Boscotrecase
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Boscotrecase (; ; "Three-House Grove") is a town and
municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...
of 9,790 inhabitants in the
metropolitan city of Naples The Metropolitan City of Naples () is a Metropolitan cities of Italy, metropolitan city in the Campania region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Naples. The province was established on 1 January 2015 and contains 92 ''comuni'' (: ''comune''). ...
in
Campania Campania is an administrative Regions of Italy, region of Italy located in Southern Italy; most of it is in the south-western portion of the Italian Peninsula (with the Tyrrhenian Sea to its west), but it also includes the small Phlegraean Islan ...
,
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
. Before the eruption of
Mount Vesuvius Mount Vesuvius ( ) is a Somma volcano, somma–stratovolcano located on the Gulf of Naples in Campania, Italy, about east of Naples and a short distance from the shore. It is one of several volcanoes forming the Campanian volcanic arc. Vesuv ...
in 79 AD, Boscotrecase was home to Roman villas, such as the Villa of Agrippa Postumus. In 1337, three monasteries were founded in the area, which led to the formation of the town. Through the centuries, multiple feudal lords oversaw the town. In the late 19th Century, the town suffered from
brigand Brigandage is the life and practice of highway robbery and plunder. It is practiced by a brigand, a person who is typically part of a gang and lives by pillage and robbery.Oxford English Dictionary second edition, 1989. "Brigand.2" first record ...
s. Lava flows from Mount Vesuvius almost destroyed the town in 1906. Lying below
Vesuvius National Park Vesuvius National Park () is an Italian national park centered on the active volcano Vesuvius, southeast from Naples. The park was founded on June 5, 1995, and covers an area of around 135 square kilometers all located within the Province of Nap ...
, it enjoys a view over the entire
gulf of Naples The Gulf of Naples (), also called the Bay of Naples, is a roughly 15-kilometer-wide (9.3 mi) gulf located along the south-western coast of Italy (Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania region). It opens to the west into the Mediterranean ...
. The area above the town has vineyards which produce
Lacryma Christi or Lachryma Christi of Vesuvius is a Neapolitan type of wine produced on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius in Campania, Italy. White Lacryma Christi is made mainly from Verdeca and Coda di Volpe grapes, with smaller proportions of Falanghina, Capre ...
wine. Tourism and artisanal crafts such as
stonework Stonemasonry or stonecraft is the creation of buildings, structures, and sculpture using rock (geology), stone as the primary material. Stonemasonry is the craft of shaping and arranging stones, often together with Mortar (masonry), mortar ...
and
barrel A barrel or cask is a hollow cylindrical container with a bulging center, longer than it is wide. They are traditionally made of wooden stave (wood), staves and bound by wooden or metal hoops. The word vat is often used for large containers ...
-making also contribute to the economy of the town.


History


Roman times

In
Roman times In modern historiography, ancient Rome is the Roman civilisation from the founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingd ...
, the entire wooded area took the name of Pagus Felix Suburbanus in honor of
Lucius Cornelius Sulla Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix (, ; 138–78 BC), commonly known as Sulla, was a Roman people, Roman general and statesman of the late Roman Republic. A great commander and ruthless politician, Sulla used violence to advance his career and his co ...
, who was known as Felix. Under
Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...
, the area was called Pagus Augustus Felix Suburbanus. The area attracted the construction of vacation villas for Romans. The Villa of Agrippa Postumus is an important archeological site, buried by the
Eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD In 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius, a stratovolcano located in the modern-day region of Campania, erupted, causing List of volcanic eruptions by death toll, one of the deadliest eruptions in history. Vesuvius violently ejected a Eruption column, cloud of ...
, discovered in 1903. Agrippa Postumus was the son of
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa (; BC – 12 BC) was a Roman general, statesman and architect who was a close friend, son-in-law and lieutenant to the Roman emperor Augustus. Agrippa is well known for his important military victories, notably the B ...
and
Julia the Elder Julia the Elder (30 October 39 BC – AD 14), known to her contemporaries as Julia Caesaris filia or Julia Augusti filia (Classical Latin: IVLIA•CAESARIS•FILIA or IVLIA•AVGVSTI•FILIA), was the daughter and only biological child of Augustu ...
, daughter of
Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...
. Archeological work on the site was interrupted by the 1906 eruption of Vesuvius, which reburied much of the site. The villa contained numerous frescoes of the third Pompeian style. Boscotrecase is home to other Roman archaeological sites. In 1770 and 1774, a number of gold and silver coins and some bronze statues were discovered, which are now kept in the Royal Museum of Portici. In 1899, a villa belonging to L. Arelli Successi was unearthed, which contained tombs, Christian lamps, remains of an aqueduct, and a wine cellar.


