Gragnano

In 1169 its name was added to the title of the bishopric of nearby Lettere, which was thus renamed Roman Catholic Diocese of Lettere-Gragnano, but Gragnano never had a co-cathedral and its title was dropped when the suppressed see was nominally restored as titular bishopric of Lettere.

• Name — Gragnano • Official Name — Comune di Gragnano • Region — Campania • Metropolitan City — Naples (NA) • Frazioni — Aurano, Caprile, Castello, Iuvani • Mayor — Paolo Cimmino • Area Total Km2 — 14.6 • Population Total — 29310 • Population As Of — 31 June 2015 • Population Demonym — Gragnanesi • Elevation M — 141 • Saint — Saint Sebastian • Day — January 20 • Postal Code — 80054 • Area Code — 081

• Illustration — Via Roma in Gragnano, c. 1900 According to the local population, Gragnano is Italy's capital of pasta. Gragnano is home of some of the best dried pasta in Italy. In 2013, Gragnano pasta was designated a Protected Geographical Indication by the European Union. Gragnano's "main street was laid out expressly to capture the mountain breeze mixed with sea air back when pasta makers hung spaghetti on drying rods like laundry," according to a Forbes Life write up. More recently heaters have been used to dry the pasta at low temperatures (approximately 50 C) for two days and it is shaped with bronze to give it a rough texture, producing a pasta with a "nuttier aroma and chewier mouth feel."

• Margherita Sarrocchi (c. 1560 – 1617), an Italian poet and a supporter of the theories of Galileo Galilei • Tito Vuolo (1893–1962), an actor, was born there. • Giuseppe Beotti (1912–1944), an Italian Catholic priest murdered by Nazi soldiers • Antonio Buscè (born 1975), an Italian former footballer with 547 club caps • Gennaro Scognamiglio (born 1987), an Italian footballer with over 400 club caps

• Official website *