Giffoni Valle Piana
Discovering Giffoni Valle Piana
Hi everyone! Today I want to talk to you about a municipality in the province of Salerno, in Campania, called Giffoni Valle Piana. Its name comes from the Mercato hamlet, where the town hall is located. Let's take a look at some interesting details about this place.
Physical Geography
Giffoni Valle Piana is located at the foot of Mount Licinici and is classified as a seismic zone 2, meaning it has medium seismicity. Its territory also includes the Regional Park of the Picentini Mountains, which offers breathtaking views of the surrounding nature.
Origins of the name
The origin of the name "Giffoni" is still a matter of debate: some believe it comes from the Latin expression "Junonis Phanum", which indicated the presence of a temple dedicated to the goddess Juno on which the basilica of Santa Maria a Vico was later erected. Others, instead, propose the interpretation from the Greek verb "foneo", meaning "to send sounds", or even from the expression "genus furis", meaning "land of scoundrels and rebels." "Valle Piana," on the other hand, comes from the geographic characteristics of the place.
History
Giffoni Valle Piana has an ancient and fascinating history, closely linked to the story of the city of Picentia, founded by the Piceni population in the valley of the Picentino River. After their defeat by the Romans, the Piceni dispersed into the surrounding hillside towns and gave rise to the hamlets of San Cipriano Picentino, San Mango Piemonte, Montecorvino Rovella, Montecorvino Pugliano, Faiano, and Giffoni Valle Piana.
In particular, the hamlets that now make up Giffoni Valle Piana and Giffoni Sei Casali came together to form the State of Giffoni, a Lombard county that also incorporated the Universitas of Gauro. During the Middle Ages, there were numerous Lombard forts on the peaks of the Picentini Mountains that constituted the border between the Duchy of Benevento and that of Salerno.
Among the most important historical events of Giffoni Valle Piana, it is worth noting the elevation to a diocese that took place at the behest of Pope Clement VII in 1531, with the church of the Annunziata becoming the cathedral and Innico d'Avalos d'Aragona the first bishop.
Conclusions
Giffoni Valle Piana is a magical place, rich in history and natural beauty. I hope these few insights have piqued your curiosity and that you decide to visit this wonderful municipality. Bye!
