Avellino and Irpinia - In Campania

Alta Irpinia
famous travellers
There is a place in Central Italy, under high mountains,
noble and remembered for its fame, the Ansanto valley;
gloomy with dense growth it is closed on two sides
by woods, where, full in the middle, between boulders
and whirlpools, thunders a river.
Aeneid (VII, 563-567)
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Alta Irpinia, on the eastern side of the province,
is a hilly zone with sheer summits, intersected by
innumerable streams. The area was hard hit by the
earthquake of 1980, but the rare villages rich in
history and natural beauty have been patiently
restored in memory of the past.
Montella, famous for its walnuts and chestnuts, is
the starting point for excursions into the splendid
surrounding mountains. From here one can reach
the Santa Maria della Neve Monastery, the Salvatore
Sanctuary and the Caprone Grotto, where it is
believed that ceremonies to the god Bacchus were
held in ancient times. Nearby is the San Francesco
a Folloni monumental complex, said to have been
founded by Saint Francis of Assisi himself.
Bagnoli Irpino, in a lovely position on the northern
slopes of the Picentini mountains, is dominated by
the remains of a 1400’s castle. Among the naturally
beautiful sites to be visited is the Caliendo Grotto;
300 meters deep it has many small waterfalls that
burst from the rock.
Piano Laceno is a touristic centre that is open both
summer and winter, and has many good hotels and
restaurants. There are good ski slopes with efficient
ski-lifts. On the western edge of the plain is the lake
of Laceno, with equipped picnic areas.
At Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi, which takes its
name from the cult of Saint Michael the Archangel to
whom the Longobards were particularly devoted,
one can visit the Romanesque cathedral and the
Longobard castle. A few kilometers away is the
splendid San Guglielmo al Goleto Abbey, another
masterpiece of Romanesque architecture, one of the
most evocative of the monumental complexes of
Southern Italy. The complex, with its great walls,
dominates the entire Ofanto Valley and includes the
monastery and two churches.
The historical centre of Bisaccia is interesting:
in the Ducal Castle that was founded in the 7 th
century there are literary cafès and artisan shops.
Calitri, on the border with the province of Salerno,
has a charming ancient village dominated by the
Castle, and lovely green areas by the Ofanto river.
Conza della Campania surges near lake of Conza,
a large artificial body of water with a refined
ecosystem of great naturalistic interest, protected by
the WWF.
Archaeological excavations have brought to light
important remains and part of the forum of the
Roman city, visible in the Archaeological Park
of ancient Compsa.
San Guglielmo
al Goleto Abbey
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A sanctuary on a
sulphur lake: the Mefite
of Rocca San Felice
In the Ansanto Valley is
‘Mofeta’, a very famous
place in ancient times. The
lake of sulphureous mud is
a volcano that lets off gas
and sulphur vapours. Close
by, in the 6 th century BC the
Samnites built a sanctuary
venerated by many,
dedicated to the goddess
Mefite, protectress of health
and patron of water and
fields. The name is still
remembered in the adjective
‘mephitic’, which refers to
the intolerable smell of the
sulphur vapours. The
sacred nature of this place
has passed down to the
nearby Santa Felicita
Sanctuary.
Lake of Laceno