Chieti”) and Chieti Scalo. Chieti Alta is the old hill town, while in Chieti Scalo, there are business activities, factories (items manufactured locally include textiles, clothing, fabricated metals, and construction materials), a station and the local university. In addition there also interesting little rural frazioni, such as Brecciarola.
The climate is genuinely Mediterranean, with influxes from Adriatic Sea (which is 10 km far from the town) and from Majella massif (about 25-30 km), moderate temperatures, and small daily temperature variations. The hottest month is July, while the coldest one is January. In winter the weather can get unusually hot due to foehn winds from the southeast, while winds from the northeast can bring intense snowfalls, with the snow depth that can reach one meter. In summer due to the African anticyclone the daily temperature can exceed 35 °C (95 °F), accompanied by high humidity. Thanks to its exposition, Chieti is among the windiest Italian towns, so summer and spring temperatures are mitigated. The thunderstorms can be vigorous, because the precipitations are relatively consistent and concentrated in few days of the year, especially in winter and autumn.
Quartiere Santa Maria
Also called Trivigliano, it developed with the arrival of Longobards. It occupies the north-east areas of Chieti Alta, included between Largo Santa Maria, Largo Sant'Agata, via Toppi, viale Agostiniani, via Porta Pescara, via Gagliani. Of particular interest are the former convent dedicated to Saint Mary (now barracks), Sant'Agostino church, Sant'Agata church, De Pasquale Palace, Zambra Palace, San Raffaele church, Porta Pescara (which was part of the demolished Chieti's defensive system), and Toppi Palace with its tower
Quartiere San Giustino
Developed around the Cathedral, it includes a large square, part of Corso Marrucino (the main street), the Archbishop's palace, Hernici Palace, via Pollione, and part of via Arniense.
Quartiere San Gaetano
Small neighbourhood located to the east, which includes Largo Barbella, via Marco Vezio Marcello, Largo San Gaetano. It is characterized by Late Middle Ages traits, with small houses close together and 18th-century palaces, surrounding San Gaetano church.
Quartiere San Paolo
Also called Pallonetto, it is located in correspondence to the Longobards' castellum and to the Roman forum, but its aspect has been extensively changed in the 1930s, when the Medieval houses were demolished to build new constructions, like the post office and the De Meis library. In addition to the Roman temples, which were used as a church until 1927, it is worth of mention Fasoli palace.
Quartiere Fiera or Civitella
It is the highest and westernmost part of Chieti Alta, where there is the Roman amphitheater. It still presents the Roman urban principles, with via Ravizza as the Decumanus Maximus and via Napoli and via Smeraldo Zecca as the Cardo maximus. In the Middle Ages, it was used as a cemetery and as a water source, while the Roman architectures were used as building materials sources. The first important architecture in this period were a convent of the Celestines and Porta Napoli. In the 1920s the Medieval houses built on the Roman theater were demolished, and more recently also the Roman amphitheater has been restored. In addition to the Roman architectures, today the neighborhood includes Santa Maria in Civitellis church, Trinità church, Lepri Palace, Filippo Masci high school, La Civitella museum.
Quartiere Terranova
Developed after the period of Longobards, it includes via Arniense, northern part of via Paradiso zone, which is close to Santa Chiara church. The main streets are via Sette Dolori, via Paradiso, Piazza Malta, via Sant'Eligio, via Giuseppe Mezzanotte.
Quartiere Porta Monacisca
Located to the south-east of Chieti Alta, it was founded by Longobards together with the small Mater Domini church, destroyed and rebuilt after the World War II. It includes via Materdomini, via Principessa di Piemonte, via Porta Monacisca, Largo Cremonese, Piazza De Laurentiis, via Cesare De Lollis. It is one of the best preserved neighborhoods, so it presents a lot of monuments, such as the old theater (today called Venetians' Palace), Principessa di Piemonte kindergarten, the former Capuchins' convent, Massangioli Palace, De Sanctis-Ricciardone Palace. However other architectures have been demolished, such as Porta San Giovanni, of which only a basement remains, and an important church, which has been replaced by Marrucino Theater.
