Altavilla Silentina
Encyclopedia
Altavilla Silentina is a town and comune
located in the province of Salerno
, Campania
, some 100 km south of Naples
, Italy.
and the Tyrrhenian Sea
. The panorama includes the island of Capri
, the mountains of the Amalfi Coast
and the Gulf of Salerno
in its northern part. The river Calore Salernitano touches much of its western boundaries.
, it is thought to have taken place the final battle where Spartacus
and 60,000 fellow slaves who rebelled against the Roman Republic
were definitely defeated by the Roman general Pompey
in 71 BCE. A district of a nearby town is today called Pompeo.
The history of the modern Altavilla has began around the year 1080 when the Normans with Robert Guiscard
erected the Norman Castle that dominates the town and the Church of St. Giles. The town was built on triangular shape fortified with walls and three main gates: St. Blaise's Gate, Susa's Gate, Carina's Gate. The current name, Altavilla, derives from that of Guiscard's family, the Hauteville
.
In 1246, having sided with the town of Capaccio
and other local barons against the emperor Frederick II
, Altavilla was completely razed to the ground. The breach was opened in a section of the old town that still today bears the nickname of muro rutto ("broken wall"). The city was newly built because of its strategic position dominating the plain of Sele River
and was designed in a quadrangular shape, with the addition of a New Gate called "Portanova" (New Door).
During the 15th century the Franciscans arrived in Altavilla and built a two-storey convent
with a center cloister
, and around it they built a Church dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi, a refectory
, a library
and a parlor. The Franciscan remained in Altavilla until 1860, when with the Unification of Italy, many religious convent were confiscated.
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On September 9, 1862, with a resolution of the town hall, Altavilla took the second name of 'Silentina' because located between the rivers Sele
and Alento, in order to be recognized among the 5 other towns that in Italy bear the first name of Altavilla.
In World War II
, it was the seat of clashes between the German occupation forces and Allied troops.
, founded by the Normans. It is situated on the high part of the middle ages
section of the town. After the Irpinia earthquake of November 23, 1980, the church has not been used for religious celebrations.
The Church of St. Blaise is located on the lower part of the medieval quarter of town, and gives the name to the Gate of St. Blaise, that was the entrance of the medieval village.
The main parish of Altavilla is located in the center of the old town, facing the Piazza Antico Sedile ("Ancient Seat square"), that was probably the "town hall" of the medieval Altavilla. The church was built in 1796 as written on the main inscription above St. Antoninus niche.
Other churches include:
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
located in the province of Salerno
Province of Salerno
The Province of Salerno is a province in the Campania region of Italy.-Geography:The largest towns in the province are: Salerno, the capital, which has a population of 139,579; Cava de' Tirreni with a population of 53,488; Battipaglia with a population of 51,115; and Nocera Inferiore which has a...
, Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
, some 100 km south of Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, Italy.
Geography
Altavilla Silentina is spread on two ridges of a hill. It is shielded on the northeastern side by the Alburni Mountains and on the West looks at the plain of the Sele RiverSele River
The Sele is a river in southwestern Italy. Originating from the Monti Picentini in Caposele , it flows through the region of Campania, in the provinces of Salerno and Avellino...
and the Tyrrhenian Sea
Tyrrhenian Sea
The Tyrrhenian Sea is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy.-Geography:The sea is bounded by Corsica and Sardinia , Tuscany, Lazio, Campania, Basilicata and Calabria and Sicily ....
. The panorama includes the island of Capri
Capri
Capri is an Italian island in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrentine Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples, in the Campania region of Southern Italy...
, the mountains of the Amalfi Coast
Amalfi Coast
-In popular culture:The Amalfi Coast is a popular destination among tourists. It was featured in "Positano," a short story written by American author John Steinbeck in 1953...
and the Gulf of Salerno
Gulf of Salerno
The Gulf of Salerno is a gulf of the Tyrrhenian Sea in the coast of the province of Salerno in south-western Italy. The northern part of this coast is the touristic Costiera Amalfitana, including towns like Amalfi, Maiori, Positano and the city of Salerno itself.The Gulf of Salerno is separated...
in its northern part. The river Calore Salernitano touches much of its western boundaries.
History
The territory of Altavilla was populated since the 7th century BCE as demonstrated by archaeological finds on the territory, in the locality of San Lorenzo. In the nearby rural territory of Altavilla Silentina, by the Sele RiverSele River
The Sele is a river in southwestern Italy. Originating from the Monti Picentini in Caposele , it flows through the region of Campania, in the provinces of Salerno and Avellino...
