Civitavecchia

2016-01-26 23:52:31
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About Civitavecchia

Civitavecchia is a township in the province of Rome and is well known for being a major seaside port off the western coast of Italy. It has the population of approximately 50,000 inhabitants and a total area of 72 sqkm.

The city is often referred to as the Port of Rome, a title which has antique origins. An internationally minded city since the age of its establishment during the early Roman Empire, its port has been important in Central Italy as a place of transit of a multitude of people and cultures.  The port is currently integral for the development of cruise ship traffic, docking no less than 1500 ships.

The heir to an area once known as Centumcellae, the town and the port were built simultaneously and in connection to each other. Its rich history stretched through the Imperial Age into a time of Byzantine occupation and then underneath the reign of the popes. Unfortunately, many of the monuments from these past eras were lost or damaged during the Second World War.

Today, Civitavecchia has many sights to offer. These include its archeological museum, a large variety of beaches and the Cathedral dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi. 

 

The Twinning

The cities of Civitavecchia and Bethlehem became twinned to develop friendly ties, understanding and co-operation. The twinship agreement was signed 17 years ago during the official visit of the delegation of Civitavecchia to Bethlehem, between the Mayor of Civitavecchia, Pietro Tidei and the Mayor of Bethlehem, Hanna Nasser.

With the twinship came the mutual agreement for both cities to:

Promote cooperation in the fields of economy, commerce, education, health, culture and tourism and encourage contact between their respective citizens
Create programs of mutual solidarity
Encourage cultural exchange among the students of their high schools

Cooperation between the two cities still continues. For the Bethlehem 2000 celebrations, Civitavecchia contributed towards a lighting project in Manger Street, the main thoroughfare in Bethlehem.

Live from the Manger Square