Colle Sannita
Welcome to Colle Sannita!
Hello! Today, I would like to introduce you to Colle Sannita, a small town in the province of Benevento in Campania, where approximately 2160 people live. The name of the town comes from the "colle" (hill) on which the oldest part of the historic center is located. So, if you are ready, let's begin our journey!
Physical geography
The town is located in a hilly area. The old part of the town is on a hill, while the newer part is in the valley. Colle Sannita's territory is part of the Titerno and Alto Tammaro mountain community and is included in Agrarian Region No. 2, Alto Tammaro - Alto Fortore. It has an agricultural area of 2822.42 hectares. The climate here is typical of southern Italy, with hot and dry summers and mild winters.
The history of Colle Sannita
The town has a very ancient history. It first appears in the book "Norman Conquest of Southern Italy" as belonging to the Alemagna family. Under the Angevins, it was called "Casale di Circello" and, in 1289, it was owned by Eufrasia who married the noble Pandolfo Scillato. The Stellato family held it until the beginning of the fifteenth century when the fief, which had in the meantime taken the name of "Colle," passed to the Della Leonessa family. In 1461, the town was occupied by the Angevins and, following the betrayal of Alfonso Della Leonessa, was handed over to the Carafa family. It was again occupied by the troops of Charles VIII of France and the mercenary companies of the Orsini and Vitelli in 1496. In 1533, Emperor Charles V of Habsburg granted the fief to Nicola Maria di Somma, whose family held it until the abolition of feudalism.
Curiosities
The town is filled with interesting facts and anecdotes. In 1647, it was the scene of one of the episodes of the famous Masaniello revolution. At the time, there was a local hatter named De Blasio in Naples, in Rua Catalana, who, at the outbreak of the revolution, led several hundred rebels who rampaged through the countryside, looting Ariano Irpino and Buonalbergo. Then, all the neighboring barons, led by Orsino Scoppa, Baron of Castelvetere in Val Fortore, marched against De Blasio, who had entrenched himself in Colle and, after fierce resistance, captured and killed him along with many of his companions.
Furthermore, on November 15, 1439, the condottiere and mercenary captain Giacomo Caldora died of a stroke while besieging the town, threatening to exterminate it. At the time, the fief was held by Jacopo (or Giacomo) Della Leonessa, a pro-Aragonese faction. In memory of this fortunate episode, the residents of Colle Sannita erected a church dedicated to Santa Maria della Libera in the Li Piani district, where Caldora died.
Conclusions
I have just introduced you to Colle Sannita, a town rich in history and curiosities. If you love authentic and peaceful places, this is the right place for you. Come and discover the beauty of Colle Sannita!
