Celenza Valfortore
Celenza Valfortore - A Historical and Cultural Experience in the Beautiful Puglia
Introduction
Welcome to Celenza Valfortore, a municipality located in the beautiful province of Foggia, in Puglia. We are excited to present to you this locality that encompasses a millennia-old history, with valuable prehistoric artifacts and legendary founding by Diomede until the Byzantine and Norman eras. Celenza Valfortore is a hidden gem among the mountains of Daunia and the Fortore valley.
Physical Geography
Celenza Valfortore is located on a modest height of the Daunia mountains, in the Fortore valley. The panorama offers a view of the beautiful Occhito lake, originated from the Fortore river. The municipality is part of the northern Dauni Mountains community.
History
Celenza Valfortore boasts an ancient history dating back to the Neolithic, as shown by the three prehistoric settlements (Toppo Capuana, Mulino Dabasso, and Madonna delle Grazie) found within the municipal boundaries. Valuable artifacts, including pots, bowls, cups, and vases with geometric decorations, stone tools such as axe-hammers, and precious pieces from the Roman period, are kept in the municipal Antiquarium. Here, it is also possible to admire the portion of the vase depicting the goddess Mother and the head of a bird, displayed at the Manfredonia National Archaeological Museum.
The legendary foundation of the municipality is attributed to the Homeric hero, Diomede. However, the settlement was destroyed in 275 BC by the Romans after the defeat of Pyrrhus, of which Celenza Valfortore was an ally. The population gathered on the hill that still represents the town center and refounded the city with the name Celentia ad Valvam.
In the Byzantine period, the municipality changed its name again to Celentia in Capitanata, while until the advent of the Neapolitan Republic, different feudal families alternated in command, including the Gambacorta in the XV and XVI century. In the XVI century, the name was changed again to Celenza Valle Fortore, and the goddess Ceres was adopted as the city symbol.
Monuments and Places of Interest
Celenza Valfortore is rich in historical and cultural treasures. The main church houses a fragment of the Cross dragged by Jesus on Mount Calvary, embedded in a rock crystal recognized with a bishop's bubble. The relic is flanked by the fragment of a femur of Saint Stephen and the manna of Saint Nicholas of Bari, a bottle of water filled directly from the saint's tomb.
The historic center of the city still preserves elements of Byzantine, Norman, and medieval dominations. The large church was built by the catapan Basilio Boiannes in the year 1049 on the remains of the previous laura and later, in the first half of the 1600s, expanded by Andrea Gambacorta, who built a monastery (S.Maria Cellese).
Celenza Valfortore also houses the church of San Michele Arcangelo, built in the XIII century and remodeled in the XVII century in Baroque style, with a beautiful rose window on the facade.
Events and Traditions
Needless to say, the city, rich in history and culture, celebrates several significant festivals and traditions every year. In September, the patron's festival in honor of Saint Michael the Archangel, patron saint of the city, takes place with a fair and a procession in which the statue of the Saint goes through the streets of the historic center.
Other events not to be missed include the festival of Saint Joseph, which takes place on March 19th and is characterized by the traditional festival bonfires, the Naca festival, where you can taste typical local cuisine dishes, and the municipal agricultural fair.
Conclusions
Celenza Valfortore is a city that deserves to be discovered, with its millennia-old history, historical monuments, art, and culture. If you love Puglia and friendship, you will not be disappointed. Visit the municipality during the festivities, and you will surely appreciate the beauty and liveliness of this marvelous land.
