Mercogliano
The history of Mercogliano
Mercogliano is an Italian municipality located in the province of Avellino, Campania. The name of the place seems to derive from "Mercurianum", which indicated the presence of possessions, "praedia", of the "magistri mercuriales", magistrates who administered the cult of Mercury. The place was a Roman colony and the name Mercogliano remained until the medieval period with the designation of "Castrum Mercuriani". The territory of Mercogliano has important testimonies, inscriptions and archaeological artifacts dating back to the Roman period in the 4th century. Here the events of the Christianization of Irpinia and the Saints Modestino, Fiorentino and Flaviano, who find their death precisely in the surroundings of Mercogliano, take place. The true foundation of Mercogliano dates back to the last decades of the 6th century, when a colony of refugees from the nearby Abellinum, occupied the hill in the shadow of the Lombard castle. Here, a settlement was built that was born and grew.
The castle of Mercogliano
Following the Norman conquest of southern Italy, which began in 1030, the castle was built. In the period between 1077 and 1089, the village was raised to the rank of castle and the town acquired administrative autonomy. The fief of the fortified village in 1136 was owned by Enrico di Sarno, sub-feudal lord of the count of Avellino Rainulfo. In 1137, Roger II, who besieged Mercogliano occupying the castle, begins Norman domination. At that time, Roger II had Matilde, the wife of Count Rainulfo, imprisoned in the castle. The fief of Mercogliano was then donated to Riccardo de Aquila who was also nominated in the catalog of Barons for sending some knights and armigers to the Holy Land. Following Riccardo de Aquila, Ruggiero succeeded him in 1161 and Countess Pierrone de Aquila, in 1183, who was the wife of Ruggiero de Castelvetere.
The location of Mercogliano
Located to the west of Avellino, the municipality of Mercogliano is urbanistically contiguous thanks to the extension of the Torrette fraction, a populous center of the territory. Together with Atripalda, Aiello del Sabato, Monteforte Irpino, and the city of Avellino, it constitutes the Urban System of Avellino.
Conclusions
Mercogliano is an important municipality in the province of Avellino, with a millennial history and a wealth of monuments and archaeological evidence. Among the places of greatest interest are the castle and the historic center, which together offer a unique and fascinating experience. The town enjoys a strategic position, in the Intra-Apennine plain, which makes it an excellent starting point for naturalistic and food and wine excursions in Irpinia.
