The word Silvi divides opinion. One theory is that the name is derived from Silvae, due to the large number of forests nearby. The second theory is that the name comes from Dio Silvano, the ancient name of the forest
Silvi Marina originated as a small settlement, with walls to defend itself against maritime invasions. Too small to control its own destiny, it was influenced by the fortunes of the nearby city of Atri. This ancient city was dominated by Rome, to which it was a loyal ally; Silvi meanwhile remained a feudal town, subject to many invasions from outside forces during the medieval period.
Silvi acted as a watchman for many centuries, and the fortified Cerrano Tower on the beach was the site for of a military garrison. Silvi was subject to invasions from Turkish Corsairs who came ashore at night, climbing the hill and capturing and enslaving the local inhabitants. At the end of the fifteenth century the population of Silvi was so reduced that King Ferdinand the Catholic decided to repopulate the town with Albanian Christians fleeing invading Islamic armies.
It was only with the arrival of the Napoleonic rule in 1806 that the feudal system was abolished, and Silvi could elect its own mayor. Shortly afterwards, the first summer villas started to appear on the sea-facing hills, built by the residents of Atri. At the same time, small fisherman’s huts appeared on the sea shore, as the residents moved down from the hillsides. Today, Silvi Marina is fronted by residential apartments, whose 15,000 inhabitants look across five kilometers of beach.
