Colletorto - Colletorto

Colletorto is a center of the Molise.

To know

Geographical notes

The town stands on a hill about 500 meters high to reach the 776 meters of Colle Crocella in theMolise Apennines in Central Molise; it is surrounded by centuries-old olive trees, oak woods and more sparse crops of cereals and forage. In the vicinity of the municipal territory of Colletorto passes the Fortore river and part of the dam that led to the formation of the Occhito lake. Other important streams are the valley of Santa Maria, a tributary of Fortore and the Cigno torrent, a tributary of Lake Occhito. It is 46 km from Campobasso, 34 from Guardialfiera and from Macchia Valfortore, 29 from Larino, 6 from San Giuliano di Puglia.

Background

The town is mentioned for the first time in the Angevin registers of 1320, under the name of collis Tortus, which suggests that its existence predates the coronation of Queen Giovanna I of Naples, daughter of Charles II of Anjou. it has been said about the original name of the town: from "Colle Toro" to "Colle Forte", passing through "Colleobtorto", just as a certain Father Gonzaga wrote centuries ago. But in addition to the discrepancies on the original name, other assumptions are made about the visit of Queen Joan of Anjou. What is certain is that she had a crenellated tower built which still stands today as a representative monument of the municipality. It is located in the area called "Largo Angioino" and constitutes, together with the marquis palace and the Mother Church, the culmination of the historic center.

How to orient yourself

Neighborhoods

The town is divided into two geographical areas: the "Colle" (the upper part) and the "Terra" the lower and more ancient part.

How to get

By plane

• Pescara airport (Abruzzo International Airport), Via Tiburtina Km 229.100, ☎ 39 085 4324201. 
• Naples Capodichino Airport (NAP), Viale F. Ruffo di Calabria, 80144 Naples NA, ☎ 39 081 7896111. 
• Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO), Via dell 'Fiumicino Airport, 320, ☎ 39 06 65951. 

By car

• Adriatic Highway A14:

• from the north exit a Termoli, follow the direction Campobasso/Larino, continue on the SS 87 (Bifernina state road), continue on the SS 647, turn onto the SP 159 and follow the signs for Colletorto (SP73B2DIR).
• from the south follow the direction Pescara, exit a San Severo, continue on the SS 272 in the direction of San Severo, go through Torremaggiore, Casalvecchio di Puglia, Casalnuovo Monterotaro, continue on the SP 73B2DIR in the direction of Colletorto.
• From Termoli take the SS 16, continue on the SS 87 (Bifernina state road), continue on the SS 647, turn onto the SP 159 and follow the signs for Colletorto (SP73B2DIR).

• From Campobasso take the State Road 87, cross Taverna del Tratturo, continue towards Colletorto (SP73B2DIR).

On the train

• Railway station of Termoli (about 50 km).

From Termoli continue to Colletorto by bus with the "Calzolaro" bus lines.

By bus

• The main public transport companies operating in the Molise area are the following:
• Autolinee C.L.P. S.p.A., ☎ 39 081 5311707, 39 081 5312424, @[email protected]. Direct connection from Naples to Campomarino and Termoli 
• Lariviera bus lines. 
• SATI bus lines. 
• Molise Trasporti bus lines. 

How to get around

What see

• Angevin Tower (1369). It was built in the second half of the fourteenth century by Giovanna d'Angiò, perhaps on a previous Norman structure, with the aim of fortifying these lands subject to Saracen raids. With a circular plan, it rises to 25 meters and ends with corbels and battlements. It is divided into several floors; each level, which used to be the guards' quarters, has a fireplace.

The structure was linked to the castle, which later became the marquis's palace and now the municipal seat. 

• Marchesale Palace (c. 1700) (municipal building). The Palace, now the Town Hall, was built on the old castle in larger dimensions. The main entrance bears the coat of arms of the Rota marquises and leads to a staircase which leads to the rooms on the upper floor where four paintings depicting the seasons with characters attributable to the Neapolitan school are kept in the council chamber. 

