Columbia Encyclopedia entry: Ortona
Ortonaōrtô'nä, town (1991 pop. 22,601), Abruzzi, central Italy, on the Adriatic Sea. Now a small fishing port and a seaside resort, it was a major port from the 11th cent. to 1447, when its fleet and arsenal were destroyed by the Venetians. The 12th-century cathedral (now restored) and the Aragonese castle (15th cent.) were heavily damaged in World War II.
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Wikipedia search results for: Ortona
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ortona is a coastal town and municipality of the Province of Chieti in the Italian region of Abruzzo, with some 23,000 inhabitants.
Ortona was the site of fierce fighting between German and Canadian forces during the Italian campaign in World War II. The ferocity of the battle led it to be known as the "Little Stalingrad" as Winston Churchill called this city,.
The origins of Ortona are uncertain. Presumably, it was first inhabited by the Frentani, an Italic population. In 2005, during works near the Castle, a Bronze Age settlement was discovered, and the Roman town largely coincided with this first settlement. Some sections of paved roads and urban walls,...more »
