Torre Annunziata

Torre Annunziata (Italian pronunciation: [ˈtorre annunˈtsjaːta]) is a city and comune in the Metropolitan City of Naples, region of Campania in Italy. It is located on the Gulf of Naples at the foot of Mt. Vesuvius.

History

The city was destroyed in the Vesuvius eruption of 79 AD and in 1631. It is known locally in the Neapolitan dialect as Torre Nunziata. The city was once the seat of important ironwork (Deriver, Dalmine) food processing and pasta industries. Today industries still active include naval, armament and pharmaceutical ones.

The archaeological site of Oplonti is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997.

Main sights

On the Tabula Peutingeriana Torre Annunziata is called Oplonti.

In the communal territory, one of the richest Roman villas has been excavated. Dating to the 1st century BC, it probably belonged to the gens Poppaea, and is known as Villa Poppaea.

Dialect

Although a comparatively small town, essentially a suburb of Naples, Torre Annunziata has its own unique dialect, a variation of Neapolitan, quite distinct, particularly in pronunciation, which is known as Torrese.