• Church of the purgatory. Church deconsecrated and used by the community as a congress hall. 
• Church of Sant'Alfonso de 'Liguori. 
• Monastery of Sant'Alfonso de 'Liguori. The complex consists of a church and a convent which originally belonged to the Carmelites. Suppressed in the mid-sixteenth century, the convent building was renovated in 1730 and enlarged by the Marquis Bartolomeo Rota to house the friars of the Reformed order of San Francesco. They remained there until 1810, the year of the suppression of religious orders.

A decade later it was entrusted to the aforementioned nuns Liguorine until 1953, when the nuns took over Immacolatine who established a Magistral Institute there which ceased in 1992, when religious coexistence was also closed.

The convent building preserves eighteenth-century frescoes in the refectory by Paolo Brunetti, an artist from the school of Oratino: a 'Last Supper, as well as a triptych Baltasar's banquet, Wedding at Cana, allegories of the Virtues. 

• Church of Santa Maria di Laureto. Located a few kilometers from the town, it is officiated on Easter Monday and on May 1st for a trip out of town. 
• 41.66237114.9727811 Church of San Giovanni Battista, Largo Verdi. It is the parish church and has the particularity that the entrance coincides with the bell tower. 
• Fountains. The town is full and surrounded by fountains rich in water: Fonte Cerasa, Pozzo Berardinelli, Fontana del convent, Fontana del Pallone (sports field), Fontana del Purgatorio, Sciù Sciù, Pannon, Vederame (bederame) and others; in Colletorto there are 18 fountains in the countryside and surroundings, 7 of which are located inside the town. 

Events and parties

• Fires of Sant'Antonio. January 17. Ancient and very particular festival of Colletorto, which mixes sacred and profane, are the "fires of Sant'Antonio". Each district of the town prepares bonfires, around which people gather with food, drinks and music until morning; other peculiarities are the hospitality that must be offered to the visitor and the date that coincides with the beginning of the carnival. 

What to do

Shopping

The economy is mainly agricultural and is based on the production of cereals and an excellent extra virgin olive oil which has recently obtained the protected designation of origin PDO Molise. The Municipality adheres to the National Association of Oil Cities. Colletorto has its own variety of olive trees, the black olive of Colletorto.

How to have fun

Where to eat

Average prices

• 41.66338114.9711831 Piegatina Molisana Pizzeria, Contrada Santa Maria, ☎ 39 349 5320574. 

Where stay

Average prices

• 41.66427114.9679211 Peda hotels, Via Dalla Chiesa 11, ☎ 39 0874 730607. 
• Equitourism De Girolamo, C / da Macchie, ☎ 39 347 1648120, @[email protected]. In the uncontaminated Molise nature, the right place to relax and taste local delicacies at km 0, to live a real rural experience, to discover the enchanting nature and charm of the Molisani sheep tracks on horseback. 

Safety

Pharmacy

• 41.66388614.9708181 Julian, Corso Vittorio Emanuele, 70, ☎ 39 0874 730351. 

How to keep in touch

Post office

• 41.66237114.9727812 Italian post, Via Bovio, 8, ☎ 39 0874 730050. 

Around

• Campobasso - The old city develops on a hill around the castle in a dominant position. The modern city has developed in the plan. It is the most populous center of Molise, of which it is the regional capital.
• Guardialfiera - It rises a short distance from the lake of the same name, born following the creation of a dam which thus produced the body of water, completely in the Molise area, the largest in the region.
• Campomarino - The seaside settlements on the coast form a conurbation with Termoli; the ancient center is further away towards the hills. It is one of the four municipalities of Molise whose population descends from the Albanians fleeing the Ottoman dominion and preserves traditions, customs and language of origin, the arbëreshë, that is theMolise Albanian.

• Occhito lake - It is a large artificial reservoir, created with a barrage on the Fortore. Mark the boundary between the Puglia and the Molise for about 10 km. It has a length of about 12 km and its containment capacity is 333 million m³ of water. The municipalities that overlook the lake are Sant'Elia a Pianisi, Macchia Valfortore, Pietracatella, Gambatesa and Tufara in Molise; Carlantino, Celenza Valfortore and San Marco la Catola in Puglia. The rise in humidity in the surrounding areas is attributed to its creation. The barrier can be reached from Carlantino in Puglia and from Colletorto in Molise.

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