Bojano is an Italian town of 7 911 inhabitants in the province of
Campobasso. It is part of the Union of Municipalities of the
Sorgenti del Biferno together with Spinete, San Massimo,
Campochiaro, Colle d'Anchise, Guardiaregia and San Polo Matese.
Important city of the Samnites, capital of the Pentri territory,
it was conquered by the Romans in the third century BC. following
the battle of Boviano. Cologne then a Roman municipality, in 500 it
was already a Christian diocese. Being part of the Duchy of
Benevento, in the Lombard period, it was the seat of a gastaldato,
and in the 11th century it became the capital of the Norman county
of de Moulins, finally Comitatus Molisii Contado di Molise. Having
become a listed fiefdom, it came into the possession of various
noble families, such as the Pandone, the Carafa and the de Lannoy.
It experienced a certain decline following the earthquake of 1805
and lived through the Second World War hard.
The main town is dominated by the hills of Civita (850 m) and Monte
Crocella (1,040 m). The municipal territory is very rich in springs,
among which those of the Biferno river, the longest among those flowing
entirely in Molise, and some of its tributaries, including the Cappello
(stream, with springs in the high mountains) should be noted in the
Pietre Cadute area. ) and the Calderari (source in the Santa Maria dei
Rivoli area) which crosses the town for a long stretch before joining
the Biferno just outside it. In the Alifana area there are small
artificial lakes for sport fishing.
The strictly mountainous
territory is covered with vast woods, mainly chestnut, beech, oak and
turkey oak. It is worth mentioning the presence of the oldest chestnut
tree in Italy, whose presence has made it possible to date the
introduction of the plant to the Peninsula as probable to the period of
the barbarian invasions.
The localities and hamlets of Alifana, Campi Marzi, Castellone, Chiovitti, Ciccagne, Civita Superiore, Codacchio, Colacci, Collalto, Cucciolene, Fonte delle Felci, Imperato, Limpiilli, Majella, Malatesta, Monteverde, Mucciarone are part of its municipal territory. Pallotta, Pietre Cadute, Pinciere, Pitoscia, Pitti, Prusciello, Rio Freddo, Santa Maria dei Rivoli, Sant'Antonio Abate, Taddeo, Tavone and Tilli Tilli.
The origins of the diocese of Boiano date back to the 6th century,
and a cathedral church is attested in the second half of the 11th
century. The apse discovered in the crypt during the restorations of the
1990s dates back to this period and to this ancient building. A first
earthquake in 1117 seriously damaged the church, which was restored and
reconsecrated, as attested by a plaque, on 8 May 1215. Two other
earthquakes, in 1456 and 1805, destroyed the ancient medieval
construction and each time forced a reconstruction complete with the
cathedral, which achieved a neoclassical appearance, until the
reconstruction in 1948 after the damage of 1943. It has a basilica plan
with a protruding transept, a salient façade with a rounded portal, a
lateral turreted bell tower, the interior has three naves in
neoclassical, it retains many furnishings from previous eras, such as
canvases, medieval stones set into the walls, and the original 12th
century crypt.
Church of Sant'Erasmo and San Martino: in Largo
Episcopio, it dates back to the 13th century, as evidenced by the Gothic
portal, although due to earthquakes, it was rebuilt several times. It is
mentioned in the documents of the Gallucci Registers, the adjacent
former convent of the Poor Clares is mentioned in the 14th century. In
1820 the church of San Martino was dismantled, irreparably compromised
by the earthquake of 1805, and the parish attached to Sant'Erasmo has a
plastered façade, with an exposed stone portal, decorated with a framed
ogive arch, with a light conch, and small columns decorated with vegetal
reliefs, in a twisted shape. In the upper part of the facade there are 6
windows, while in the lower part there are three mullioned windows,
inside one there is a relief of a man. The remains of the former convent
have been incorporated into the Episcopio, which stands on the left,
close to the nave stands the bell tower; this interior has three naves,
even if originally there was only one nave. The windows are decorated
with polychrome motifs, in some parts of the interior Renaissance
frescoes are still preserved, portraying the Madonna and Child, the
baptismal font is from the 14th century, a curiosity is the space to the
left of the main entrance, used for the passage of horses and carriages.
