Province of Potenza

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**Province of Potenza**


Nation	Italy
Region	Basilicata
Capital	Potenza
Area	6,545 km²
Population (2005)	392,218
Density	60
Comuni	100
Vehicle Registration	PZ
Postal Code	85010-85018, 85020-85040, 85042-85044, 85046-85059
Telephone Prefix	0971, 0972, 0973, 0975, 0976
ISTAT	076
President	Sabino Altobello

Map highlighting the location of the province of Potenza in Italy

The Province of Potenza (Italian: Provincia di Potenza) is a province in the Basilicata region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Potenza.

It has an area of 6,545 sq. km, and a total population of 392,218 (2005). There are 100 comuni (singular: comune) in the province[1], see Comuni of the Province of Potenza.

In 272 BCE the province was conquered by the Roman army. The new rulers renamed Basilicata as Lucania. Later in the 11th century, the area becoming part of Duchy of Apulia at the time ruled by the Norman French, and from the 13th century part of the Kingdom of Naples. However, in reality Potenza was ruled by the local warlords. In 1861 the province was unified with the rest of Italy in the newly formed Kingdom of Italy.

The region has suffered from innumerable earthquakes and is still a seismically active area. The town of Potenza, the highest provincial capital above sea level in Italy, is built between two valleys. The town was mostly rebuilt after an earthquake in 1857. Thus the earthquakes and the severe damage caused during World War II have lost the town many of its historical buildings. Consequently the overall impression of the town is one of modern concrete buildings. One beautiful church which survives is the church of San Francesco jus off the main piazza, the " Piazza Pagano" a treasure of the church is the Byzantine icon of the Madonna del Terremoto. One other place of interest in the town is the "Museo Archeologico Provinciale" which contains many artefacts from the times of the Romans in Basilicata.