Monfalcone

Monfalcone
—  Comune  —
Comune di Monfalcone
Coat of arms
Monfalcone Location of Monfalcone in Italy
Coordinates: 45°48′N 13°32′E / 45.8°N 13.533°E / 45.8; 13.533
Country	Italy
Region	Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Province	Gorizia (GO)
Frazioni	Archi, Aris, Bagni, Cima di Pietrarossa, Crosera, La Rocca, Lisert, Marina Julia, Marina Nova, Panzano, Pietrarossa, San Polo, Schiavetti, Serraglio, Via Romana-Solvay
Government
- Mayor	Gianfranco Pizzolitto
Area
- Total	20 km2 (7.7 sq mi)
Elevation	7 m (23 ft)
Population (2009)
- Total	28,101
- Density	1,405.1/km2 (3,639.1/sq mi)
- Demonym	Monfalconesi
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	34074
Dialing code	0481
Patron saint	St. Ambrose
Saint day	November 21
Website	Official website

Monfalcone (in the local Bisiac dialect: Mofalcòn, Slovene: Tržič) is a town and comune of the province of Gorizia (Friuli-Venezia Giulia, northern Italy), located on the coast of the Gulf of Trieste.

It is a major industrial centre for manufacturing ships, airplanes, textiles, chemicals and refined oil. It is the home of Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiani.

Geography

Monfalcone is the fifth most populous town in Friuli - Venezia Giulia and the main centre of Bisiacaria territory. Joined to its neighbourhoods, it reaches about 50,000 inhabitants. The town lies between the Carso hills and the Adriatic Sea, being the northernmost port of the Mediterranean Sea.

History

In prehistoric times the area of Monfalcone housed several prehistorical fortified villages called castellieri. After the foundation of the Roman city of Aquileia (181 BC), some thermal buildings were created on the hills, known as Insulae Clarae.

After the Ostrogoth, Byzantine, Lombard and Frank domination, Monfalcone was part of the Patriarchate of Aquileia starting from 967. The Venetians conquered it in 1420 after three das of siege, keeping it until 1511, when it fell to the French. Conquered back by Venice, it was ravaged by the troops of emperor Maximilian I in 1513, who destroyed the Rocca. In 1521 it was returned to Venice, under which it remained until 1797. It was controlled by France until the fall of Napoleon, after which it became part of the Austrian Empire.

During World War I, it was captured by Italy in 1915 but fell back to Austria after the Italian rout at Caporetto. Monfalcone returned to Italy in 1918.

Main sights

• Rocca (Castle). Of medieval origin (according to a legend, it was founded by Theoderic the Great, King of the Ostrogoths), its current appearance dates to the Venetian restorations in the early 16th century. The interior houses a speleology exhibition.
• Park of World War I
• Karst area
• Cathedral of Sant'Ambrogio

People

This section requires expansion.

• Enrico Toti
• Antonio Sant'Elia
• Elisa
• Gino Paoli
• Mauro Pelaschier
• Paolo Rossi, actor
• Stefano Zoff
• Filippo Zappata
• Mo-Do (Fabio Frittelli)

Twin towns

• Neumarkt in Steiermark
• Gallipoli, Italy

External links

• Official website (Italian)