Lentella, old village among history, legends and mysteries

History, legend, mystery. A village not less than 700 residents as Lentella, in the mountain community of Upper Vastese, It reveals a treasure trove of hidden treasures, of exciting stories, narratives that bring the memory to past eras, when the adventure was very essence of life, when the woods were shelters, the guardians cave of treasures. The same name, Lentella, It derives from a noblewoman named Lentula or, according to some, from a water source: and also here the mystery mixes with the sweetness, with nature, with the essence of life that is woman and nurse.

Lentella from Roman times to the Middle Ages

The original nucleus of Lentella It was an ancient Roman villa. Then, in the Middle Ages, the town became Castel di Lentella. According to legend, the country once stood down, at the confluence of the Trigno / Treste, but an invasion of ants forced the inhabitants to move higher. There are many archaeological sites in Lentella, testimony of its long and fascinating history, with traces of settlements since the Bronze. There are also different feudal families who succeeded in Lentella, Hailed by the Raynaldo Monte Vitulo, by Di Capua to Caldora, by Di Sangro to the D'Avalos.

The Lentella caves and the robbers

To leave a deep mark in the history of Lentella was the phenomenon of banditry. In 1808, eg, one hundred robbers horse and destroyed Lentella Fresagrandinaria. What Lentella was a strategic territory for robbers, because it was full of caves that could serve as a hiding place. Among the most feared bandits era, plus Chiacchia, there was the legendary bandit Giuseppe Pomponio that, with his brother Michelangelo, It was a real scourge of the area. Before his capture, Giuseppe Pomponio was wounded just in a cave between Lentella and Fresagrandinaria. The phenomenon of banditry has left a deep wound in Lentella much that every year, the 25 February, in the country are celebrating the start of the robbers escape from the Saints Cosmas and Damian. The legend, Furthermore, tells that, in one of the caves under Lentella, It is still hidden the treasure of the robbers.

The village of Lentella, palaces and historical monuments

A walk in village of Lentella It reveals many monuments to be discovered. In the town there is the Castle Coccetta Manno, whose first mention dates back to 994 after Christ. In Largo Assunta, the highest point of the village, is the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, built in a period prior to the fourteenth century. In the village you can also admire the Catalan Giovannelli and Palaces, among whom there is the sub-Assumption porch. Also worth visiting is the Chapel of Saints Cosmas and Damian. In Contrada Casale dei Monaci are the remains of an ancient Benedictine settlement, in turn built on the ruins of a pagan temple. Near the ancient graveyard, Furthermore, you can still see the evocative remains of the St. John's Church.