, it is thought to have taken place the final battle where Spartacus
Spartacus
Spartacus was a famous leader of the slaves in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. Little is known about Spartacus beyond the events of the war, and surviving historical accounts are sometimes contradictory and may not always be reliable...
and 60,000 fellow slaves who rebelled against the Roman Republic
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
were definitely defeated by the Roman general Pompey
Pompey
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey or Pompey the Great , was a military and political leader of the late Roman Republic...
in 71 BCE. A district of a nearby town is today called Pompeo.
The history of the modern Altavilla has began around the year 1080 when the Normans with Robert Guiscard
Robert Guiscard
Robert d'Hauteville, known as Guiscard, Duke of Apulia and Calabria, from Latin Viscardus and Old French Viscart, often rendered the Resourceful, the Cunning, the Wily, the Fox, or the Weasel was a Norman adventurer conspicuous in the conquest of southern Italy and Sicily...
erected the Norman Castle that dominates the town and the Church of St. Giles. The town was built on triangular shape fortified with walls and three main gates: St. Blaise's Gate, Susa's Gate, Carina's Gate. The current name, Altavilla, derives from that of Guiscard's family, the Hauteville
Hauteville family
The family of the Hauteville was a petty baronial Norman family from the Cotentin which rose to prominence in Europe, Asia, and Africa through its conquests in the Mediterranean, especially Southern Italy and Sicily...
.
In 1246, having sided with the town of Capaccio
Capaccio
Capaccio is a town and comune in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy. The ruins of the ancient city of Paestum lie within borders of the comune.-Airport:...
and other local barons against the emperor Frederick II
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...
, Altavilla was completely razed to the ground. The breach was opened in a section of the old town that still today bears the nickname of muro rutto ("broken wall"). The city was newly built because of its strategic position dominating the plain of Sele River
Sele River
The Sele is a river in southwestern Italy. Originating from the Monti Picentini in Caposele , it flows through the region of Campania, in the provinces of Salerno and Avellino...
and was designed in a quadrangular shape, with the addition of a New Gate called "Portanova" (New Door).
During the 15th century the Franciscans arrived in Altavilla and built a two-storey convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
with a center cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
, and around it they built a Church dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi, a refectory
Refectory
A refectory is a dining room, especially in monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. One of the places the term is most often used today is in graduate seminaries...
, a library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
and a parlor. The Franciscan remained in Altavilla until 1860, when with the Unification of Italy, many religious convent were confiscated.
Sele River
The Sele is a river in southwestern Italy. Originating from the Monti Picentini in Caposele , it flows through the region of Campania, in the provinces of Salerno and Avellino...
and Alento, in order to be recognized among the 5 other towns that in Italy bear the first name of Altavilla.
In World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, it was the seat of clashes between the German occupation forces and Allied troops.
Main sights
The oldest church is the Church of Saint GilesSaint Giles
Saint Giles was a Greek Christian hermit saint from Athens, whose legend is centered in Provence and Septimania. The tomb in the abbey Giles was said to have founded, in St-Gilles-du-Gard, became a place of pilgrimage and a stop on the road that led from Arles to Santiago de Compostela, the...
, founded by the Normans. It is situated on the high part of the middle ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
section of the town. After the Irpinia earthquake of November 23, 1980, the church has not been used for religious celebrations.
The Church of St. Blaise is located on the lower part of the medieval quarter of town, and gives the name to the Gate of St. Blaise, that was the entrance of the medieval village.
The main parish of Altavilla is located in the center of the old town, facing the Piazza Antico Sedile ("Ancient Seat square"), that was probably the "town hall" of the medieval Altavilla. The church was built in 1796 as written on the main inscription above St. Antoninus niche.
Other churches include:
- Convent of St. Francis
- Congrega of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
- Our Lady of Mount Virgin (cemetery chapel)
- Our Lady Assunta in St. Blaise (Cerrelli)
- Our Lady of Snow (Carillia)
- Newly built Church in Cerrocupo
External links
- Web portal of Altavilla Silentina
- Onlinbe news edition of Altavilla Silentiona in italian
- Emigrati altavillesi in USA
- History and images of Convento San Francesco
- Feast of St. Anthony on June 13: images and program
- Feast of Madonna of Montevergine on September 8