In 1960, some questionable restoration works were carried out, which
divided the internal space into three naves, and dismantled the two
chapels of the Rosary and Santa Rita, from the 18th century.
Church
of Santa Maria del Parco: located behind the Duomo, it dates back to the
13th century as demonstrated by the splayed Gothic portal, even if this
comes from the destroyed church of Santo Spirito due to the earthquake
of 1805. The brotherhood was founded in 1517, in 1607 changed its name
to "Immaculate Conception", and managed the hospitals of the churches;
before the destruction of the monastery of the Holy Spirit, the church
was supported by it. Today it shows a mixed appearance, because it was
rebuilt in the 19th century, it interestingly preserves this main
splayed portal, the bell tower with the Neapolitan-style chive spire.
Church of San Biagio: it is located in the district of the same name,
and was built in the 15th century. It has a Renaissance appearance, with
a simple quadrangular façade. The bell tower is sailing. On the side
there was an access door to the district. The church is also called "San
Biagio a Porta" because it was located near a medieval gate that has now
disappeared, or also "San Biagio degli Albericis", of which he was the
patron saint. Very popular on February 3rd for the patron saint's day,
in 1573 it was incorporated into the parish of the Duomo, from which it
separated in 1670.
Church of Santa Maria dei Rivoli: it is located in
the western part, along Viale Majella, it is so called because numerous
river streams arise underground, it seems that it was built on top of a
pagan temple dedicated to Venus, using material from Roman buildings.
For this reason it would be the oldest church in Bojano, in 1324 it
depended on the parish of San Lupo (Benevento), from 1091 it was named
"Santa Maria de Vivari" i.e. of the monks' breeding of river fish, in
the Onciario Land Registry of 1744 it is called "grancia" of the
Montevergine monastery, its current appearance dates back to the
reconstruction after 1805. It shows a rectangular structure in exposed
brick, with a neoclassical architraved portal, inside there is the
statue of Santa Maria Assunta, a work by Columbus, purchased by Don
Francesco Diamente, who established the procession in 1828, on 15
August.
Church of San Rocco or Purgatorio: it is located in viale
Maiella at the intersection with via Conte Ugone. Located along the
sheep track near Piazza Pasquino, it was the chapel of wayfarers and
shepherds, in 1545 it was mentioned, in 1648 due to the plague the dead
were buried in the church, then a brotherhood was founded there. The
interior preserves a Baroque polychrome altar from the 18th century,
while on the main portal there is the date of the restoration of 1715.
Former church of San Nicola: it is located near the church of Purgatory,
it is deconsecrated. It dates back to the 15th century, home to a
brotherhood and a hospital. The statue of the saint was transferred to
the parish of Sant'Erasmo
Sanctuary of the Madonna della Libera: in
the Castellone district, it was built in 1870 on top of an old chapel,
and depended on the parish of Sant'Erasmo until 1960. The church shows a
neoclassical appearance, characterized by a rectangular plan, with the
raised transept, vertically divided into three parts on the façade, so
as to indicate the presence of three naves; the façade has three
portals, the central one framed by worked stone, and surmounted, like
the others, by fan-shaped windows. The bell tower dates back to the
1960s, and is a slender spire.