The Middle Ages

Following the eruption of 79 AD, the area was abandoned for a long time. A thick forest grew, and the area was known as ("bad forest"). Around the year 1000, the area was part of the fiefdom of the Baron of
Ottaviano Ottaviano (; known until 1933 as Ottaiano in Italian) is a (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Naples in the Italian region of Campania, located about east of Naples and is located in the Vesuvian Area. Ottaviano was in Roman times a h ...
, who may have built a church dedicated to
San Gennaro Januarius ( ; ; Neapolitan and ), also known as , was Bishop of Benevento and is a martyr and saint of the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, and Armenian Apostolic Church. While no contemporary sources on his life are preserved, later ...
. In the first half of the 1200s,
Frederick II of Swabia Frederick II (, 1090 – 6 April 1147), called the One-Eyed (), was Duke of Swabia from 1105 until his death, the second from the Hohenstaufen dynasty. His younger brother Conrad was elected King of the Romans in 1138. Life Early career Fr ...
detached the area from the Barony of Ottaviano, in order to use it as a personal hunting reserve. After Frederick, the area returned to the Barony, but was re-detached in 28 March 1337 by
Robert of Anjou Robert of Anjou (), known as Robert the Wise (; 1276 – 20 January 1343), was King of Naples, titular King of Jerusalem and Count of Provence and Forcalquier from 1309 to 1343, the central figure of Italian politics of his time. He was the thir ...
, who donated it to three
convent A convent is an enclosed community of monks, nuns, friars or religious sisters. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The term is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...
s, including one dedicated to
Santa Maria Maddalena The Santa Maria Maddalena is a Roman Catholic, Catholic church in Rome, Italy dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene. It is the conventual church of the adjacent General Curia of the Clerks Regular, Ministers to the Sick (Camillians), the world headqu ...
, founded by his wife
Sancia of Majorca Sancia of Majorca (c. 1281 – 28 July 1345), also known as Sancha, was Queen of Naples from 1309 until 1343 as the wife of Robert the Wise. She served as regent of Naples during the minority of her stepgrandaughter, Joanna I of Naples, from 1343 ...
.
Joanna I of Naples Joanna I, also known as Johanna I (; December 1325 – 27 July 1382), was Queen of Naples, and Countess of Provence and Forcalquier from 1343 to 1381; she was also Princess of Achaea from 1373 to 1381. Joanna was the eldest daughter of C ...
later confirmed the transfer, after her grandfather Robert's death. Because of the three convents, the area became known as ("Woods of the Three Houses"), which over time was changed to "Boscotrecase". Between the 14th and 15th Centuries,
Raimondo Orsini del Balzo Raimondo Orsini del Balzo (also known as ''Raimondello''; 1350–55 – 17 January 1406) was a nobleman from the Kingdom of Naples. He was Count of Soleto (1382), Prince of Taranto (1399–1406), Duke of Bari, Grand Constable of the Kingdom of N ...
, Count of
Nola Nola is a town and a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania, southern Italy. It lies on the plain between Mount Vesuvius and the Apennines. It is traditionally credited as the diocese that introduced bells to Christian worship. ...
, built various watchtowers in the area to defend the territory against pirate raids. One of these towers still stands, surviving centuries of eruptions and earthquakes caused by Vesuvius.


