Blera

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Comune di Blera
Municipal coat of arms
Country	Italy
Region	Lazio
Province	Viterbo (VT)
Mayor	Pietro Mazzarella (since April 2004)
Elevation	270 m
Area	92.78 km²
Population
- Total (as of 2001)	3,208
- Density	34.58/km²
Time zone	CET, UTC+1
Coordinates	42°16′24″N, 12°01′57″E
Gentilic	Blerani
Dialing code	0761
Postal code	01010
Frazioni	Civitella Cesi
Patron	San Vivenzio
- Day	December 11
Website: www.comune.blera.vt.it

Blera is a small town and comune of the northern Lazio Italy near Rome, known during the Middle Ages as Bieda, an evolved form of its ancient name, which was restored in the 20th century. It is the birthplace of Pope Sabinian and Pope Paschal II.

It is situated on a long, narrow tongue of rock at the junction of two deep glens.

Contents 1 History 2 Main sights 3 External links 4 References

[edit] History

In ancient times, Blera was an Etruscan town on the Via Clodia. It was of little importance, and is only mentioned by geographers and in inscriptions.

[edit] Main sights

Some remains of the town walls still exist, and also two ancient bridges, both belonging to the Via Clodia, and many tombs hewn in the rock with small chambers imitating the architectural forms of houses, and beams and rafters represented in relief. (See G. Dennis, Cities and Cemeteries of Etruria, i.207.) There was another Blera in Puglia, on the road from Venusia to Tarentum.

[edit] External links

• Official site of the comune of Blera
• George Dennis on Blera (Chapter 17 of Cities and Cemeteries of Etruria)

[edit] References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.