Muro Lucano

Muro Lucano is a city and comune in the province of Potenza, in the region of Basilicata, southern Italy. History The city is situated on the site of the ancient Numistri, at the foot of the Apennines, the scene of a battle between Hannibal and Marcellus in the second Punic war. Main sights The city has a cathedral; and it was in its castle that Queen Joan of Naples was murdered on the orders of her adopted son Charles III of Naples. Geography Overview The city of Muro Lucano is composed of the old city and the surrounding quarters of Cappuccini to the north, and Giardini (meaning gardens) to the south. It is 51 kilometres (32 mi) from Potenza, the chief city of the province. Muro Lucano rises 650 metres (2,130 ft) above sea level, occupies a surface area of 125.7 square kilometres (48.5 sq mi) and in 2005 had a population of approximately 6,000. The population, which was over 10,000 in the 1950s, has been shrinking steadily through the years due to social changes, lack of local work and heavy emigration. There are about 2,200 families with an average of close to 2.7 people per family. The territory of the municipality lies between 300 and 1,450 metres (980 and 4,760 ft) above sea level. The city lies on a slope over the Muro ravine, with picturesque houses built on terraces. The name of the city comes from the medieval wall (in Italian muro) that surrounded the medieval centre. Dialect The city's dialect is called Murese. This dialect is exclusive to the city and is often unintelligible to Italian speakers. It is believed to have originated from the Oscan language. Notable people Anne Bancroft - actress Salvatore Capezio - shoemaker Ron Galella - paparazzo Joan I of Naples - queen Antonio Rosario Mennonna - prelate Gerard Majella - catholic saint Joseph Stella - painter Cristian Zaccardo - footballer Twin towns and municipalities Contursi Terme, Italy Karlsfeld, Germany References External links Media related to Muro Lucano at Wikimedia Commons