16th through 18th Centuries

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the population of Boscotrecase increased and the first districts of Oratorio and Annuziatella were formed. Oratorio takes its name from an oratory dedicated to the
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Nativity of Mary, Marymas or the Birth of the Virgin Mary, refers to a Christian feast day celebrating the birth of Mary, mother of Jesus. The modern Biblical canon does not record Mary's birth. The ...
. Annuziatella takes its name from a chapel dedicated to the
Annunciation The Annunciation (; ; also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Annunciation of Our Lady, or the Annunciation of the Lord; ) is, according to the Gospel of Luke, the announcement made by the archangel Gabriel to Ma ...
, which was run by the
Celestines The Celestines were a Roman Catholic monastic order, a branch of the Benedictines, founded in 1244. At the foundation of the new rule, they were called Hermits of St Damiano, or Moronites (or Murronites), and did not assume the appellation of Ce ...
until 1807. Annuziatella became a
parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...
church in 1668, named Ave Gratia Plena.
Philip III of Spain Philip III (; 14 April 1578 – 31 March 1621) was King of Spain and King of Portugal, Portugal (where he is known as Philip II of Portugal) during the Iberian Union. His reign lasted from 1598 until his death in 1621. He held dominion over the S ...
ceded Boscotrecase to Marco Antonio Jodice of Genoa, as payment for debts. The Viceroy Count of Lemos then gave the area to Giovanni
Piccolomini The House of Piccolomini (pronounced ) is the name of an Italian noble family, Patricians of Siena, who were prominent from the beginning of the 13th century until the 18th century. The family achieved the recognized titles of Pope of the Catho ...
. By 1600, the population of Boscotrecase exceeded 7000: the existing parish churches could not accommodate this large population. Citizens pushed the Curia of Naples to build 3 new churches: the Church of Sant' Anna in Oratorio, the Ave Gratia Plena in Annuziatella, and the Church of the Holy Spirit in the Terra Vecchia district. Only the Ave Gratia Plena was independent from the municipality of Boscotrecase. The request was approved by Cardinal Innico Caracciolo. Copious donations from the nobles of the town allowed the three parishes to grow and beautify over the years. In 1696, a dispute over land boundaries arose between the three
monasteries A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone ( hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which m ...
that owned .
Giacomo Cantelmo Giacomo Cantelmo (13 June 1645 – 11 December 1702) was a Roman Catholic cardinal from 1690 to 1702. Biography Giacomo Cantelmo was born in Naples on 13 June 1645, the son of Fabrizio Cantelmo, 5th Duke of Popoli and prince of Pettorano, and ...
formed a commission; including experts from
Santa Chiara, Naples Santa Chiara is a religious complex in Naples, Italy, that includes the church of Santa Chiara, a monastery, tombs and an archeological museum. The basilica church of Santa Chiara faces Via Benedetto Croce, which is the easternmost leg of Via Sp ...
; to decide the matter. The commission decided to re-establish the Angevin boundaries of from 1337. The 18th Century was a golden age for Boscotrecase, despite the constant activity of
Mount Vesuvius Mount Vesuvius ( ) is a Somma volcano, somma–stratovolcano located on the Gulf of Naples in Campania, Italy, about east of Naples and a short distance from the shore. It is one of several volcanoes forming the Campanian volcanic arc. Vesuv ...
. The population exceeded 10,000 people, while agriculture, industries, and the economy thrived. Most of the fields in the area were cultivated with
vineyard A vineyard ( , ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines. Many vineyards exist for winemaking; others for the production of raisins, table grapes, and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is kno ...
s and
orchard An orchard is an intentional plantation of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit tree, fruit- or nut (fruit), nut-producing trees that are generally grown for commercial production. Orchards are also so ...
s. After agriculture, the main source of income was
handicraft A handicraft is a traditional main sector of craft making and applies to a wide range of creative and design activities that are related to making things with one's hands and skill, including work with textiles, moldable and rigid material ...
s. The slabs that paved the streets of many cities in the
Kingdom of Naples The Kingdom of Naples (; ; ), officially the Kingdom of Sicily, was a state that ruled the part of the Italian Peninsula south of the Papal States between 1282 and 1816. It was established by the War of the Sicilian Vespers (1282–1302). Until ...
came from Vesuvian stone mined in Boscotrecase. This stone was also used for window sills, thresholds, portals and sculptures.
Stonemason Stonemasonry or stonecraft is the creation of buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone as the primary material. Stonemasonry is the craft of shaping and arranging stones, often together with mortar and even the ancient lime mortar ...
s from Boscotrecase were in demand throughout the Kingdom. Another important craft was the production of
barrel A barrel or cask is a hollow cylindrical container with a bulging center, longer than it is wide. They are traditionally made of wooden stave (wood), staves and bound by wooden or metal hoops. The word vat is often used for large containers ...
s, which continues to this day. Thanks to the wealthy economy, the two parish churches were enlarged and embellished with altars made from
polychrome Polychrome is the "practice of decorating architectural elements, sculpture, etc., in a variety of colors." The term is used to refer to certain styles of architecture, pottery, or sculpture in multiple colors. When looking at artworks and ...
marble and with numerous paintings. The municipality also enlarged the parish church of Sant'Anna. Two
confraternities A confraternity (; ) is generally a Christian voluntary association of laypeople created for the purpose of promoting special works of Christian charity or piety, and approved by the Church hierarchy. They are most common among Catholics, L ...
were established, the
Confraternity of the Rosary The Confraternity of the Holy Rosary is a Catholic Church, Roman Catholic Archconfraternity or spiritual association, under the care and guidance of the Dominican Order. The members of the confraternity strive to pray the entire Rosary, Holy Rosar ...
and the
Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception The Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of the oldest lay apostolates still operating in the Roman Catholic Church, having been part of the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception founde ...
. In 1774, the Chapel of San Gennaro was built by the
Vitelli family The House of Vitelli, among other families so named, were a prominent noble family of Umbria, rulers of Città di Castello and lesser '' rocche''. History In spite of ambitious genealogies, there is no demonstrable connection with the ancient ...
, one of the powerful families in the Vesuvian area. Numerous palaces in the neoclassical style were built along the main streets of the town, including Palazzo Collaro, Palazzo Monticelli, and Villa Rota.


