The name "Foggia" (originallyFocis) probably derives fromLatin "fovea", meaning "pit", referring to the pits where wheat was stored. The name's etymology remains uncertain however, as it could as well stem from "Phocaea", or possibly probably from theMedieval Greek word for "fire", which is "fotia", as according to legend the original settlers of the 11th century AD were peasants, allegedly after having [miraculously] discovered there a panel portraying theMadonna Nicopeia, on which three flames burnt.[citation needed]
The area had been settled sinceNeolithic times,[5][6] and later on aDaunian settlement known asArpi (in GreekArgos Hippium orἈργόριππα) existed nearby, close to present-dayArpinova [it].[7] It was the largest city in ancientDaunia. An anachronistic legend reported byPliny claimed that the Daunian city had been founded byDiomedes following theTrojan War.
However the first document attesting to the existence of the modern city dates to 1100, in the papal bull ofPope Paschal II which mentions the church ofSancta Maria de Focis. The area remained marshy and unhealthy until the late 11th century, whenRobert Guiscard directed draining the wetland, boosting the economic and social growth of the city. The city was the seat ofHenry, Count of Monte Sant'Angelo during the last twenty years of the 11th century. In the 12th century,William II of Sicily built a cathedral here and further enlarged the settlement.
Frederick II had a palace built in Foggia in 1223, in which he often sojourned. He elected the city "Regalis Sedes Inclita Imperialis", the preferred seat of the Empire, as we can now read on the entrance epigraph of the remains of the imperial palace. It was also seat of his court and astudium, including notable figures such as the mathematician and scholarMichael Scot, but little of it remains now. In 1447, KingAlfonso V of Aragon built a Custom Palace to tax the local sheep farmers. This caused a decline of the local economy and the progressive ruin of the land, which again became marshy. In1456, an earthquake struck Foggia, followed by others in 1534,1627 and 1731, the last destroying one third of the city. TheHouse of Bourbon promoted a certain economic growth by boosting the cereal agriculture of Capitanata and rebuilding much of the settlement.
In the 19th century, Foggia received a railway station and important public monuments. The citizens also took part in the riots which led to theannexation to Italy in 1861. By 1865, there was a definitive shift from the custom of sheep farming in favour of an agricultural economy.
The historical lack of water resources was solved with the construction of theApulian aqueduct in 1924, when Foggia was already an important hub between northern and southern Italy.
During World War II, Foggia washeavily bombed by the Allied air forces for its important airfields and marshalling yards. On 22 July 1943, Foggia was bombed by over 100B-17 Flying Fortresses. The city was devastated, and 7,643 residents were killed and over 700 injured. On 19 August 1943, Foggia's marshalling yards were bombed by 233B-17s andB-24 Liberators – obliterating what was left of the city and killing another 9,581.[8][9]
After thearmistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943, the town was briefly occupied by German troops inOperation Achse. There was some fighting there during theAllied invasion of Italy. In response to the Allied advance towards them, the German troops occupying Foggia abandoned the city on the 27th of September. By the 1st of October British troops had successfully occupied the city. In order to clear the Germans from the hills north and west of the Fogia plain and to reach the Vinchiaturo-Termoli road near the Biferno River, Britain'sGeneral Montgomery sent hisBritish XIII Corps beyond Foggia on a two division drive, the78th Division (sometimes known as "the Battle Axe division"[10]) moved on the coastal road toTermoli and the1st Canadian Division struck inland through the mountains. British V Corps followed, protecting the west flank and the rear. The German 1st parachute division had largely withdrawn to the Biferno River nearTermoli and dug in. Based out of Foggia, the British launchedOperation Devon and succeeded in dislodging the Nazi German forces fromTermoli.[11] TheFoggia airfields[12] were subsequently used by Allied fighter and bomber formations until the end of the war, mainly from the American15th but also from the12th Air Force, theRoyal Air Force and theSouth African Air Force.
In 1959 and 2006, Foggia received, respectively, the gold medal for Civil and Military value for its role in World War II.
Foggia has a dry summer,Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classificationCsa), although it has somesemi-arid climate (BSk), or steppe, influence, due to low precipitation (annually not much higher than the threshold for semi-arid climate). Winter days are generally between 11 and 13 °C but can be as cool as single figures. Low temperatures are generally above freezing, but frosts are experienced a handful of times a year. Summers are very hot, with temperatures in July and August often reaching 33–38 °C (91–100 °F). Temperatures exceed 40 °C (104 °F) a handful of times a decade. Extremes are −10.4 °C (13 °F) on 8 January 1985 and 47 °C (117 °F) - the highest temperature recorded in Italy and one of the highest recorded in Europe - on 25 June 2007.[13][14]
Climate data for Foggia (Amendola Air Base) (1991–2020 normals, Extremes 1980–2020)
Thecathedral ofSanta Maria de Fovea, probably erected about 1179,[18] which is directly linked with the patron saint "Madonna dei Sette Veli" (Madonna of the Seven Veils). This site has two levels of architectural style: the lower part isRomanesque, as with many Apulian churches; the upper part is a remarkable example of Baroque. The upper part was reconstructed after a 1731 earthquake that destroyed a great part of the historical centre.
Palazzo Dogana, the historical seat of the sheep custom. In July 2013 this Palace was elected byUNESCO as "Messenger Monument of the Culture of Peace" for its role in the cultural exchanges during centuries.[citation needed]
It is a communication and industrial center and the main wheat market of Southern Italy. Foggia is famous for its watermelons and tomatoes.[19]
Although less important than once before, the agricultural sector remains the mainstay of Foggia's economy. This area is nicknamed the "granary of Italy". The few industries present are mostly devoted to food processing. Craftsmanship is also encouraged and developed.
^Hamilton, Sue; Whitehouse, Ruth (2020).Neolithic Spaces, Volume 1: Social and Sensory Landscapes of the First Farmers of Italy. Accordia Specialist Studies on Italy, 19.i (!st ed.). London: Accordia Research Institute.ISBN978-1-873415-41-2.
^SEAGER THOMAS, Mike (2020).Neolithic Soaces, Volume 2: The Bradford Archive of Aerial Photographs. Accordia Specialist Studies on Italy, 19.ii (1st ed.). London: Accordia Research Institute.ISBN978-1-873415-42-9.
^SEAGER THOMAS, Mike (2023).Characterising and Dating Puglian Oppida: Field-Walking at Arpi, Masseria Finizo, Ordona and Tiati. Artefact Services Technical Reports, 31. Lewes: Artefact Services.doi:10.5281/zenodo.10940583.
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