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Copyright
© 2006 Baci D'Italia.
All Rights Reserved.
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The church bells ring, it's six o'clock in
the morning and the small town begins to wake up. You stand
at the window and watch the sun creep over the distant hills.
Pink hazy light fills the horizon; within minutes, patches
of green come to life in the valley below. The piazza fills
with people greeting each other as they head off to work or
school. |
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All over Italy, this is how the day begins.
Hundreds of medieval towns caught in the struggle to fit into
a fast-changing world while holding onto their unique charm.
People gather to share their opinions on world events as well
as sharing the small things that make up their daily lives.
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| The Italians stop and take time to visit with
each other in person, sitting in piazzas or at a café,
life slows down and finds its roots.
The balance we all look for is here, at times intense with
passion, but always coming back to what's most important
- relationships. |
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Regione Molise
The red and white emblem of the province or region
of Molise where everything old is new – tutto vecchio
e` nuovo – is covered on the bottom by part of
the breastplate of a Samnite warrior..
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South of Abruzzo, east of Latium
and Campania and north of Apulia is Molise, a narrow strip
of verdant, hilly terrain covering about 550 square miles.
The heavily forested slopes are dotted with numerous medieval
hamlets, castles in all stages of preservation and amazing
ancient ruins. There are few towns and cities in this region
that is virtually unvisited by English speakers. People here
are open and friendly and the cuisine is still strongly regional.
This area was settled by the very tough Samnites, one of the
earliest Italic tribes, and was called Samnium. The Samnite
Wars fought with the Romans lasted from 322BC until 290BC,
ending with the Romans eventually leveling many towns. Like
other areas of east central Italy, the Goths and Lombards
in turn had control as the Roman empire collapsed. In the
early 11th century, the Normans ruled and appointed Ugo di
Molhouse I as governor. Molise, thought to be derived from
his name, was given to the region. |
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Throughout all these periods as
well as the incorporation of the Kingdoms of Sicily and Naples,
respectively, each era left a mark on the region. From the
inland cities of Isernia and Campobasso to the Adriatic Sea
coast city of Termoli and all towns in between, you will find
a journey rich in history.
Some of the sights you won’t want to miss are the Roman
theater, Roman Amphitheater and Samnian meeting house near
Venafro. Above this town, you’ll find a Romanesque style
church with Gothic renovations and 15th century frescos. There
is also a church built into a hillside grotto through the
woods. There is the Pignatelli castle located near the town
of Monteroduni, the breathtaking Volturno Valley and the site
of the ancient Samnite town of Aquilonia with the enormous
mortarless wall of polygonal shaped blocks built in the 4th
century BC. If you are familiar with Umberto Eco’s book
The Name of the Rose, you will want to travel to Castel San
Vicenzo. In Isernia, a city that has been destroyed and rebuilt
twelve times, you’ll find the Fraterna Fontana. It was
built in the 13th century by the affluent local family named
Ponza, decendents of Pontius Pilate. Agnone has boasted it’s
bell making for centuries and still supplies many of the bells
used in many countries; Campobasso is famous for it’s
engraved cutlery, and the Matese is home to quiet villages
where women sit in traditional dress making delicate lace.
Molise is the youngest Italian province, established in 1963,
but the sites you will see here will take you back in time
over 2,000 years. With the majestic natural beauty and vast
unspoiled wilderness, it is a breath of fresh air in your
journey. |
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