Pescolanciano - Pescolanciano

Pescolanciano is a center of the Molise.

To know

Due to its geographical position it is considered by many to be the "gateway to Upper Molise".

Geographical notes

Much of the territory of Pescolanciano and a good part of the inhabited area extend along the Castel di Sangro-Lucera sheep track which, with the exception of the stretch that crosses the town, has preserved its characteristics of a vast grassy path intact. The high hilly environment is made up of terraces with slight slopes that form soft hills, flat basins and long valleys, creating a varied and articulated but soft and undulating landscape.

The open fields, a saltus, constitute the dominant landscape of a territory that is like an immense pasture, interrupted, especially at the borders, by vast wooded areas and closed by gentle mountain profiles: we are in the typical Apennine environment where nature is preserved almost inviolate. . The town rises in the middle of two valleys crossed by the Trigno river to the east and the Savone torrent to the west. In the southern area the hilly system prevails with the large pure beech forest that extends west to the majestic massif of Monte Totila (1395 m a.s.l.), while to the north it dominates the plateau, closed to the north-east by the Collemeluccio Reserve.

When to go

The climate of Pescolanciano is characterized by harsh winters, with many rains and snowfalls, and hot and not excessively hot summers.

Background

With the descent of Frederick II, the territory of Pescolanciano was ruled by a feudal lord, Ruggero di Peschio-Langiano, who was ordered by the king to remove the Caldora di Carpinone, dismantling their castle, to besiege Isernia and those feuds hostile to King Frederick. This expedition was organized in the fortress then existing and started from it in 1224.

The fiefdom, bordering the nearby village of Santa Maria dei Vignali, abandoned after the earthquake of 1456, was crossed by an important communication node, which connected the high localities of the central Abruzzo Apennines with the coastal ones of the "Tavoliere di Puglia". Said "trattural" path (Lucera-Castel di Sangro, Pescolanciano-Sprondasino, Sprondasino-Castel del Giudice), was used not only by the numerous shepherds and their animals, transhumant towards the sea or the mountains depending on the climatic seasons, but also by ordinary travelers and pilgrims headed to Holy Land. These tratturi therefore became over the centuries (XIV-XVIII) strategic itineraries both from an economic point of view, for the tax revenues (fida) guaranteed by the transit activity of sheep farming, and because they constituted the direct connection from Rome to the Apulian ports, at the time of pilgrimages and crusades. This explains the presence along these paths of towers, castles, monasteries and churches where various cults were celebrated and patron saints were venerated; these structures that appear to have been defended by groups of Knights Templar, Teutonic and Jerusalemite.

The castle of Pescolanciano, perched on a spur of rock at the foot of Mount Totila, under which the medieval village developed with its perimeter walls with accesses to the town still visible, performed these tasks of defense and hospitality both under the feudal lords Carafa that under the Eboli, since the thirteenth century. These centuries-old functions of the village and its manor received "new impetus" with the advent of new feudal lords. The barony of "Pescolangiano" with its neighboring rustic fiefs became a duchy in 1654 under the sixth baron Fabio Jr. (1628-1676) of Agapito (1595-1655).

The fiefdom of Pescolanciano acquired under the d'Alessandro family a greater importance for the increased agricultural-pastoral economy and above all for its role as headquarters of the various surrounding lands acquired and administered by the House, such as Castiglione, Carovilli, Civitanova del Sannio, Sprondasino, Civitavetere.

Around 1645, by Baron Giovanni (1574-1654), an activity of breeding "jumping" horses was started, a breed selected to satisfy particular requests of illustrious knights of the Kingdom of Naples, marking the beginning of a horse racing tradition -cavalleresca continued until the nineteenth century. This activity managed by the family then became the subject of poetic-literary treatises under the third duke Gio. Giuseppe d'Alessandro (1656-1715). The nephew Mario (1883-1963), son of Nicola M.III, was since childhood experienced and passionate horseback rider and from an early age undertook an exclusive collection of carriages and harnesses, which he donated in 1962 to the civic museum of Villa Pignatelli in Naples in full agreement with the patronage of his ancestors. Respecting this cultural and social tradition, the Centro Studi d'Alessandro was founded in 1996, with the aim of enhancing the manor of Pescolanciano as well as the regional monumental areas, as well as the local history and those Molise socio-religious traditions now in progress. of extinction.