Hermitage of Sant'Egidio di Bojano: it
stands on the Matese massif, at 1025 metres, and is part of the parish
of Sant'Erasmo. The building consists of a small church attached to a
mountain refuge, probably dating back to the Middle Ages, but rebuilt in
the following centuries. The origins, according to legend, date back to
the 9th century, when it was built at the behest of the Cistercians or
the Templars, the restoration of the apse in 1995 brought to light finds
that date back to the 9th-10th century, legends also say that Saint
Egidio of Sansepolcro lived in Bojano, feeding on deer's milk, and the
hermitage was built in those places, deeply restored in the early
twentieth century, with the construction of the arched portico near the
facade. In the church there is the original refuge, which leads to the
modern refuge attached to the chapel, which has a wooden roof interior,
with the central altar niche, with the statue of the saint.
Church of
San Michele Arcangelo: located along the road to Civita Superiore, it
has ancient origins, perhaps built by the Lombards on a small Roman
temple; Under the floor of the crypt there are the remains of various
people, dating back to the 13th century onwards. The chapel has its
current mid-nineteenth century appearance, it is made of exposed tanned
stone and retains the Romanesque style façade at the base, with a
rounded portal, topped by a large window and a bell tower. The interior
has a sloping wooden roof and a wooden trussed ceiling.
Church of
Sant'Emidio Vescovo outside the walls: it was built in the mid-19th
century, after the earthquake of 1805, which brought the veneration of
Sant'Emidio to Bojano, considered the protector against telluric
cataclysms. It was built by the villagers of Civita in the Monteverde
area, and is part of the parish of Sant'Emidio. The exterior presents
original elements from the Middle Ages, because it was made with
material taken from the destroyed church of San Martino in Bojano.
This castle existed since the 12th century, used as a guard place for
the Normans, in turn built on the remains of Samnite fortifications. In
1221 it was the scene of clashes between the Counts of Molise and
Frederick II of Swabia, who had started the policy of dismantling of the
small Norman baronies and counties, to centralize them in the empire.
Count Tommaso di Celano left his wife Giuditta, daughter of Roger of
Bojano, in defense of the fortress, and went to Roccamandolfi, but
Frederick II had the fortress of Civita attacked, taking it. Tommaso
marched towards Bojano, taking back his wife, but was joined in
Roccamandolfi by Tommaso d'Aquino, count of Acerra and ally of Federico,
who besieged the other castle, so that Tommaso surrendered in 1223,
entrusting his county of Celano to Federico, except for Rocca di Bojano,
considered strategic for the defense of the territory.
Civita
Superiore was then occupied by the Anjou family and rebuilt at the
behest of the cadet Roczolino de Mandroles, then it passed to the
Pandone family, who held the castle for approximately 80 years. From
1489 to 1519, Silvio Pandone used the fortress as a summer residence. a
village was developed, which still exists today, Civita Superiore,
equipped with walls, houses and two churches. After the abandonment of
the Pandone family, the castle was owned by other feudal lords, and was
seriously damaged by the earthquake of 1805, falling into decay and
abandonment, so that today only ruins remain. Of the fortification
structures, two large walled enclosures and a transversal ditch which
exploits the natural conformation of the site are evident. Overlooking
this are the remains of a rectangular room, of which part of the vaulted
roof remains. The openings have a strong internal splay, the courtyard
had the role of a parade ground, the one on the western corner is
preserved from the towers, with the remains of a cistern.
It
cannot be ruled out that the city walls that embraced the perimeter of
the village of Civita started from the castle. The town has a vaguely
quadrangular appearance, with earthly spikes that overlook, so as to
create the so-called lanceolate bastions, which perhaps existed. The
city walls were incorporated into the houses after the earthquake of
1805, and only partially is visible, especially as regards the corner
towers, which have a cylindrical plan. The village is still inhabited
and has become of great tourist interest in recent years due to the
conservation of the houses. It has two churches, the main one dedicated
to Saint John the Baptist. On the south-eastern part the town narrows on
a rocky ridge, and is the suburb of Giudice, i.e. the working-class
neighborhood of the Jews.
