Piedimonte Matese
Let's discover Piedimonte Matese, a Campanian village
Hello everyone! Today I will talk about a village located in Campania, precisely in the province of Caserta: I'm talking about Piedimonte Matese, a municipality that counts about 10 thousand inhabitants.
Physical geography
The village is located at the foot of the Matese massif and its extreme southern slopes host the town center. The town is located in an intermediate position between the Campanian plain and the Matese massif and is surrounded by the Cila and Muto mountains and the "terrace of Castello". The Cila reaches an altitude of 677 meters and is rich in olive groves, while the Muto is 1037 meters high. The Castello Terrace reaches 474 meters.
Hydrography
The Torano River, which was the main watercourse of Piedimonte, was channeled into the Campano aqueduct in 1963 and flowed inside the town heading towards the Volturno. Another important watercourse is the Maretto or "Toranello", also channeled in 1965, which has a bed used for the discharge of wastewater used by the hydroelectric plant.
History
Origins
In this area there are numerous archaeological finds that testify to human presence since the Neolithic age. Mount Cila, where the current town center is located, housed a Samnite settlement. Among the archaeological remains found are the statuettes of "Zeus of Cila" and the "Corridore of Cila", which together with other 170 finds are preserved in the Raffaele Marrocco civic museum.
The domination of the Gaetani
Under the Normans, Piedimonte grew into a barony, with an extension of 142 km² and jurisdiction over the neighboring suburbs of Castello del Matese, San Gregorio Matese, Sepicciano and San Potito Sannitico. Later, the village came under the domination of the Gaetani who were lords of the area for a long period.
The village today
Piedimonte Matese is an important center for trade and services in the area, with a good offer of commercial and tourist activities. In addition, during the summer period it is possible to participate in numerous local fairs and festivals, where you can taste typical local products, such as buffalo mozzarella, Altavilla bread and Falerno del Massico wine.
What to visit in Piedimonte Matese
The village offers numerous attractions for visitors. For example, you can visit the church of San Giovanni Battista, built in the 9th century and home to the homonymous brotherhood. In this sacred building, it is possible to admire the ancient frescoes of the 15th and 16th centuries.
From a religious point of view, it is also possible to visit the church of San Francesco d'Assisi, dating back to the 13th century, which represents one of the most important places of worship in the area.
Furthermore, the village houses the Raffaele Marrocco Civic Museum, where it is possible to admire the archaeological finds found in the area, including the two statuettes of Mount Cila that we mentioned earlier.
Conclusions
In conclusion, Piedimonte Matese is a village with strong historical and cultural roots. Its artistic and religious heritage, combined with the beauty of the surrounding mountains, make it a place of great charm and suggestion. If you are in the area, I recommend stopping by!