19th Century

On 3 February 1807,
Joseph Bonaparte Joseph Bonaparte (born Giuseppe di Buonaparte, ; ; ; 7 January 176828 July 1844) was a French statesman, lawyer, diplomat and older brother of Napoleon Bonaparte. During the Napoleonic Wars, the latter made him King of Naples (1806–1808), an ...
, king of Naples, suppressed all non-mendicant religious orders, which caused the Celestines to abandon the Church of the Annunziatella. In 1810, the Terra Vecchia district was annexed to the municipality of
Torre Annunziata Torre Annunziata (; ) is a (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Naples, in the Italian region of Campania. It is located on the Gulf of Naples, at the foot of Mount Vesuvius. History The city was destroyed in the Vesuvius eruption of 7 ...
. In that same year, the feudal fief was negated and
Joachim Murat Joachim Murat ( , also ; ; ; 25 March 1767 – 13 October 1815) was a French Army officer and statesman who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Under the French Empire he received the military titles of Marshal of the ...
took the wooded area away from the three monasteries of Naples, dividing the land and selling it to different families. After the
unification of Italy The unification of Italy ( ), also known as the Risorgimento (; ), was the 19th century Political movement, political and social movement that in 1861 ended in the Proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, annexation of List of historic states of ...
, Boscotrecase was plagued by
brigand Brigandage is the life and practice of highway robbery and plunder. It is practiced by a brigand, a person who is typically part of a gang and lives by pillage and robbery.Oxford English Dictionary second edition, 1989. "Brigand.2" first record ...
s, led by Antonio Cozzolino who was also known as "Pilone". The brigands attacks the carriage of Marquis Avitabile, the director of
Banco di Napoli Banco di Napoli S.p.A., among the oldest banks in the world, was an Italian banking subsidiary of Intesa Sanpaolo group, as one of the 6 retail brands other than "Intesa Sanpaolo". It was acquired by the Italian banking group Sanpaolo IMI (the ...
. They extorted 20,000 ducats (equivalent to 70 kg of gold, or 4 million euros at 2023 prices). Tourism increased in importance in the 19th century. In 1894, Gennaro Matrone designed Strada Matrone, a road that leads to the crater of Vesuvius. The building of the road stimulating opening of numerous hotels, restaurants, and campsites. Townspeople earned their living by taking tourists in carriages on the road partway up the volcano. Other people offered to carry tourists on
sedan chair The litter is a class of wheelless vehicles, a type of human-powered transport, for the transport of people. Smaller litters may take the form of open chairs or beds carried by two or more carriers, some being enclosed for protection from the el ...
s all the way to the summit.


