Pontelandolfo
Encyclopedia
Pontelandolfo is an Italian
town and comune
of 28.91 square kilometers, in the Sannio Hills
in the province
of Benevento
halfway between Naples
and Campobasso
, with around 3,000 inhabitants.
while the villagers fled to safety, an event memorialized in the village's crest. The bridge is believed to have spanned the Alento River.
Pontelandolfo is mostly remembered as the location, along with Casalduni
, of a massacre of largely innocent population by the Piedmont
ese occupation troops in 1861.
Many villagers emigrated to the United States
, with a large community settling in and around Waterbury, Connecticut
, where they founded the Pontelandolfo Community Club
.
. The area that surrounds Pontelandolfo has a wide range of altitudes (400-1,017 meters), with the center of population situated at 525 meters.
There are three prominent mountains that surround Pontelandolfo. These include Mount Calvello, which has an altitude
of 1,017 meters, Toppo Mangialardo (917 m) and Mount Forgioso (850 m).
thanks to the fertility of the ground, which was already well known by the ancient Greeks. The primary use of the land is for olive-tree orchards, pastures and for the culture of cereals.
with: Waterbury
, USA Lisbon
, Portugal
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
town and comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of 28.91 square kilometers, in the Sannio Hills
Sannio Hills
The Sannio Hills are a chain of hills located in the province of Benevento, Campania, southern Italy.The Sannio hills have long been considered a particularly fertile zone of Italy. The ancient Greeks knew this region as a land for growing olives. Today a variety of crops are grown besides olives...
in the province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
of Benevento
Benevento
Benevento is a town and comune of Campania, Italy, capital of the province of Benevento, 50 km northeast of Naples. It is situated on a hill 130 m above sea-level at the confluence of the Calore Irpino and Sabato...
halfway between Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
and Campobasso
Campobasso
-Main sights:The main attraction of Campobasso is the Castello Monforte, built in 1450 by the local ruler Nicola II Monforte, over Lombard or Norman ruins. The castle has Guelph merlons and stands on a commanding point, where traces of ancient settlements have been found...
, with around 3,000 inhabitants.
History
The area of today's Pontelandolfo was settled since very ancient times. The name of the village comes from the legendary Pontis Landulphi, or the Bridge of Landolpho, who died defending the bridge against the RomansAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
while the villagers fled to safety, an event memorialized in the village's crest. The bridge is believed to have spanned the Alento River.
Pontelandolfo is mostly remembered as the location, along with Casalduni
Casalduni
Casalduni is a comune in the Province of Benevento in the Italian region Campania, located about 60 km northeast of Naples and about 15 km northwest of Benevento, on the slopes of Monte Cicco on the right of the Tammaro river....
, of a massacre of largely innocent population by the Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
ese occupation troops in 1861.
Many villagers emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, with a large community settling in and around Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
, where they founded the Pontelandolfo Community Club
Pontelandolfo Community Club
The Pontelandolfo Community Club was formed in 1965 in Waterbury, Connecticut. The Pontelandolfo Community Club was founded by Italian immigrants from the village of Pontelandolfo. This club is commonly referred to as the "Ponte Club". The President is Antonio Rubbo and the Vice-President is...
.
Geography
Pontelandolfo is located on a mountainous area of ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The area that surrounds Pontelandolfo has a wide range of altitudes (400-1,017 meters), with the center of population situated at 525 meters.
There are three prominent mountains that surround Pontelandolfo. These include Mount Calvello, which has an altitude
Altitude
Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...
of 1,017 meters, Toppo Mangialardo (917 m) and Mount Forgioso (850 m).
Main sights
- Medieval tower (12th century)
- Church of Annunziata Antica (15th century)
- Chapel of San Rocco (17th-18th centuries)
Economy
Much of the surrounding area of Pontelandolfo (14.91 km²) is used for agricultureAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
thanks to the fertility of the ground, which was already well known by the ancient Greeks. The primary use of the land is for olive-tree orchards, pastures and for the culture of cereals.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Pontelandolfo is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Waterbury
Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
, USA Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...