Villa di Briano
The History of Villa di Briano
Villa di Briano, an Italian municipality located in the province of Caserta in Campania, has had a significant past that has contributed to its evolution and current denomination. Before 1950, the municipality was known as Frignano Minore, but the city council on November 17, 1950, decided to change it to Villa di Briano: Briano is a personal name that derives from Latin "vallis", which means "valley".
Physical Geography of Villa di Briano
Villa di Briano belongs to the Terra di Lavoro and is located in the center of the agglomeration called Agro Aversano. Like many other Aversan municipalities, Villa di Briano was initially under the province of Naples, but passed to the province of Caserta following territorial changes.
Monuments and Places of Interest in Villa di Briano
The town is mainly known for the ancient church of Maria Santissima di Briano, a place of worship located in the open countryside that attracts believers from all over Campania. The festival in honor of Madonna di Briano is held on the Sunday following Easter and is characterized by the presence of colorful festive floats and joyful dancers who have fun to the sound of folk songs. The Church of Maria Santissima Assunta in Cielo is instead the main place of worship in the town. It was built on an ancient chapel, already documented in the 14th century as a parish, and then renovated in the '700 in Baroque style. With three aisles, a dome that overlooks the presbytery, the Church rises about 2 meters from the street level, offering an incredible view from its elevated terraces.
Society
The municipality of Villa di Briano has a population of 7,287 inhabitants. Its demographic evolution over the years has included a slow increase in population in the '60s and '70s, which reached its peak in 1981 with over 8,000 inhabitants. Subsequently, the population gradually decreased until reaching the current numbers.
Religiously, the residents of Villa di Briano are devoted to the Virgin Mary, in particular to Madonna di Briano and Maria SS Assunta in Cielo.
Conclusions
Villa di Briano is a municipality characterized by the presence of ancient churches and noteworthy places of worship. Its population has undergone an interesting evolution over the years, while the religious culture of the citizens is rooted in the history and traditions of the town. If you are interested in Campanian popular culture, Villa di Briano is definitely a municipality to visit.
