Molise, Italy. Landscape on a late summer afternoon
2022
Molise is an Italian mountainous region with a stretch of coast overlooking the Adriatic Sea. It includes a part of the Abruzzo National Park in the Apennine mountain range, with a rich wildlife.
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2015
Roccavivara (CB) Santuario della Madonna del Canneto
La chiesa giunta ai nostri giorni risale ai secoli XI-XII, ha pianta a croce latina, con tre absidi. La facciata non ha elementi decorativi rilevanti, se non un bassorilievo sulla lunetta del portale. Nei muri esterni della chiesa sono inserite lapidi e varie iscrizioni di epoca romana e medievale, mentre, sulla destra, si leva una possente campanile, ultimato nel 1329 ad opera dell'Abate Nicola, consistente in una torre merlata di stampo gotico con trifore sulle arcate. L'interno della chiesa è austero e a tre navate, ciascuna terminante con un'abside semicircolare. Lungo la navata centrale è collocato un pregevole ambone, finemente decorato, realizzato nel 1223, in parte con materiali di reimpiego più antichi. L’ambone è sostenuto da tre archi disuguali e, sotto il parapetto, si aprono sette piccole edicole: quella centrale doveva sostenere un’aquila che, con le sue ali spiegate, fungeva da leggio. Le altre sono occupate da sei monaci in altorilievo, intenti alle attività che rappresentano la regola monastica dell’ora et labora. Dietro l'altare maggiore è collocata la statua della Madonna di Canneto, risalente al XIV secolo, in stile gotico, e conosciuta anche come la Vergine del Sorriso. Nell’area adiacente la chiesa, sono presenti scavi archeologici che hanno riportato alla luce resti di una Villa romana del I secolo d.C.
2024
Macchiagodena. The Baronial Castle
The main monument of the town, it was founded as a watchtower by the Lombards, and in 1269 by Charles I of Anjou it was donated to Barrasio, who governed it on behalf of Naples.
2022
Rocchetta a Volturno. Winter 2022
Rocchetta a Volturno is an Italian town of 1 098 inhabitants in the province of Isernia in Molise. The Municipality of Rocchetta al Volturno is made up of two nuclei: the original village, called Rocchetta Alta, or Rocchetta Vecchia, still perched in a defensive position on the mountain, and Rocchetta Nuova, which is located at a lower altitude. The new Rocchetta was born because, at the end of the 19th century, the slope that connected the southern part of the ancient town with the opposite hill was deforested and the land began to show serious subsidence from 1890 due to the progressive sliding of the superimposed layers of clay and sandstone, increased by water infiltrations, both rain and spring. In 1905, following further disastrous events, the population moved for the most part downstream, where there was a hamlet called Case Sparse. The modern town is developed today in the center of a plateau, bordered to the west by the terminal part of the Mainarde chain and to the east by a depression, at the bottom of which the Volturno flows; about two kilometers away are the sources of the river. Its name characterizes the toponyms of other nearby municipalities such as Colli a Volturno and Cerro al Volturno.
2023
Vastogirardi, novembre 2023
Physical geography
It is located at 1200 m above sea level. in the part of Molise bordering Abruzzo. The territory of Vastogirardi (IS) extends over an area of 60.72 km² and borders the municipalities of Capracotta to the north, San Pietro Avellana, Castel di Sangro (AQ) and Rionero Sannitico to the west, Forlì del Sannio, Roccasicura and Carovilli to the south, Agnone to the east. From a morphological point of view, the territory is separated from that of Capracotta by reliefs of Monte Capraro, which oscillate between 1300 - 1350 m, which descend steeply to Piano S. Angelo and Difesa Grande and Capo di Trigno (ancient lake basin ) at an altitude of 1100 m from which the Trigno river originates, one of the two most important Molise rivers which flows into the Adriatic Sea and gives its name to the road of the same name which reaches up to San Salvo (CH), i.e. the Trignina. To the west are the mountains of Montagnola (1292 m) and Monte Miglio (1350 m), to the south is Monte Pizzi (1373 m), while to the east are the mountains of Montagna Fiorita with Montarone (1278 m). Vastogirardi develops close to a hill at the top of which are the castle and the ecclesiastical complex of San Nicola di Bari. Inside the walls is the village, which appears well preserved in its original defense function, as evidenced by the cylindrical towers incorporated in factories and the supports between building blocks. The result of subsequent expansions, the churches of S. Rocco and S. Maria delle Grazie were built at the beginning of the 18th century and incorporated into the third urban expansion dating back to the 18th - 19th century. Over the course of the last century the town no longer followed the aggregation trend of stepped bands, according to the morphological trend of the site, but developed along via Garibaldi c.da Difensa (towards Castel di Sangro) and via Re d'Italia (direction Isernia).