The 1906 eruption

After a decade of quiescence, Vesuvius restarted activity at the end of March 1906. On the morning of 6 April, Vesuvius had an
explosive eruption In volcanology, an explosive eruption is a volcanic eruption of the most violent type. A notable example is the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. Such eruptions result when sufficient gas has dissolved under pressure within a Viscosity, viscous ...
which opened several lava vents with -tall fountains of lava. Lava started to flow in a -wide river towards Boscotrecase, and split into two
lava flow Lava is molten or partially molten rock (magma) that has been expelled from the interior of a terrestrial planet (such as Earth) or a Natural satellite, moon onto its surface. Lava may be erupted at a volcano or through a Fissure vent, fractu ...
s: one flowing towards Oratorio, the other towards the Casavitelli district. Residents mostly abandoned Boscotrecase. Some residents formed a long procession and brought the statue of Sant'Anna, the patroness of Bosctrecase, to avert the lava flow. While the Church of Sant'Anna was surrounded by lava, most of Boscotrecase was spared. The flow that aimed at Casavitelli and Annunziatella was diverted by , a valley immediately below town. The flow that aimed at Oratorio stopped at a lava stone quarry. By 15 April, the eruption ended with only 3 dead in Boscotrecase (out of 100 fatalities from the entire eruption). The town carried out another procession of the statue of Sant'Anna to give thanks. A street in Oratorio was named after the Italian VIII Infantry Regiment, who had come to help the population during the eruption.


Recent history

In the years that followed the 1906 eruption, the streets were cleared of lava, and life returned to normal. On 8 November 1913, Cardinal
Giuseppe Antonio Ermenegildo Prisco Giuseppe Antonio Ermenegildo Prisco (8 September 1833 – 4 February 1923) was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who was Archbishop of Naples. Biography Prisco was born in Boscotrecase, near Naples. He was educated at the A ...
consecrated two churches: San Francesco d'Assisinear Piazza Sant'Anna and San Francesco di Sales. On 16 November 1924, a bronze Unknown Soldier statue was erected in Piazza Annuziatella to honor the dead of
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. In 1928, under the fascist government, Boscotrecase and
Boscoreale Boscoreale (; ; "Royal Grove") is an Italian (municipality) and town in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania, with a population of 25,939 in 2022. Located in the Vesuvius National Park, under the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, it is known for th ...
were annexed to the municipality of
Torre Annunziata Torre Annunziata (; ) is a (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Naples, in the Italian region of Campania. It is located on the Gulf of Naples, at the foot of Mount Vesuvius. History The city was destroyed in the Vesuvius eruption of 7 ...
. The two town regained their autonomy on 15 March 1946, under the mayor Nicola Ricciardi. In 1935, the chapel of S.S. Addolorata became a parish church, while the elementary school was started the following year. In 1968, the new parish church of S.S. Addolorata was consecrated. In 1972, a new church of San Francesco di Sales in Casavitelli replaced the old one, which collapsed on 21 February 1974 following a storm. In 1973, a new municipal building was inaugurated. In 1990, the Francesca Library in the church of San of San Francesco d'Assisi opened. In 2008, the Strada Matrone reopened after being closed since the 1980s. In 2010, the new
Circumvesuviana Circumvesuviana () is a railway network in the east of the Naples metropolitan area, operated by Ente Autonomo Volturno, EAV. Electrically powered throughout, the system uses the narrow gauge of and operates of route on six lines. It is ...
train station opened.


