Melfi - Melfi

Disambiguation - For toponyms of identical name, see Melfi (disambiguation).

Melfi (Melf in dialect) is a city in Basilicata.

To know

Melfi has a great history, especially medieval. The Normans made it the first capital of their possessions in southern Italy and, under the Swabian rule, Frederick II chose it as a summer residence, where he practiced falcon hunting, and from here he promulgated the so-called "Constitutions of Melfi", a fundamental work in the history of law.

Despite its glorious past and the preservation of a good cultural heritage, Melfi suffers from poor tourist development and is more of an agricultural-pastoral city, as well as hosting one of the largest industrial settlements in the region in the hamlet of San Nicola.

The castle, of Norman origin, is well preserved and one of the most historic in Southern Italy.

The most important cult structure is the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, a prestigious Catholic church.

Geographical notes

Its suburbs extend as far as the Ofanto Valley.

All of this is set against Monte Vulture, a place full of chestnuts, protagonists of the Varola Festival which is held every year in the historic area where the pettole and Aglianico wine are also served.

The Vulture has, in the fauna category, the Bramea, a very rare butterfly that lives in this landscape.

When to go

The climate of Melfi is Mediterranean, with mild temperatures throughout the year. The autumn season offers the most attractive initiatives for tourists interested in the eno-gastronomic heritage.

Background

The historical origins of Melfi are still the subject of debate. Probably the name derives from the ancient river Melpes, today little more than a canal, which traces the origin of the city back to ancient times. It is thought that the first settlements (found in the Leonessa hamlet) date back to the Neolithic. Some findings of tombs in an area adjacent to the castle, Chiuchiari area, now exhibited in the pre-Roman section of the National Museum of Melfese, and on the Capuchin hill, now exhibited in the archaeological museum of Taranto, seem to confirm this assumption.

Melfi acquired enormous importance in the Middle Ages, especially under Norman rule, when it became the capital of the County of Puglia (later Duchy of Puglia and Calabria) and seat of five important councils, the third went down in history for having banned the first crusade in the Holy Land. With the arrival of the Swabians, Frederick II promulgated the Constitutions of Melfi from the castle, a unique code of laws for the entire Kingdom of Sicily. The emperor spent his summer stays there, practicing hunting in the Vulture woods with his falconry. With the Angevins, a decadent future began to appear for the city, with Naples becoming, from now on, the main center of the South, even if Charles of Anjou had the castle renovated, of which he made it the official residence of his wife, Maria of Hungary.

Subsequently, Melfi maintained a cultural glimmer in the Renaissance but war episodes (such as the "Bloody Easter" by the French leader Odet de Foix with the help of the mercenaries of the Black Bands) and social unrest accentuated its decline over the years , also aggravated by the earthquakes that destroyed much of its urban heritage. Melfi could have regained the glory of the past in the intentions of Bernardo Tanucci, trusted minister of Charles of Bourbon, who wanted to make it the new capital of the Kingdom of Naples. In fact, Melfi became fertile ground for banditry. As soon as the unification of Italy was proclaimed, it was conquered by the armies of the infamous Carmine Crocco, capobrigante of nearby Rionero, a worrying event for the Italian kingdom, to the point that even Garibaldi mentioned it in a parliamentary interpellation. In the Fascist era, Melfi was treated as a place of confinement, hosting anti-fascists such as Manlio Rossi-Doria, Franco Venturi, Ada Rossi, Eugenio Colorni and his wife Ursula Hirschmann.

How to orient yourself

Melfi, located in the northern part of Basilicata, is not very big, but it has what it takes to live well. Its hamlets are Foggiano, Foggianello, San Giorgio, San Nicola and Leonessa.

The city is divided into three parts:

1. the first encloses the historic center;
2. the second the Valleverde area, modern;
3. the third (and last) includes the recently built Bicocca area.

The part of greatest tourist interest is the historic center. Connected to the station by a wide avenue, reserved for strolling on summer evenings (in winter "the struscio" is still practiced by someone in the historic center, in the area called Santa Maria from the church of the same name. Maria (Assunta) It, with the adjoining episcopal palace, stands out on a large square equipped with bars and meeting places.

How to get

By plane

The nearest airports are:

• Bari-Palese (55 minutes)
• Naples-Capodichino (1 hour)

By car

• From Rome with the Autostrada del Sole A1 then continuing on the A16 until the exit Candle; then follow the signs for Melfi. Distance from the exit 20 km.
• From Bologna- Autostrada del Sole A14, exit Foggia; follow the instructions Power; take the Foggia-Potenza. Distance from foggia 55 km.

On the train

• TO Melfi there is only one railway station with convenient and fast connections to Foggia and Potenza.

How to get around

On foot it takes about 30 minutes to move around the historic center (from Porta Venosina to the Castle).

What see

In all there are three museums:

• Diocesan Museum (at the episcope). 
• National Museum of Melfese (at the castle). 
• Donadoni Civic Museum (Not far from the episcopal complex). 

Events and parties

• Sagra della Varola, Falconry and Pentecost. Two days between September and October. During the year, various festivities are held in Melfi, the most famous is the Sagra della Varola which takes place over two days in which wine tastings are made and chestnuts are roasted in large pots. The Varola festival is the best known event at the regional level which takes place in October. In Piazza Umberto I the original chestnuts of the Vulture Melfese are roasted, with which various chestnut-based dishes are made such as chestnuts, chestnut pasta, chestnut beer and finally the marroncino pizza. The party is organized by the municipal Pro Loco and, through a guided tour, you can retrace the splendid medieval historic center. 

What to do

If you want to spend a day in Melfi, in the morning you could take a walk on the avenue of the station and go into the park.In the afternoon you could go if the weather permits to Santa Maria where there are many shops where you can shop and go up to visit the Cathedral, the castle and other monuments of the city.

Shopping

In its territory an excellent olive oil is produced; Melfi is part ofNational Association City of oil.

• Arcobaleno shopping center. 

How to have fun

Where to eat

Average prices

• Twentieth century. Restaurant
• Vaddone. Restaurant
• Farese. Restaurant
• The Villa. Restaurant / farmhouse. 
• Sant'Agata. Restaurant / Pizzeria / Agritourism

Where stay

To stay in the Melfese area the following hotels and bed & breakfasts are recommended:

Average prices

• Two Pines (Located in the center off the station). Qualified with three stars. 
• Farese Hotel (Near the hamlet of Foggianello). Qualified with three stars. 
• B&B Camelie, Via G. Ferraris (In the historic center). 
• B&B Alla Corte Blu, Via Monteverde (C. from Bicocca). 
• B&B I Gelsomini, Via E. Scarpetta. 

High prices

• Hotel Relais La Fattoria, C. from Bicocca. Qualified with four stars. 
• Chestnut grove, Via Monticchio. Qualified with four stars. 

Safety

How to keep in touch

Around

Vulture Regional Natural Park

Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Melfi
• Commons contains images or other files on Melfi
• Wikiquote contains quotes from or about Melfi

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