Santo Stefano del Sole
Welcome back to Santo Stefano del Sole!
Hello everyone! Today I will talk to you about Santo Stefano del Sole, a small municipality in southern Italy, in the province of Avellino in Campania. It is a place with an ancient charm, whose origins date back to the Neolithic period. In this text, I will give you an idea of how the history of this place has evolved over the centuries.
The origins
Let's start with the origins of this city: the discovery of traces of Neolithic habitation in the locations of Piano della guardia and Macchie, a Samnite settlement in the location of Castelluccio, and a Roman villa demonstrate that Santo Stefano del Sole has an ancient history.
The birth of the first urban settlement
Around the year 1000, the Serpiceti, a population who lived exclusively on pastoralism and agriculture, would go to work the land daily in the territories of Castel Serpico. To avoid having to walk several kilometers back home, they deemed it more appropriate to build houses closer to the current Municipality. Later, even the feudal lord of Serpico decided to build his palace there to host his court, just below the current church of the Annunciation, along with the church of Santa Maria delle Cristarelle.
The official document
The first official document attesting to the existence of Santo Stefano del Sole dates back to 1045, as the name of Santo Stefano del Sole is present in a diploma preserved in the archive of the church of Santa Sofia (Benevento). Consequently, the first official news relating to its existence dates back to the Norman conquest of southern Italy (11th century), when it appears in some documentary sources as a fiefdom of the county of Avellino.
The demographic increase
Santo Stefano del Sole began to have a real urban agglomeration, and this led to the demographic increase of the town. The depopulation of the pre-Roman village of Castel Serpico, where much of the population, predominantly shepherds, moved, forming the original nucleus of the current center.
The separation from Sorbo Serpico
Since 1525, Santo Stefano del Sole, which until then had always been united with Sorbo Serpico, was separated from it and administered by an autonomous mayor, under the jurisdiction of the local feudal lord. Incorporated into the possessions of the Di Capua family, it subsequently belonged to the Capece and Galeota families, who held it until the mid-16th century. Sold to the Gesualdo family by Giovanni Luigi Capece Galeota, it passed to the Del Sangro family in 1771 and then to the Zamaglia family, who held it until 1806, the year of the abolition of feudal rights in southern Italy.
The brigand Laurenziello
There is no news of significant historical events since 1525, except for the serious drama that struck it in the 18th century with the brigand Lorenzo de Feo, known as Laurenziello. The brigand was born in 1774. Employed in the band of the Marquess of Santa Lucia di Serino, he is remembered for the crimes committed in the municipal territory on August 3rd, 1809, including that of the mayor of the town (there were more than 30 victims in total and several wounded).
The present
Today, Santo Stefano del Sole is a municipality of 2040 inhabitants, located in the province of Avellino, in Campania. From a tourist point of view, the small center offers many attractions, such as the church of the Annunciation with its square, the church of Santa Maria delle Cristarelle, and the ethnographic museum "Luigi Camba" with its interesting collection of objects from the past.
In short, Santo Stefano del Sole is a place with an ancient charm, rich in history and hidden treasures to discover. If you pass through the area, don't miss the opportunity to visit this wonderful little village!
