Belmonte Castello
Discovering Belmonte Castello: a town in Lazio
Hello everyone! Today I want to talk to you about Belmonte Castello, a pleasant town in the heart of the province of Frosinone, in Lazio. The town is inhabited by 686 people and is located in a beautiful valley called Valle di Clia, which connects the Val di Comino with Cassino.
The physical geography of Belmonte Castello
The town is located on top of a hill at an altitude of 369 meters above sea level, and to the northeast of Belmonte Castello is Monte Morrone, which at 1,059 meters represents the highest peak in the municipal territory. The Rio Secco flows under the town, which is a right tributary of the Rapido River. Belmonte Castello's climatic classification is Zone D, 18O4 GR/G.
The history of the town
The territory on which Belmonte Castello stands was traditionally Sannite, and later became Roman until the fall of the empire. In the early Middle Ages, it followed the fortunes of the Principality of Capua. Belmonte, whose Latin name is Bellus Mons, became Belmonte Castello in 1862 and its history has always been linked to that of the nearby town of Atina, of which it was administratively part of until 1819. Afterwards, it became a hamlet of Terelle. Belmonte Castello was established as an autonomous municipality in 1851, by decree of King Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies.
Places of interest in the town
Belmonte Castello is a small town, but it is rich in places of great interest. From a religious point of view, for example, there are numerous churches such as the Church of San Nicola, the Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo, the Church of Carmine and the Church of San Venditto. From a military point of view, it is possible to admire the Tower and the walls. Finally, there are archaeological sites, such as the remains of the Roman aqueduct in the locality of Costa Campopiano.
Society and religion
As for the society, the municipality of Belmonte Castello has had a variable demographic evolution over time. In the past, it fell under the territorial abbey of Montecassino, but with the papal bull Contemplationi faventes of October 23, 2014, Pope Francis reduced the territory of the territorial abbey to only the abbey church and the monastery, with their immediate surroundings. The rest of the ancient territory, including the municipality of Belmonte Castello, passed to the Diocese of Sora-Cassino-Aquino-Pontecorvo.
The culture of the town
The cuisine of Belmonte Castello is a real treasure of Lazio. The municipal territory, in fact, produces some of the best wines regulated by the Atina DOC disciplinary. If you have the opportunity to visit the town, don't forget to taste their fine wines!
Infrastructure and transport
Finally, as for infrastructure and transport, there are several roads that connect Belmonte Castello to other municipalities in the province of Frosinone. In particular, the State Road 509 of Forca d'Acero has been converted from a state road to a provincial road and is widely used to reach Atina and Sant'Elia Fiumerapido.
The economy of the town
Although Belmonte Castello is a small town, it has a varied economy with many local businesses active. According to ISTAT data, in 2015 there were 34 active businesses and 71 employees.
In conclusion, Belmonte Castello is a small town that preserves a great history and a rich culture. I hope that my summary has intrigued you and that you want to visit this wonderful corner of Lazio!