Origins of the name
It is assumed that the name Vastogirardi originates from the name of a crusader captain, Giusto Girardi. In the past it also took the name of Castrum Girardi due to the castle (other attested toponyms are Castel Girardo, Rocca Girardo, Guasti Belardi, Guardia Giraldo and Guardia Gerardo) and subsequently its current name, deriving from an alliteration of Lombard jargon.
2023
Castelpetroso, The Sanctuary. Via Matris
2022
Pesche, village in the province of Isernia, in Molise
Pesche, village in the province of Isernia, in Molise, perched along the steep slopes of Mount San Marco, a white spot against the green of the mountain and the gray of the stones.
2023
Pescolanciano. D’Alessandro Castle
The D'Alessandro castle is a fortified structure in the municipality of Pescolanciano. The castle was built on the rocky spur (peschio) that overlooks the town near a Samnite fortification.
2022
Castelpetroso. Sanctuary of the Madonna Addolorata.
The basilica sanctuary of Maria Santissima Addolorata, or simply the Addolorata basilica is an important Catholic place of worship located in the municipality of Castelpetroso, in the province of Isernia, and belonging to the archdiocese of Campobasso-Boiano. According to the testimony of the visionaries, the Virgin Mary appeared for the first time on March 22, 1888 to two shepherdesses named Serafina and Bibiana in the locality of Cesa tra Santi, on the slopes of Mount Patalecchia. This first apparition was followed by others and, following the recognition of this phenomenon, Pope Paul VI proclaimed Maria Santissima Addolorata of Castelpetroso patroness of Molise on 6 December 1973. In the 1890s, it was decided to build a sanctuary near the place of the apparitions, but further downstream from this, so that it would be more easily accessible by pilgrims. The project was entrusted to Giuseppe Gualandi, whose death (1944) was succeeded by his son Francesco. On 28 September 1890 the first stone was laid and construction of the sanctuary began. It proceeded slowly due to economic problems and the two world wars: in 1907 the chapel of the Poles was finished and opened for worship, but the perimeter walls of the church were completed only in 1950 [2], thanks to donations from don Nicolino Passarelli, canon theologian of the cathedral of Venafro, lawyer of the Sacra Rota and professor. In the following decades the sanctuary was completed and consecrated on 21 September 1975 by the bishop of Boiano-Campobasso Alberto Carinci.
2022
Castel San Vincenzo. The lake. Winter 2022
Castel San Vincenzo, Isernia, Molise, Italy. The lake. It is an artificial reservoir built at the end of the fifties for hydroelectric purposes. It occupies an area of 6.140 km². The lake of Castel San Vincenzo is an artificial reservoir built in the late 1950s for hydroelectric purposes. The lake occupies an area of 0.614 km² and has a useful capacity of 10 million cubic meters. The waters that feed the lake come mainly from the streams of the Montagna Spaccata in the nearby municipalities of Alfedena and Barrea. The waters of these streams feed the Enel power stations in Pizzone, Rocchetta a Volturno and Colli a Volturno. Although artificial, the lake is well harmonized with the surrounding landscape of mountains and woods. The aquatic fauna consists mainly of salmonids. Near the lake, where it is possible to engage in fishing and other water sports, there is an area equipped for camping and a riding stable.
2018
Isernia - Ponte S. Spirito