Pescara [Abruzzo

Latin ATERNUM, city, capital of Pescara provincia, Abruzzi regione, central Italy. Pescara lies along the Adriatic Sea at the mouth of the Pescara River, east-northeast of Rome. The Roman Aternum, the city was almost destroyed in the barbarian invasions and arose again in the early European Middle Ages as Piscaria (i.e., "abounding with fish"). The scene of much fighting throughout its history, it suffered heavy damage in World War II. Since 1927, Castellammare Adriatico, on the north bank of the river, has been part of Pescara. The birthplace (1863) of the poet Gabriele D'Annunzio has been preserved. Pescara is a seaside resort and tourist centre that lies on the railway and main road from Bologna to Bari and Brindisi. Fishing and electrical, mechanical, textile, and food-processing industries are economically important, and there are naval shipyards. Pop. (1990 est.) mun., 128,695.