The oldest view of Bojano is the plan of Abbot Giovan Battista
Pacichelli, published in 1703, and allows you to see the ancient urban
layout of the city in the 18th century. Two agglomerations equipped with
city walls first and foremost, the village of Civita with its castle and
the lower city, connected by a network of streets along the steep slope
of Monte Crocella. The drawing was judged by scholars to be very
consistent with reality and not fantasy, as was the custom of
geographers of that time for pleasant and distant locations. The exact
location of the cathedral, the Bishopric, the churches, the doors and
the Pandone castle allow us to see what the city was like before the
earthquake disaster of 1805: in the legend, the letter A corresponds to
the cathedral, the gabled façade facing to the east and not to the west
as today, but archeology has confirmed that this was an oversight by the
designer.
Nearby there was also the 13th century Franciscan
monastery, destroyed in 1805, and occupied by the Town Hall, called
"Palazzo San Francesco", in the letter D, the letter B indicates the
Bishopric located at the top, located in via Piagge, and in 15th century
located by Silvio Pandone near the church of Sant'Erasmo. The C
indicates the Baronial Palace, in the elevated area to the west, today
known as Palazzo Ducale or Pandone, from the 16th century, home in the
17th century of the Cimaglia barons and then of Giulio di Costanzo, Duke
of Bojano in the 18th century; it later passed to the Filomarino-Della
Torre family.
The letter G indicates the Tornariccio river,
located on the left, while the Biferno (h) is to the west; Also outside
the town is the church of Santa Maria di Rivoli, grange of the
Montevergine Abbey in 1724, and mentioned with a door of the same name,
or "della Torre", which allowed access to Bojano from the west, i.e. via
Erennio Pozio. Other towers were located to the south in Cannello, the
Nord Tramontana tower, and the tower in Via Insorti d'Hungarian
The letter E indicates the Pandone castle, together with F of the
village of Civita. At Corso Pentri, the wall deviated to the north, and
along the axis, it included the cathedral and the church of Santa Maria
del Parco with a protrusion, continuing along Via Turno, where
buttresses similar to those mentioned are visible, corresponding to the
church of San Biagio, and retreated back towards the mountain. Of this
stretch, a cylindrical tower now used as a house and the remains of a
steeper and more inaccessible part on the slope are preserved. Going up
via Piaggia, the wall widened to incorporate buildings, on the south
side given the rough terrain, a continuous curtain was erected,
connecting with the cliffs. The doors were:
Porta Pasquino or del
Pascolo: located near the church of Purgatory in Largo Pasquino.
Porta Torre: it opened to the west of Largo Pasquino, this was also
called Porta Sant'Erasmo due to its proximity to the church, and
protected by the massive square tower, which today is the bell tower of
the church. In the highest area there was a circular tower, the base of
which can be recognised, and for this reason the entrance was called
Porta della Torre, to the east of which opened Porta San Biagio.
Porta Santa Maria: located near the church of the same name on Corso
Pentri, it still existed until 1729, as demonstrated by an episcopal
drawing by Francesco Germieri.
Porta del Visco: it was located near
the street of the same name, still existing in the 19th century, as
demonstrated by a drawing from 1829.
Porta del Sorce: it was located
in Vico Caputo.
Porta Santa Maria opened the road towards
Campobasso and Larino, Porta della Torre served to reach Rocca Bojano
and Civita, Porta Pasquino opened the road to Isernia, and Porta San
Biagio led towards Sepino and Benevento.
Palazzo Casale, via Corte Vecchia: the Bojano family built it in
1738, and is composed of an open courtyard and a round stone portal.
Palazzo Casoli-Beccia, via Colle: dating back to the 18th century,
consisting of a large rectangular building plastered in pink, with two
floors. The base, due to the difference in height of the ground, is
fortified as a slope.
Palazzo Chiovitti, via Erennio Ponzio
Palazzo Colagrosso, Piazza della Vittoria: it dates back to the early
1900s and is in Umbertine style, with scarlet red plaster. The palace
today is a museum.