How to orient yourself

Neighborhoods

Its municipal territory also includes the hamlet of La Castagna.

How to get

By plane

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

By car

• Toll booth of San Vittore from the north and exit of Vairano from the south on the Autostrada del Sole; then continue for Isernia is Agnone.
• Toll booth of Vast south on the Adriatica motorway, then take the Trignina state road until the exit for Pescolanciano.

On the train

• Railway station Carovilli-Roccasicura on the line Sulmona-Isernia.

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

• D'Alessandro Castle. The structure of the castle, with a hexagonal plan, has all the characteristics of a defense garrison because it is in an elevated position and with a wide range of view on the valley below, that of the Trigno, and on the sheep track. Castel di Sangro-Lucera, as well as surrounded by overhanging rocks that make it inaccessible from different sides. It seems to have arisen on an original Samnite fortified site even if certain archive documents show a fortress presence only from the time of Alboino, around 573 AD. Some historians believe that its construction dates back to the time of Charlemagne, around 810, or of Corrado il Salico, in 1024.

The first works of embellishment, expansion and consolidation of the fortress structure that until then must have been composed of a male and a cylindrical tower, as well as a "bastion" body with "shoe" embellishment, date back to the seventeenth century.

The entrance, in the beginning at the male tower on the north-east side, from which people had access probably using a retractable ladder, was closed and reopened with a drawbridge, finished in 1691. The external courtyard, previously with rocky steps, was leveled in this period and there were built some buildings called "pertinenze", including the "guardiola" with its seventeenth-century arabesque balcony. : A noble church was built in the center of the fort, whose enrichment works with inlaid marbles, stucco decorations and paintings were completed in 1628. Since 1673 the sacred place has housed the "holy body" of the martyr Alexander, which came from Rome with the certificate of the competent religious authority.

At the beginning of the eighteenth century the duke of the time collected in the apartments of this Molise residence a rich and interesting picture gallery of paintings (209 paintings are listed in the inventory of 1715, with religious subjects, still lifes, battles etc.) of famous authors , such as Caravaggio, Brughel, Fracanzano, Pesce. : The castle thus became a cultural reference for various academic personalities who were friends of d'Alessandro and continued to be so with his descendants.

The fortress of the d'Alessandro family received further fame and recognition at the time of the enterprising initiative to produce refined ceramic artefacts by the sixth Duke Pasquale Maria d'Alessandro (1756-1816).

Between 1780 and 1795 the small ceramic factory, located in the appurtenances of the castle, produced products of various types and materials (plates, pottery, teapots, tureens, as well as busts and neoclassical subjects in biscuit), so much so that it became competitive with the factory of Capodimonte in Naples.

Neapolitan and Venetian masters served you with their respective experiences and professionalism. Such audacious entrepreneurial activity, revolutionary for the Molise province and for the centuries-old feudal economy of the House, required government support which, however, failing, marked its end. 

• Parish church of San Salvatore. 
• Waldensian Church. The history of the Waldensian Church in Pescolanciano is certainly linked to the history of the Waldensian presence in Molise and in particular to the work of emigrants returning from United States of America and of "evangelists" through whom it was possible to stabilize the evangelical witness in Pescolanciano.

On May 21, 1916 a "temple" was built with an adjoining pastoral house.

Despite the losses suffered over time due to emigration to northern Italy, the community is still active. 

• Noble chapel of S. Alessandro (included in the D'Alessandro castle). 
• Walls and tower of S. Maria dei Vignali. 
• Museums. Three museums were inaugurated in the summer of 2014:

• Pescolanciano ceramics museum
• Museum of peasant civilization
• Museum of the castles of Italy

This in view of a project to create a town-museum, which invites tourists to follow a guided tour of the town with its historic areas, churches, museums and the castle. 

