Potenza is a city and comune in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata (former Lucania).It is the capital of the province of Potenza and the Basilicata region.The city is the highest regional capital and one of the highest provincial capitals in Italy, overlooking the valley of the Basento river in the Apennine Mountains of Lucania, east of Salerno.Its territory is bounded by the comuni of Anzi, Avigliano, Brindisi Montagna, Picerno, Pietragalla, Pignola, Ruoti, Tito and Vaglio Basilicata.The first settlement of Potentia was probably located at a lower elevation than at present some 10 km south of today's Potenza.The Lucani of Potenza sided against Rome's enemies during the latter's wars against the Samnites and the Bruttii.Subjugated during the 4th century BC (later gaining the status of municipium), the Potentini rebelled after the Roman defeat at Cannae in 216 BC.However the Battle of the Metaurus marked the end of any Carthaginian aspirations in Italy and Potentia was reconquered by the Romans and reduced to the status of military colony.In the 6th century the city passed to the Lombard Duchy of Benevento.The Saracens reached it before the Norman conquest of southern Italy. In the 12th century, Potenza became an episcopal see. In 1137, the city hosted Pope Innocent II and Emperor Lothair II during their failed attempt to conquer the Norman kingdom. In 1148 or 1149 in Potenza, Roger II of Sicily hosted king Louis VII of France, whom the Norman fleet had freed from the Saracens. After pillaging by Emperor Frederick II, the city remained loyal to the Hohenstaufen: as a result, it was almost totally destroyed by Charles I when the Angevin lord conquered the Kingdom of Sicily. On December 18, 1273, an earthquake further devastated the city.

In the following years, the city existed quietly under various feudal owners.Potenza was the site of riots against Spanish domination, and in 1694 it was almost completely destroyed by another earthquake.With the declaration of the Neapolitan Republic in 1799, Potenza was one of the first cities to rebel against the king.After temporary Bourbon repression, the city was conquered by the French army in 1806 and declared the capital of Basilicata. King Joachim Murat improved the city's living conditions and administration and some urban improvements were introduced for the visit of Ferdinand II in 1846.A revolt broke out in 1848 and was again put down by Bourbon forces and a third devastating earthquake followed in 1857.Potenza rebelled for the last time in 1869 before Garibaldi's revolutionary army brought about the unification of Italy.In September 1943 the city suffered heavy Allied bombing. In 1980 another strong earthquake struck Potenza.Potenza is a rail junction on the main line from Salerno to Taranto managed by FS Trenitalia; it has also a connection to Altamura, served by the Ferrovie Appulo Lucane regional company.The city's main station which was originally named Potenza Inferiore is now known as Potenza Centrale.

Poggio Tre Galli

The Exhibition of United Europe, more commonly known by the inhabitants with its original name of Poggio Tre Galli is a densely populated neighborhood in the suburbs west of Power.In 2008 the inhabitants are 5,777, making it one of the most populous city, it is home to the business center of the region, in fact, is home to the palace of the Regional Council, Regional Council and other regional offices.It is also defined-City Study, possessing different high schools, a Comprehensive School and a Nursery School. Municipal organization, falls in United Europe Committee XIII.The Park of the United Europe is a newly built garden created by the City recovering a wide green area between the buildings in the neighborhood for years left to decay and all incuria.The second week of September every year, we celebrate the feast of the district, more commonly known as Sports Day, to focus more on youth and sport, with tournaments for football, volleyball, basketball and other sports.The party continues at night with concerts and live performances, finishing the last evening with a singer or a group of more fame.

May Potenza

The May Potentino identifies a series of events that the City of organizing power in conjunction with the festivities in honor of the city's patron saint, San Gerardo.It is characterized by a month and even more events, cultural exhibitions, special events of varying scope.Every year, on 29 and 30 May the city is preparing the feast. The 29 features the classic Parade of the Turks, parade in costumes that reflect the tradition of the city, followed by the Palio dei Cavalli, Alfredo Viviani Stadium.While 30 is the day in which we honor the patron saint, San Gerardo.

Turkish Parade

Every May 29 is held in power representation called "Parade of the Turks". The town dates back to the vulgate allegorical representation of the alleged invasion of May 29 to power by a turkish army, which would Basento up the river to the capital. The citizens, helpless before the invaders' military organization, it would turn to the bishop, Gerardo La Porta, and these, by invoking a host of angels warriors, would perform the miracle of liberating the city from its enemies. However, it seems unlikely that in geologically recent times, the river was navigable Basento, also not found historically traced back to the Turkish invasion of S. Gerard's Gate. It is more credible, however, that Gerard's Gate, former bishop of Piacenza, he began to be venerated as the patron saint of the city (the previous was the protector Saint Oronzio, martyr), after having been sent by the Holy See to counter the spread of 'Cathar heresy. In fact, it is certain that the Cathars, in the early decades of the twelfth century, to extend the last layers in southern Italy (although the bigger communities and across the Alps in northern Italy).

National Archaeological Museum of Basilicata

is a museum archaeological opened in 2005 to power in the renovated Palazzo Loffredo.The museum offers an overview of the archaeological finds of the region of Basilicata and a further study on the early history of the territory of Potenza.The exhibition is divided on two floors and follows a chronological and geographical.The Museum is housed in Palazzo Loffredo, built by the family of Che Guevara, the feudal lords of the city, between the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century and passed to the family Loffredo in 1604.In the nineteenth century, it housed government offices of the Internal Basilicata and was then transformed in 1825 when the "Real College" run by the Jesuits between 1850 and 1860.After the unity of Italy was the site of high school and the "Conservatory of Music" entitled to " Gesualdo da Venosa." Owned by the town of Potenza, in use has been transferred to the Superintendence for Archaeological Heritage of Basilicata for the National Museum.

Francesco Stabile Theatre

is a theater dedicated to the musician the main Potenza Francesco Stabile (1802 - 1861), located in the historic center of the city of Potenza.Built in the image of the Teatro San Carlo of Naples , was started in 1857 through the work of a group of private citizens who bought the block and they demolished. The construction was entrusted to the architects of the Theater Errico Alvino and Joseph Pisanti.The auditorium , three tiers of boxes and a gallery frame the stage and ' orchestra , fairly small in size and harmonics.The inauguration took place on 26 January 1881, in the presence of King Umberto I , Prince Amedeo, and Queen of Italy, who attended the performance of La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi.Following the earthquake of 1980 the theater was a lot of damage, but was restored keeping the decoration of Louis Cangiano and many others. The stage in spruce maintained its central platform in Poplar, one of the few remaining in Italian theaters.