Geography

Boscotrecase borders the following municipalities:
Boscoreale Boscoreale (; ; "Royal Grove") is an Italian (municipality) and town in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania, with a population of 25,939 in 2022. Located in the Vesuvius National Park, under the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, it is known for th ...
,
Ercolano Ercolano () is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania of Southern Italy. It lies at the western foot of Mount Vesuvius, on the Bay of Naples, just southeast of the city of Naples. The medieval town of Resina () was bui ...
,
Ottaviano Ottaviano (; known until 1933 as Ottaiano in Italian) is a (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Naples in the Italian region of Campania, located about east of Naples and is located in the Vesuvian Area. Ottaviano was in Roman times a h ...
,
Terzigno Terzigno is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Naples in the Italy, Italian region Campania, located about 20 km east of Naples. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 16,977 and an area of 23.5 km2.All demogr ...
,
Torre Annunziata Torre Annunziata (; ) is a (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Naples, in the Italian region of Campania. It is located on the Gulf of Naples, at the foot of Mount Vesuvius. History The city was destroyed in the Vesuvius eruption of 7 ...
,
Torre del Greco Torre del Greco (; ; "Greek man's Tower") is a ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Naples in Italy, with a population of c. 85,000 . The locals are sometimes called ''Corallini'' because of the once plentiful coral in the nearby sea, and becaus ...
, Trecase. Boscotrecase itself is divided into different districts: * Annunziatella: takes its name from a small chapel dedicated to the Annunciation that already existed in the early seventeenth century. It is still the center of the town, hosting almost all the public buildings and part of the commercial activities. * 'Oratorio: takes its name from an oratory dedicated to the
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Nativity of Mary, Marymas or the Birth of the Virgin Mary, refers to a Christian feast day celebrating the birth of Mary, mother of Jesus. The modern Biblical canon does not record Mary's birth. The ...
, dating back to 1628. The church still exists with the name of
Immaculate Conception The Immaculate Conception is the doctrine that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception. It is one of the four Mariology, Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Debated by medieval theologians, it was not def ...
* Torretta: takes its name from a 14th-century watchtower. The district has been populated since the Second World War, so is the most modern in the town. * Casavitelli: above the town, detached from the centre, takes its name from the Vitelli family, owner of lands where a small inhabited center formed around the chapel dedicated to San Gennaro Boscotrecase lies below
Vesuvius National Park Vesuvius National Park () is an Italian national park centered on the active volcano Vesuvius, southeast from Naples. The park was founded on June 5, 1995, and covers an area of around 135 square kilometers all located within the Province of Nap ...
. The park is characterized by
maritime pine ''Pinus pinaster'', the maritime pine or cluster pine, is a pine native to the south Atlantic Europe region and parts of the western Mediterranean. It is a hard, fast growing pine bearing small seeds with large wings. Description ''Pinus pinast ...
s, prickly pears,
broom A broom (also known as a broomstick) is a cleaning tool, consisting of usually stiff fibers (often made of materials such as plastic, hair, or corn husks) attached to, and roughly parallel to, a cylindrical handle, the broomstick. It is thus a ...
s and numerous types of
orchids Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Earth ...
and
epiphyllum ''Epiphyllum'' (; "upon the leaf" in Greek) is a genus of epiphytic plants in the cactus family (Cactaceae), native to Central America and South America. Common names for these species include climbing cacti, orchid cacti and leaf cacti, thoug ...
which grow among grayish lava stones. Both the upper part of the town and the park support
vineyard A vineyard ( , ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines. Many vineyards exist for winemaking; others for the production of raisins, table grapes, and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is kno ...
s.


Demographics

According to
ISTAT The Italian National Institute of Statistics (; Istat) is the primary source of official statistics in Italy. The institute conducts a variety of activities, including the census of population, economic censuses, and numerous social, economic, a ...
, as of 31 December 2018, 289 foreign citizens residing in Boscotrecase, corresponding to 2.8% of the population. The most represented nationalities were:


Economy

As in the past, the main economic activities involve
agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...
,
wine production Wine is an alcoholic drink made from fermented fruit. Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made from grapes, and the term "wine" generally refers ...
, and artisanal
food processing Food processing is the transformation of agricultural products into food, or of one form of food into other forms. Food processing takes many forms, from grinding grain into raw flour, home cooking, and complex industrial methods used in the mak ...
. Several wineries produce the well-known
Lacryma Christi or Lachryma Christi of Vesuvius is a Neapolitan type of wine produced on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius in Campania, Italy. White Lacryma Christi is made mainly from Verdeca and Coda di Volpe grapes, with smaller proportions of Falanghina, Capre ...
wine. Other important activities include the artistic processing of lava stone and the artisan production of barrels. Barrel production is experiencing a period of low demand, which has led to the closure of some factories. In the recent past, the tourism sector has become important. There are many restaurants and hotels on the slope of Vesuvius above town.


