Gallo Matese
Welcome to Gallo Matese
Hello everyone! Today I will talk about Gallo Matese, a small town in the province of Caserta, in Campania, with a population of only 496 inhabitants. Gallo Matese is located on a green hill in the center of a splendid valley, partly occupied by a beautiful lake and is situated at the border with the Molise region. Gallo Matese can be reached through three roads: from the Fontegreca-Capriati at Volturno junction, for those coming from Venafro; from Monteroduni, for those coming from Isernia; and from Letino, for those arriving from Lake Matese. Gallo Matese is also within the Matese Regional Park, which makes this area perfect not only for nature lovers but also for history enthusiasts.
The Physical Geography of Gallo Matese
One of the most remarkable features of Gallo Matese is its picturesque landscape. The valley of Gallo is truly beautiful, with a lovely lake and a large hill that rises above it. In the hamlet of Vallelunga, about 10 km from Gallo, you will find the famous "Red Rock" (Piescurusc). Furthermore, the surrounding area of Gallo Matese is easily accessible through the three aforementioned roads. So, if you love nature and are looking for a quiet destination, Gallo Matese is the perfect town for you.
The History of Gallo Matese
The history of Gallo Matese is interesting and mysterious. There are no documents that attest to the date of the first settlements in the area, but Livy speaks of a proud and combative population in northern Campania, called "Montesi". Based on this, we can assume that the ancestors of the Gallesi participated in the wars that the Sanniti Pentri waged against the Roman Empire. Later on, these populations were subdued to the Roman Empire, which, in the restructuring of the Italian territory, introduced the Matese in the first region.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Matese area, thanks to its geographical location, did not undergo barbarian invasions. Around 600 AD, Romualdo I of Benevento, duke of Benevento, under the order of his father Grimoaldo, king of Italy, welcomed a group of Bulgarians who settled in the area. Since the Gastaldato of Boiano included also the mountains of Matese, there was undoubtedly a fusion between the Bulgarian ethnic group and the Sannite populations of the area: the Gallesi are therefore Sannite-Bulgarians.
In 1154, Gallo Matese was called Gualdum, probably deriving from the German term "wald", meaning "forest". In this period, it was a fiefdom of Riccardo, Count of Fondi, and had been declared "Feudum Unius Milites", which meant the obligation to provide a military contingent of twelve soldiers and twelve servants on the occasion of military events, which happened during the first crusade.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed this brief excursion to the town of Gallo Matese. If you are looking for a quiet destination to enjoy the beauty of nature and history, Gallo Matese is definitely the right choice. Don't miss the opportunity to visit this beautiful Italian municipality.
