Castel Baronia
| Castel Baronia | |
|---|---|
| Comune | |
| Comune di Castel Baronia | |
Castel Baronia
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 Castel Baronia
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| Coordinates: 41°2′54″N 15°11′23″E / 41.04833°N 15.18972°ECoordinates: 41°2′54″N 15°11′23″E / 41.04833°N 15.18972°E | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Campania |
| Province / Metropolitan city | Avellino (AV) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 15.34 km2 (5.92 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 639 m (2,096 ft) |
| Population (1 May 2009) | |
| • Total | 1,196 |
| • Density | 78/km2 (200/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Castellesi |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Postal code | 83040 |
| Dialing code | 0827 |
| Patron saint | Madonna delle Fratte |
| Saint day | 2 February |
| Website | Official website |
Castel Baronia is a town and comune in the province of Avellino, Campania, Italy. Castel Baronia has a population of 1,233 inhabitants (Castellesi) and a surface of 15.3 square kilometres (5.9 sq mi) thus showing a population density of 80.59 inhabitants per square kilometer. It rises 639 metres (2,096 ft) above the sea level. Castel Baronia is situated in the green area that extends from the Ufita valley to the province of Foggia, a gracious area, forming part of the Comunita' Montana of the Ufita Valley.
The name of the town comes from the word Castello (from the Latin Castellum) due to the existence dating back to the Norman era, of an impenetrable fort in the highest part of the area, Trevico, 1,090 metres (3,580 ft) above sea level, which dominated the town and surrounding areas. The Baronia area was the last fort of the province of Avellino that faced the so-called "table of puglia". The word Baronia was added to Castel when the district entered under the jurisdiction of the Baronia di Vico. Hence, Castel Baronia. The first written record of this town dates back to the second half of the 16th century when a certain Gradilione in 1079, nephew of the Norman, Roberto di Guiscardo, owned the lands of Vico. In 1122 the owner of this Castle was Riccardo de Formari, killed during the terrible battle of Flumeri. Passed from one duchy to another the last to own Castel Baronia was Nicola Caracciolo, from the duchy of San Vito, passed on through marriage dowry and remained until the abolition of feudality in 1806.
Castel Baronia has touristic importance formed by its history and precious archaeological neolithical finds which date back to 3rd century B.C. in part these have been discovered in the Isca del Pero area, where huts, tombs including jewels, amphors, coins and industrial clay items, vases, plates with characteristics of the Laterza culture. Inhabitants were the Irpini tribe from the Samnites, who consisted of four tribes, Carricini, Caudini, Pentri and Irpini. The Irpini's occupied southern Samnium between the valleys of Ofanto, Calore and Sabbato. They were called "uomini lupo" or wolf men and it is from them that the word "hirpus" or Irpino is derived. Other important finds dating back to the second half of the 5th century BC from a Samnite necropolis, also included tombs that were discovered in the Serra San Marco region, where 130 tombs were discovered. Studies have demonstrated that the contents of these tombs proved the presence of inhabitants whose economy was based on agriculture and craftsmanship, influenced by the progressed civilizations of the central adriatic coastal areas. In the Medieval period evidence has shown that the primitive inhabitants occupied the "Acquara" area due to the presence of springs and consequently evidence of numerous water mills and herb gardens. Some items can be seen at the British Museum London. Big land owners were practically non-existent since everybody used the land for animals' pasture and farming. They had no slavery and everybody had freedom of expression. Because of this, the Samnites had a healthy social evolution with respect to other populations of the peninsula, an evolution that led these people to such political knowledge that advanced by thousand of years the new ideas of today's Europe.
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Wikipedia