Portico di Caserta
A small town with a fascinating history: Portico di Caserta
Hello friends! Today I'll talk to you about a town in Campania, located only 8 kilometers southwest of the city of Caserta. I'm referring to Portico di Caserta, a town with about 7700 inhabitants and a very interesting history and culture.
The physical geography of Portico di Caserta
The territory of Portico di Caserta extends over an area of about 1.91 square kilometers and is located in the Terra di Lavoro area. The climate is mild and even during winter it is rare for the temperature to drop below zero degrees or for snowfall to occur. The town is easily accessible by car, exiting the A1 motorway at "Caserta Nord" or "Caserta Sud" exits. In addition, there are nearby railway stations such as those of Recale and Marcianise, and public transport of the CLP connects Portico di Caserta with other cities such as Caserta, Santa Maria Capua Vetere and Marcianise.
The history and origins of the name of Portico di Caserta
Portico di Caserta has an ancient history that dates back to the eleventh century. Initially, it was a hamlet of Capua and then followed the fortunes of the city itself. In the eighteenth century, thanks to the construction of the Royal Palace of Caserta, the town experienced a period of prosperity and many noble families and illustrious families chose to live there, thanks to its proximity to the royal residence. In 1928, Portico di Caserta was aggregated to the nearby town of Macerata Campania and formed a single municipality called Casalba, but regained its administrative autonomy in 1946. The name of the town, which until 1862 had simply been "Portico", probably derives from the portico of an ancient monument or from another architectural element of this type.
What to see in Portico di Caserta
Despite its small size, Portico di Caserta offers many interesting historical and architectural features. In the town, there is the church of San Pietro Apostolo, dating back to the seventeenth century and completely renovated in that period. Moreover, there is the church of San Marcello, built in the nineteenth century and located in locality Musicile.
The society and demographic evolution of Portico di Caserta
In recent years, Portico di Caserta has experienced a constant demographic growth, which has led the number of inhabitants to about 7700. The town has a strong identity and an important cultural tradition.
The culture of Portico di Caserta
The tradition of Sant'Antuono
One of the most important and well-known festivals of Portico di Caserta is the one dedicated to Sant'Antonio Abate. This festival takes place between January 24th and 26th and is called "Carri, Ritmi e Pastellessa". During the festival, you can see real allegorical floats shaped like boats with faces of evil spirits. This representation leads to the liberation from evil through the sound produced by the drummers on the floats to ward off evil spirits. The inhabitants of the town play typical instruments of peasant culture such as Botti, Tini and Falci. This festival is very ancient but at the same time very current, so much so that every year thousands of people from all over Campania and even from other regions go to Portico di Caserta to participate. The Bottari of Portico have become famous internationally and have toured throughout Europe with singer-songwriter Enzo Avitabile.
Education in Portico di Caserta
In Portico di Caserta there are kindergartens, primary schools and lower secondary schools, with a communal library available to citizens. Unfortunately, there are no high schools or universities, which pushes many young people to move to other cities to continue their studies.
In conclusion, Portico di Caserta is a small town that has much to offer from a historical, cultural and naturalistic point of view. Its strategic position near Caserta and its Sant'Antuono tradition make it a special and fascinating place.