Governance

The municipality has been governed by a different officials: either a mayor or a commissioner.


Culture

;Theatre * Archbishop Giuseppe Foglia parish theatre ;Cinema Boscotrecase served as a filming location for
Two Cents Worth of Hope ''Two Cents Worth of Hope'' () is a 1952 film directed by Renato Castellani. It is the third part of Castellani's ''Young Love'' trilogy, following '' Sotto il sole di Roma'' (1948) and '' È primavera...''(1950). It shared the Grand Prix prize ...
, a 1952 movie that won the
Palme d'Or The (; ) is the highest prize awarded to the director of the Best Feature Film of the Official Competition at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festiv ...
at the
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world. Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...
. In the firm, the town took the name "Cusano". Many townspeople took part in the film. The Church of the Annunziatella, the former train station, and the country above the town appeared in the film. ;Art The frescoes found in the Villa of Agrippa Postumus are exhibited at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples and at the
Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an Encyclopedic museum, encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the List of largest museums, third-largest museum in the world and the List of larg ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. Other objects, found in other excavation areas, are kept in the Museums of the Palace of Portici. Two paintings from 1749 by the Neapolitan painter Nicola Cacciapuoti are kept in the sacristy of the Ave Gratia Plena church. The artist
Alberto Chiancone Alberto Chiancone (26 December 19041988) was an Italian painter. Biography He was born in Porto Santo Stefano in Tuscany to a family from Naples. They moved back to Naples when he was an adolescent. He enrolled at the Regio Istituto d’Arte, work ...
depicted farmhouses, countryside, and landscapes of the town in his paintings.


Monuments and places of interest


Religious architecture

;Catholic churches * Church of Ave Gratia Plena (also known as L'Annunziatella ) * Church of Sant'Anna * Palatine Chapel of San Gennaro *
Congregation of the Immaculate Conception There are a number of Roman Catholic religious orders or congregations with Immaculate Conception in their name. Several of them are discussed here. Order of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady The Order of the Immaculate Conception of Our L ...
* Church of San Francesco d'Assisi (1913) * Church of San Francesco di Sales (Founded in 1835, erected as a parish in 1916, closed for worship in 1962, collapsed in 1974) * Church of Our Lady of Sorrows * New Church of San Francesco de Sales ;Non-Catholic churches * Evangelical Lutheran Church (Via Matteotti) ;Shrines There are numerous votive shrines along the streets of the town. Most are present at the door of the houses, on the sides of the balconies, or in the stairways of the doorways. The oldest (and most numerous) are sacred images painted on majolica, the most recent are simple frescoes or high reliefs. Some of these were built in memory of some event: * Shrine of the crucifix in memory of a Holy Mission (1871, Piazza Annunziatella) * Shrine commemorating a mission of the Jesuit Fathers of 1924 (Via Salvo D'Acquisto)


Civil architecture

* Palazzo Amoruso (via Annunziatella n.140) * Palazzo Aversa * Palazzo Balzano * Palazzo Casella * Palazzo Andrea Collaro (Seat of the former Town Hall) * Palazzo d'Amaro * Palazzo Federico * Palazzo Monticelli * Villa Pelosio * Palazzo Raiola (via Carlo Alberto n.11) * Palazzo Rendina (via Carlo Alberto n.10) * Villa Rota * Villa Siena * Palazzo Tedesco


Military architectures

* 14th century watchtower (Turret)


Monuments

* Monument to the Fallen of the First World War (1924, Piazza Annunziatella, called by the people ) * Monument commemorating the centenary of the 1906 eruption ;Tombstones * Gravestone of the fallen of the Second World War * Tombstone of
Salvo D'Acquisto Salvo Rosario Antonio D'Acquisto (15 October 1920 – 23 September 1943) was a member of the Italian ''Carabinieri'' during the Second World War. After Italy surrendered in September 1943 to the Allies of World War II, Allies of World War II ...
* Tombstone of Cardinal Prisco


Education

;Public schools *
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...
Primary School * Cardinal Prisco State Middle School ;Libraries * Pino Grizzuti Municipal Library * Franciscan Library, in the church of San Francesco d'Assisi.


References


External links

*
Villa of Agrippa Postumus, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
{{Authority control Cities and towns in Campania