Sites of environmental interest

• Collemeluccio Nature Reserve. Established in 1971, it was recognized as a UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve. The rich flora includes silver fir, turkey oak and beech. There are numerous animal species present: roe deer, hares, badgers, martens, weasels, stone martens, foxes, squirrels, wild cats and wild boars. Furthermore, the conservation status of the ecosystem has allowed species such as the wolf to frequent the reserve. The avifauna includes the peregrine falcon, the honey buzzard, the red kite, the collared nurse, the biancone, the tottavilla, the shrike and the buzzard. The presence of marked paths, which can be traveled on foot and even by bicycle, make the Collemeluccio wood an easily accessible area and the soft and undulating morphology allows the visitor to move easily. Among the destinations worth mentioning is the "Colle Gendarme" viewpoint, from which you can enjoy a particularly fascinating landscape, the ruins of the ancient water mill on the river Trigno and the Fonte Cupa. The offer is completed on museum, which houses the most representative woods and animals of the forest, and the area equipped for parking. 

• Trattoria Castel di Sangro-Lucera. The Regio Tratturo Lucera-Castel di Sangro it is one of the main sheep tracks in southern Italy. It was one of the guidelines of the transhumance, with a length of about 130 km.

It is detached from the Tratturo Pescasseroli-Candle in Ponte Zittola at Castel di Sangro in Abruzzo and gets to Lucera in Puglia, where it connects with the Tratturo Celano-Foggia near Vigna Nocelli.

On its way it passes near Campobasso (at Taverna del Cortile, on the SS87 towards Ripalimosani), where it is interconnected to the tratturo Pescasseroli-Candle and to the tratturo Celano-Foggia from the Centocelle-Cortile-Matese arm, and enters Puglia near the Lago di Occhito. Another interconnection is that with the tratturo Celano-Foggia and the tratturo Ateleta-Biferno by means of the tratturello Castel del Giudice-Sprondasino-Pescolanciano. 

Events and parties

• Feast of Sant'Anna and "parade of sheaves". The rite of the "parade of sheaves" is part of the Feast of Sant'Anna and was born as thanks to the Saint by the survivors of the great earthquake of 26 July 1805. On this occasion, as in many other traditional rites of Molise, they merge elements of religious devotion with more ancient elements belonging to the peasant culture. The sheaves are also the representation of gratitude to Mother Earth, therefore a reason for collective joy for the wheat harvest just ended. On 25 July every year, at sunset, the people of Pescara bring "r 'manuocchiæ", sheaves of wheat symbolically given to the saint, with a popular involvement of particular beauty and charm. 

What to do

Shopping

How to have fun

Where to eat

Average prices

• 41.67166214.3443621 Local restaurant pizzeria, Contrada Campaglioni, ☎ 39 366 8741727. 

Where stay

Average prices

• 41.68127314.3306811 Cona Hotel Restaurant, State Road Garibaldi 199, ☎ 39 0865 832241. 

Safety

How to keep in touch

Post office

• 41.67964614.3366621 Italian post, Via Roma, 37, ☎ 39 0865 838435. 

Around

• Agnone - Ancient Samnite city, known worldwide for the traditional and centuries-old artisan construction of bells, has an interesting historic center and an expanding tourist infrastructure.
• Isernia - Among the first documented Paleolithic settlements in Europe, it was then a flourishing Samnite city, capital of the Italic League, later a Roman Municipium. Its millennial past has left it with an important monumental heritage that extends up to the pre-Roman era, as well as very important prehistoric finds.
• Pietrabbondante - The remains of the fortifications and the spectacular Samnite Theater of Monte Saraceno testify to the human presence on the territory of Pietrabbondante since remote times. Near the inhabited center are the remains of the ancient settlement which was the most important sanctuary and political center of the Samnites between the 2nd century BC. and 95 BC

Itineraries

• Castles in the province of Isernia - There are numerous manors of theMolise Apennines in the countries ofUpper Molise, ofIsernino he was born in Venafrano. Some are in ruins due to war or earthquakes; others have been recovered; many have a military aspect, with little or no external architectural evolution of transformation into a stately home.

Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Pescolanciano
• Commons contains images or other files on Pescolanciano

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