Flumeri
Flumeri: a thousand-year-old town in Irpinia
Flumeri is a town located in the province of Avellino, in Campania. The town has a population of 2586 inhabitants, and its territory extends between the Baronia hills, the Ufita valley, and the sub-basin of the Fiumarella, a tributary of the Ufita. The town is situated on a hill covered with olive groves at an altitude of 638 meters, while the valley areas are dedicated to agricultural and industrial activities.
Origins of the name
The name Flumeri derives from the late Middle Ages when the town was known as "Fórmari" or "Flùmari". The etymology of the toponym is still debated among scholars. Some connect it to the surname "Forma" of a Norman family, while others suggest a derivation from the Latin "flūmen", referring to the rivers that delimit the territory to the north and south.
History of the town
Flumeri has a thousand-year-old history that has left numerous testimonies in art, archaeology, and local culture. In 1732, the town was heavily damaged by the earthquake of Irpinia, whose epicenter was located in the Ufita valley.
During the Kingdom of Two Sicilies, Flumeri was the capital of a district with jurisdiction over two other towns in the Ariano district.
Symbols of the town
The Flumeri flag is a split cloth of yellow and green, the colors present in the city's coat of arms.
Places of interest
In the Ufita valley, a short distance from the town center, there are the remains of a Roman settlement situated at the crossroads between the Appian Way and the Aemilia in Hirpinis, the latter directed towards the vicus of Aequum Tuticum. In the area, there is also the Aragonese Customs, a fortification dating back to the 15th century.
Social life in Flumeri
In addition to the Italian language, Flumeri has a variety of the Irpinian dialect. The town belongs to the diocese of Ariano Irpino-Lacedonia.
Flumeri celebrates the feast in honor of San Rocco on August 16. The day before, the "Giglio di Flumeri" is transported, a 30-meter-tall obelisk made of wheat by the people of Flumeri in honor of San Rocco, the patron saint of the town. The Giglio is built with the participation of the entire population, from women who collect the wheat spikes to young people who work on the panels' processing. The Palio, which has been held since 1991, is a competition between different teams that compete for the best realization of the Giglio. The Giglio field is a meeting place for the entire community and a symbol of social integration.
Flumeri is a town with an ancient history and a lively and colorful social life. Visiting it means immersing oneself in the traditions of the Irpinian culture.
