Massa
Massa di Faicchio: the story of a village
Located in the Benevento province, Massa is a village that is part of the municipality of Faicchio and has around 497 inhabitants. Its history dates back to 1244, when a certain Salomone, son of Girardo di Massa, donated three plots of land to a palace in Cerreto Sannita. In the Middle Ages, it was called "Massa Inferiore" to distinguish it from "Massa Superiore", the village that was born around the Rocca of San Salvatore Telesino.
In 1493, it was conquered by the Carafa family and became part of the county of Cerreto Sannita. Only in 1806, with the abolition of feudalism, it became property of the municipality of Cerreto Sannita and in 1817 of the municipality of San Lorenzello. Only in 1834, it was officially annexed to Faicchio.
Monuments and places of interest
One of the most important monuments is the church of San Pietro, dating back to the 7th century. It was the parish church of the village and was a popular destination for pilgrims who went to the sanctuary of San Michele Arcangelo. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by the earthquake of Sannio in 1688, and today only the ruins remain.
On the other hand, the church of San Nicola di Bari was rebuilt in the 18th century and enlarged in 1820. It has two naves and houses a valuable effigy of the patron saint of Massa.
However, one of the most suggestive places is certainly the Acero mountain, whose summit is surrounded by megalithic walls dating back to the 6th century BC. The fortress, called "Arce di Monte Acero", was built by the Samnites for lookout purposes and is made up of large squared stones laid dry. On the summit of the mountain, at the beginning of the 20th century, a monument was also placed in honor of the Redeemer Jesus.
The Fabio Massimo bridge, instead, is a construction from the Roman republican era, and tradition has it that the dictator Quinto Fabio Massimo passed there to stop the advance of Hannibal. Recently, it has been restored.
The most singular monument of Massa di Faicchio is certainly the Carcara, a building where quicklime was worked. A few steps away, there is the Epitaph of Ferdinando II of the Two Sicilies, a small commemorative stone that recalls the visit of the sovereign to these areas.
Conclusions
Massa di Faicchio is a small but suggestive village in the Benevento province. Despite its millenary history, there are few traces of such an ancient past. Nevertheless, every monument or place of interest holds a cultural and landscape heritage that makes this village a place not to be missed.
