Chieti

Chieti, capital of the homonymous Province in the Abruzzo region, is located on the top of a hill, 330 meters above sea level, near Pescara River. The local economy is mainly based on agriculture, commerce, industry and tourism. The town of Chieti, former capital of Marruccini with the name of Teate, became allied with Rome during the Punic wars. Then it became a capital province of the Empire and during the centuries it was in the hands of many dynasties, such as the Bourbon family that ruled until the unification of Italy. The main cultural attractions of Chieti are the Theatre, built in the 2nd century, the Roman Temples, situated in the city centre, the Terme (Spas) dating back to the 100 A.C. Other interesting places are the Chiesa di San Francesco, in Baroque style, with the adjacent Diocesan Museum, the Martinelli-Bianchi Palace, housing the famous Barella Gallery and the Municipal Villa which houses the famous Antique Museum. Not to be missed is also the majestic Cathedral, whose construction dates back to ancient times and remodelled until the 18th century, the characteristic Teatro Marruccino (Marruccino Theatre), a magnificent example of nineteenth-century style architecture.