This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)

The sources of the Volturno River and the villages near the first stretch of its course are found in a small area with a long history and which tenaciously preserved the popular traditions, as well as its important architectural and artistic heritage.

The Volturno, the main river in southern Italy in terms of length and flow, is born in Molise, on the Meta Mountains, and flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea, at Castel Volturno, between Gaeta and Naples, in Campania Region. Its valley, at the time of the Italian unification (“the Risorgimento” movement period), was the scene of a very important battle, when Garibaldi and his men stalled the Bourbon army which had been reorganized within the walls of the city of Capua.

The Upper Valley is almost unknown to tourism, despite several attractions available in this area. Near the source of the river, in Capo Volturno, there is a small Enel power plant with an artificial lake surrounded by willows and poplars, very popular among the ducks during their migrations. In the fall, there are mainly coots, pochards and little grebes, while in spring the whole area comes alive with garganeys, teals and common moorhens. Being surrounded by a net, the small stretch of water is not accessible, but right in front of it, under Monte della Rocchetta, there are many places where visitors can park their cars and enjoy the place.

The river swells almost immediately, receiving the Rio dell’Omero, and then reaches Cerro al Volturno, whose name – “Cerro” – comes from the most common oak tree in this area: the Turkey oak (Quercus cerris – “Cerro” in Italian).

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The Abbey of San Vincenzo al Volturno

A short trip by car, bicycle or even on foot, it’s all it takes to reach the abbey of San Vincenzo al Volturno which dates back to the year 703 when three noblemen from Benevento (with the peculiar names of Paldo, Tato and Taso), founded the first monastery to live according to the Benedictine rule. In the period of its greatest splendour, the abbey complex covered an area of about 12 acres, on both banks of the Volturno River; it was just like a small town with a refectory, workshops, other service buildings, and eight churches. In 881, the structure was destroyed by the Saracens and 700 monks died in a big fire according to the Chronicon Vulturnense manuscript (now preserved in the Vatican Apostolic Library).
The church and the monastery were extensively rebuilt after the Second World War, and the convent is now used by cloistered nuns from the United States. The ancient remains of the San Vincenzo Minore complex are very interesting, with the Crypt of Epifanio (open by appointment) decorated with several beautiful frescoes. In front of the abbey, it’s not possible to park, nor stay overnight: the best thing to do is to park your car near the springs and reach this place by bicycle or on foot.

The Castle of Cerro al Volturno

The old part of the town is arranged in a semicircle around the castle, visible from a great distance due to its impressive square mass with three high towers that defend the vulnerable sides; a steep escarpment protects the eastern side. Dating back to the year 989, it can only be admired from the outside, unless you were a customer of the adjoining restaurant or the bed & breakfast facility located inside the majestic building.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)