Palazzo Ducale, Pandone climb: It was built in the
15th century, given the remoteness of the old fortress of Civita
Superiore, and belonged to various lords from the 17th to the 18th
century: residence in the 17th century of the Cimaglia barons and then
of Giulio di Costanzo, duke of Bojano in the 18th century; it later
passed to the Filomarino-Della Torre family: today it faces the north,
i.e. south, area in via Piaggie. It has two buildings with three portals
on the facade. Today the palace is visible in the restoration after the
1805 earthquake, i.e. in Umbertine style. It is preceded by a separation
wall, accessible from a central arch.
Palazzo Gentile, via Calderari
Municipal Palace, Corso dei Pentri
Palazzo Nardone-Volpe, via Erennio
Ponzio
Palazzo Santoro, Santa Lucia climb
Palazzo Tiberio, Corso
Umberto I
Bishop's Palace, Largo Episcopio
Located in Palazzo Colagrosso, the civic archaeological museum is divided into two sections: local archeology and paleontology. The first shows collections of pottery, jewellery, coins and weapons, dating back to the 5th-4th century BC, found in the Bojano area. The second section contains fossils of life forms once present in the African Tethys sea, of which the Matese area was part in prehistory.
Even today, on Monte Crocetta, remains of Samnite fortifications from
the 5th-3rd century BC are visible, to control the territory and defend
themselves from the Romans. These fortifications also included the Rocca
Pandone, which was built on top of it in the 12th-14th centuries. From
Roman Bojano, only a few road toponyms are preserved, and little that is
archaeological.
The Roman road is in via Calderari, near the
Corso Amtuzio bridge, discovered in 1998 and opened to the public in
2003. It dates back to the 1st century AD, the road located at a depth
of 3 meters of the current walking surface, has a width 9 meters long,
14 including the side sidewalks, the pavement is made up of large
limestone slabs, generally irregular, placed together without a binder;
the crepidines that delimit the road, with the alignment of
parallelepiped blocks, have a rise of 18 cm, the pavement in the only
point where it was brought to light, is 2.40 m wide, retaining traces of
paving.
It rises at the foot of Mount La Gallinola
(1,923 m), the second peak of the Matese, a massif that marks the
border between Campania and Molise, a short distance from the top of
Mount Miletto (2,050 m). It is 25 km from the regional capital
Campobasso and 28 from Isernia. Termoli, on the Adriatic Sea, is 85
kilometers away, while the Autostrada del Sole (San Vittore) is
about 70 kilometers away.
The main town is located about 480
meters above sea level, in the center of the homonymous plain,
dominated by the heights of Civita (850 m) and Monte Crocella (1,040
m). There are numerous hamlets for which the population of about
8,000 inhabitants is only partially concentrated in the main town,
which reaches 6,000 units. Among the reported hamlets, three are of
considerable size: Monteverde, a predominantly agricultural center,
built by the inhabitants of Bojano following the Molise earthquake
in 1805 that razed the city (the parish church is dedicated to
Sant'Emidio, protector from earthquakes; in the also near the
monastery of Santa Maria di Monteverde) in the plain in a position
further away from the slopes of the Matese, north of Bojano; Civita
Superiore (formerly Rocca Bojano and Civita di Bojano), a Norman
village located in the mountains in a dominant position with respect
to the town; Castellone, also a predominantly agricultural village
about 4 km west of Bojano.
The municipal area is very rich in
springs, among which those of the Biferno river, the longest of
those running entirely in Molise, and some of its tributaries,
including the Callora (torrent, with sources in the high mountains )
and the Calderari (source in the locality of Santa Maria dei Rivoli)
which crosses the inhabited area for a long stretch before joining
the Biferno just outside it. In the locality of Alifana there are
small artificial lakes for sport fishing.
The strictly
mountainous territory is covered with vast woods, mainly chestnut,
beech, oak, turkey oak.