From top left, anti-clockwise: view of Terni; City Council Hall; Terni Cathedral; Relics of Saint Valentine; Piazza Tacito; and Marmore Waterfalls. In the middle: Anfiteatro Fausto.
The Latin name means "between-two-rivers", in reference to its location on the confluence of the Nera river (Ancient UmbrianNahar,Latin:Nār, Nahar) and the Serra stream. When disambiguation was needed, it was referred to asInteramna Nahars.[3] Its inhabitants were known in Latin asInteramnātēs Na(ha)rtēs.[4]
Interamna was founded as an Ancient Roman town, albeit settlements in the Terni area well precede this occurrence. During the 19th century, steel mills were introduced and led the city to have a role in theSecond Industrial Revolution in Italy. Because of its industrial importance, the city was heavily bombed duringWorld War II by theAllies. It remains an industrial hub and has been nicknamed "The Steel City".
Terni is also known as the "City of Lovers", as its patron saint,Saint Valentine, was born and became a bishop here, and the remains are preserved in the basilica-sanctuary in his honour.
The city was founded around the 7th century BC by theUmbriansNahartes, in a territory inhabited (as testified by archaeological excavations) as early as theBronze Age. TheIguvine Tablets describe theseNahartes as a strong, numerous people and as the most important enemy of the Umbrian people ofGubbio (Iguvium). In the 3rd century BC, Terni was conquered by theRomans and soon became an importantmunicipium lying on theVia Flaminia and known under the nameInteramna, meaning "between-two-rivers".
In 271 BC the Roman consulManius Curius Dentatus ordered the construction of a canal (the Curiano Trench) to divert the water from the marshes in theRieti Valley and from Lake Velino over the natural cliff atMarmore, creating the waterfall. This caused flooding in the valley around Terni below. For a long time this became the cause of interminable quarrels between the cities ofRieti and Terni. The issue was so contentious between the two cities that the Roman Senate was forced to address it in 54 BC.Aulus Pompeius represented Terni, andCicero represented Rieti. TheSenate did nothing about the problem, and the problem remained the same for centuries.
After theLombard conquest in 755, Terni lost prominence when it was reduced to a secondary town in theDuchy of Spoleto. In 1174, it was sacked byFrederick Barbarossa's general, ArchbishopChristian of Mainz. In the following century, Terni was one of the sites visited frequently bySt. Francis to give sermons.
In the 14th century Terni issued its own constitution, and from 1353 the walls were enlarged, and new channels were opened. As with many of the Italian communes of the Late Middle Ages, it was beset by civil unrest between the partisans of theGuelphs and Ghibellines, and later between theNobili andBanderari (Terni's bourgeoisie). It later joined thePapal States. In 1580, anironwork, the Ferriera, was introduced to work the iron ore mined inMonteleone di Spoleto, starting the traditional industrial connotation of the city. In the 17th century, however, the population of Terni declined further due to plagues and famines.
In the 19th century, Terni took advantage of theIndustrial Revolution and of plentiful water sources in the area. New industries included a steelworks, afoundry, as well as weapons,jute and wool factories. In 1927, Terni became capital of the province.
The presence of important industries made the city a favorite target for the Allied bombardments inWorld War II. On August 11, 1943, a raid by 44USAAF bombers, which dropped 213 tons of bombs, devastated the city, killing 564 people. It was the first of the 57 airstrikes that destroyed or damaged 40% of Terni's buildings and killed 1,018 civilians. Despite this, industrial environment increased quickly after the war.[5][6][7][8]
The city has three important industrial hubs: the first one is theStainless Steel Area, called AST (part of the groupThyssenKrupp) and is a wide area located in the east part of Terni. West of the town, there is a second industrial hub, known as "Area Polymer", with four different chemical multinational industries. The third industrial hub is Italeaf, which controls TerniEnergia, a company listed on STAR segment ofBorsa Italiana, that is active in the renewable energy sector, and promotes and develops technological start-ups in thecleantech sector.
Terni railway station is part of theAncona–Orte railway, and is also ajunction station for two secondary lines, theTerni–Sulmona railway (which links Terni withL'Aquila) and theTerni–Sansepolcro railway (FCU) (which servesPerugia). One of the most important national freight stations is located nearby.The local urban and suburban transport service, ATC, runs 90 bus lines. In the north of the city (Colleluna zone), there are works in progress on the line from Perugia to enable it to be used as aLight rail line.
Terni Cathedral (Duomo,Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta) (17th century). Built over one of the most ancient Christian edifices of the city, it has todayBaroque lines. In the interior is one organ designed byGian Lorenzo Bernini. The belfry is from the 18th century. The façade has two mediaeval gates: one of them has the profile of a sabot once used to measure the citizen's shoes in order to ensure that they did not exceed a fixed limit of decency.
Cascata delle Marmore: a 165-metre-high (541-foot) Roman-era waterfall nearby, at the confluence of theVelino andNera Rivers; it is the tallest man-made waterfall in the world.
House ofCastelli: first important family native of Terni of Germanic lineage. In the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque and 18th century was an active family both in their city than in others.
House ofSpada: Central Italy's very important family, native of Terni. In middle age, Renaissance, Baroque and 18th century was an active family both in their city than in others.
House ofCamporeali: Terni's very important family. In the Middle Ages and Renaissance was an active family both in their city than in others.
House ofCittadini: Central Italy's very important family, native of Terni, of Germanic lineage. In the Middle Ages and Renaissance was an active family both in their city than in others.
House ofManassei: Central Italy's very important family, native of Terni, of Germanic lineage. In the Middle Ages and Renaissance was an active family both in their city than in others.
House ofMazzancolli: Terni's very important family. In the Renaissance, Baroque and 18th century was an active family both in their city than in others.
House ofTomassoni: Terni's very important family. In the Renaissance, Baroque and 18th century was an active family both in their city than in others.
House ofCiancherotti: Terni's very important family. In the Renaissance, Baroque and 18th century was an active family both in their city than in others.
House ofNicoletti: Terni's very important family. In the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque and 18th century was an active family both in their city than in others.
Andrea Castelli da Terni (14th-15th century):condottiere and hero of the city-state of Terni. He was also apodestà and a politician.
Alessandro and Lucantonio Tomassoni da Terni (16th century):condottiere brothers
Anastasio and Stefano Ciancherotti da Terni (16th-17th century):condottiere brothers
Blessed brother Barnaba Manassei (15th century): his greater fame's title is to have set up the order of Monti di Pietà to remedy the disastrous wear that impoverished families and city-states.
Aminale Lodovico: a militar and adventurer who fought with other twelve Italian knights in theChallenge of Barletta (1503) against the French
Sir Cittadini (the Dragon Slayer): legendary hero of the city of Terni. He is the one who will free his city from the slavery of a dragon of the swamps.
Elia Rossi Passavanti political and military, then mayor of the city of Terni, and local historian, one of only two Italians to be decorated with theMedal of Military Valor in both the First and Second World Wars
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