VASTO

town, Chieti provincia, Abruzzi regione, south-central Italy. It is a beach resort on the Adriatic Sea, with brickmaking, candlemaking, and agricultural-processing industries. The town, the ancient name of which was Histonium, has an archaeological museum. There is a 13th-century castle, and the town cathedral has a facade and Gothic portal dating from the same period. The palace of the D'Avalo family dates from the 16th century. Pop. (1991 prelim.) mun., 32,810.