Pietramontecorvino

The origins of Pietramontecorvino are linked to the destiny of the oldest village Montecorvino. In the caves dug into the rock, called Preta in dialect, according to tradition have found shelter several times the refugees of Montecorvino, city destroyed by Roger II in 1137, taken, plundered and burned by the Aragonese in 1441 during the war with the Angevins for the succession to the throne of the Kingdom of Naples and finally razed to the ground by the earthquake of 5 December 1456.

The heart of Pietramontecorvino is the Rione Terravecchia, a typical labyrinth of winding alleys, steep stairways, small gaps delimited by the characteristic houses dug into the rock. The ancient village rises on the Guado degli Uncini, the valley crossed by the Triolo torrent and was once protected by fortified walls on which the accesses to the city opened. Only the Gothic Porta Alta survived.

The Stone skyline is dominated by the Doge’s Palace with the beautiful Norman-Angevin Tower and the medieval Mother Church dedicated to the Assumption, from where on May 16 takes off a surprising penitential pilgrimage to the ruins of Montecorvino.

Outside Terravecchia there are other fascinating architectures, such as the Church of the Annunciation and the Church of the Rosary.

The surroundings offer the opportunity to immerse yourself in the unspoilt nature of the Bosco Celle and, through paths, reach the Pila del Ladro and Pila Sant'Onofrio, near which there are the ruins of an ancient Franciscan monastery.