Cerro al Volturno
Cerro al Volturno: a village in the midst of nature
Cerro al Volturno is a small municipality in the province of Isernia in Molise, characterized by a territory rich in oak forests, including the Quercus cerris. The village, also known simply as Cerro, has around 1144 inhabitants and boasts a predominantly Apennine climate, with cool and rainy autumns, cold and snowy winters, and mild summers.
The history of Cerro al Volturno
The village of Cerro al Volturno was founded by the Samnites in the 3rd century BC. Fortifications near Mount Santa Croce testify to the Samnite settlement in the area. In the medieval period, the current village hill was colonized by peasants in the 9th century, as the fiefdom depended on the Abbey of San Vincenzo al Volturno. The origin of the actual community is linked to the influence of the Abbey of San Vincenzo al Volturno, one of the oldest Benedictine centers in the Kingdom of Naples and the Land of Saint Peter, together with Montecassino and Farfa.
Cerro already existed in 899, as testified in the ''Chrnicon Vulturnense'', when Roffredo, abbot of San Vincenzo led the first colony of farmers to cultivate the land in the place called ''Cerrum'', from the name of the oak trees. The Norman castle of the 11th century was subsequently owned by the Filangieri, Borrello and Cantelmo di Popoli families, until the 15th century, when it passed to the Pandone family, which extensively renovated it. In the following centuries, the fiefdom belonged to various families, including the Carafa.
In 1811, the village passed to the Terra di Lavoro and only in 1861 was included again in Molise, first linked to the territory of Piedimonte Matese and then to the area of Castellone Volturno, that is Castel San Vincenzo. Since 1970, it has been part of the province of Isernia.
Monuments and places of interest
In the territory of Cerro al Volturno stands the Pandone castle, considered one of the main places of interest in the area. The castle was built around the year 1000 as a fence to preserve food products, located on top of a mountain that overlooked the valley. In the 1400s, Federico Pandone decided to build a castle on top of it, giving it his own name and the shape that it still retains today. Over the centuries, the castle was sold to other families who made various improvements.
The current structure of the Pandone Castle is due to the Pandone family of Venafro, who owned it from the 15th to the 16th century. Among the modifications made, it is possible to mention the sloping watchtowers, the construction of French-style bombardiers, rectangular openings that cross the thickness of the walls in the towers, on which cannons were positioned. The layout is irregular rectangle, with three sloping towers, with cylindrical upper floors, with the loopholes then transformed into windows; the fourth tower was destroyed, and there is only the simple corner of the palace.
The interior of the castle has been transformed several times by the owners and now houses a hotel. As a testament to the artistic value of the building, on September 22, 1980, the Italian Post issued a stamp featuring Pandone Castle.
Conclusions
Cerro al Volturno is a municipality that deserves to be visited, especially for its natural beauty and its historical and artistic heritage. The Pandone Castle represents one of the main places of interest in the area and offers a glimpse into the history of Cerro al Volturno and the families who inhabited it. The surrounding nature provides a perfect backdrop to this beautiful Molisan village, whose territory dotted with oak forests offers postcard landscapes and a relaxing and timeless atmosphere.
