Civita Superiore
Civita Superiore: A Fortified Garrison of Norman Origin
Civita Superiore is a small geographical hamlet located in the municipality of Bojano, in the province of Campobasso. Its historical value lies in the presence of a historic fortified garrison dating back to the 11th century when it was built by the Normans. The garrison remained active and was managed as a fortified garrison by the Swabians, Angevins, and Pandone until the 17th century when it underwent structural decay and was severely damaged by an earthquake.
The Old Village and Pandone Fortress
Today, Civita Superiore comprises the old village, still partly enclosed by walls, and the Pandone fortress, which is the ancient castle that guarded the town that arose at its feet. The hamlet was founded by the Normans as part of the conquest of southern Italy and was built to control the plain of the homonymous municipality.
The Birth of the Molisian Dynasty
Bojano became a fiefdom of the Normans and became its administrative center. A companion in arms of Robert Guiscard, Rodolfo De Moulins, who Italianized his name into Rodolfo De Molisio, built the cathedral, one of the city's most important monuments. The foundation of the county (administrative subdivision) and the expansion of its borders were the work of Rodolfo De Moulins and his descendants. The county reached the borders of the current Molise region. For this reason, the county began to be called "Molise," while the counts were named so until their extinction. The title of count of Bojano was replaced by that of counts of Molise, the name of the dynasty.
The Renaissance and the End of the Fortified Garrison of Civita Superiore
In the Renaissance period, the area became the property of the Carafa family. In 1457, the hamlet, along with the district and lands of Venafro, came under the power of the Pandone family. In the 17th century, Civita Superiore was part of the Carafa's possessions, and the last owners would be the Filomarino family. By the 17th century, the fortified garrison had by now decayed, and the area was severely damaged by the Molise earthquake of 1805, which destroyed much of the structures.
Civita Superiore is a corner of Italy's history, where it is possible to admire the walls of the old village and the Pandone fortress. The presence of a military settlement tells of the strong presence of power institutions in medieval southern Italy. The story of the Molisian Dynasty and their rule in the area tells of how this place represented one of the largest and most important administrative subdivisions of medieval southern Italy. Today, Civita Superiore is a peaceful and quiet residential area, where it is still possible to find the peace and tranquility of a bygone era.