Porta Sant'Anna or Piano Sant'Angelo
Founded by Longobards, today it includes Piazza Matteotti, Largo Addolorata, Piazza Garibaldi, via Camillo de Attiliis, via Sant'Eligio, via San Michele, via Nicola da Guardiagrele, via San Giovanni. Even if there are many modern constructions, the urban structure is still partly Medieval, with the most important monuments being Sant'Antonio Abate church, San Giovanni dei Cappuccini church, Sette Dolori church, Santa Maria Maddalena church, and Spinucci barracks.
Traces of Paleolithic settlements dating back to 850,000 – 400,000 years ago were found at Madonna del Freddo's fluvial terraces, while Chieti's hill has been inhabited since 5000 BC.
The town occupies the site of the Roman Teate Marrucinorum, which became the chief town of the Marrucini after the construction of Via Valeria, and of which ruins remain. It was part of the Italic League during the Social Wars, then it was erected municipium in the 1st century BC. During the Roman Empire, it flourished, with the emergence of important families and monumental buildings, but then it was sacked and almost destroyed by Germanic peoples.
Chieti was part of the duchy of Benevento (7th century) under the Longobards, who made it the seat of a powerful county, fell to the Normans (1078), and thereafter belonged to the kingdom of Naples. In 16th century Chieti hosted important archbishops, like the future Pope Paul IV. The 17th century was a period of economic stagnation, but some churches were extensively renovated thanks to the convents. In the 18th century Chieti flourished again under the House of Bourbons, and was enriched with a great number of palaces.
The 19th century was the period of the Italian Unification and of great technological innovations, such as a new aqueduct and the railway station. During World War II, it was declared an open city (like Rome), and was not extensively bombed, so it welcomed many refugees from the near towns and villages.
Chieti has no airport, but is about 12 kilometers from Abruzzo Airport
Chieti, specifically Chieti Scalo, is crossed by the Rome–Sulmona–Pescara railway, and has two railway stations.
You can use the Chieti's public bus and trolleybus system, provided by Società Unica Abruzzese di Trasporto and La Panoramica, but you can also visit the town center by foot, because it is small and there are many restricted traffic areas, such as the main street (Corso Marrucino) and the urban park (Villa Frigerj). It can be difficult to visit the town center by car due to the traffic limitations and the limited number of parking lots.
There are some archeological ruins of ancient Teate Marrucinorum, including a theatre, an amphitheatre, thermae and a temple (which was used as a church with the name of SS. Pietro e Paolo). However people are rarely allowed to see also the interior spaces of these monuments.
Under the church of SS. Pietro e Paolo and the adjoining houses are extensive substructures (in opus reticulatum and brickwork) of the 1st century CE, belonging to a building erected by M. Vectius Marcellus (probably mentioned by Pliny, H.N., II., 199) and Helvidia Priscilla. There are also remains of large reservoirs and of an ancient theatre. New excavations are under way on the site of the former Campo Sportivo.
The ideal place for shopping and visiting the authentic character of the town is the town center, in particular Corso Marrucino.
Among the local plates there are sagne a pezze, tajarìll fasciule e cotiche, 'ngrecciata , pallotte cace e ove.
The chances of your experiencing an act of violence in Chieti are among the lowest in the nation, so using common sense is more than adequate. The main natural hazards are earthquakes (the risk is moderate), floods (in some areas in close proximity to Pescara River), landslides and wildfires (especially in some areas surrounding the town center).
It is important to follow all the street rules walking or driving, and, in the town center, respect the restricted traffic areas, in which only the residents are permitted to enter by car.
If you need to contact the emergency services, call 112 (police), 118 (ambulance) or 115 (firefighters).
The climate is Mediterranean, with hot summers and sometimes consistent snowfall in the winter, so be prepared.
The most important hospitals in Chieti are:
2nd-order administrative division
Primary administrative division