Venafro

Venafro (Latin: ''Venafrum''; Greek: ) is a ''comune'' in the province of Isernia, region of Molise, Italy. It has a population of 11,079, having expanded quickly in the post-war period.

Geography

Situated at the foot of Mount Santa Croce, elevation above sea level, at a height of above sea level, the elevation of the municipal territory varies from above sea level. The municipality stretches along the homonymous plain crossed by the Volturno and San Bartolomeo rivers whose sources are located in the center of the Venafro plain. Other notable mountains are: Monte Sambucaro at , Monte Cesima at , Monte Corno at , Monte Santa Croce or Cerino, at , and Colle San Domenico at .John Murray, A handbook for travelers in southern Italy. Edition 5. Publisher J. Murray, 1865
Once a part of the province of Terra di Lavoro in Campania (territory with which it is still culturally linked), the city is now known as the door of Molise and is of major importance to the socio-economic dynamics of the province due to its highly developed economy, and is considered one of the four central industrial cores in the region.

Climate

Venafro since ancient times is known for its mild climate. Winter is quite cold with rain; snow rarely leads to modest accumulations. Frosts are common; the absolute minimum temperature in the last 10 years was in 2005. The intermediate seasons are milder but with frequent precipitation. Summer is very hot with temperatures often reaching ; the absolute maximum temperature of the last 10 years was about in 2007. This fairly mild climate derives from being in an exposed southern plain closed from the mountains; but in periods of high pressure thermal excursions temperatures may vary between day and night.

History

Ancient era

Although its founding is attributed to Diomedes, child of Tydeus and Deipyle, characters in Greek mythology, the ancient name of Venafrum derives from Samnite sources.S. P. Oakley, The hill-forts of the Samnites. Issue 10 of Archaeological monographs of the British School at Rome, 1995
On the plain, there have been found numerous findings that suggest the existence of human settlements in prehistoric times. The only occasion on which Venafrum figures prominently in history is during the Social War, 88 BCE, when it was betrayed into the hands of the Samnite leader Marius Egnatius, and two Roman cohorts that formed the garrison were put to the sword. Lucius Cornelius Sulla razed settlements around present day Venafro. In January 49 BCE, Pompey, coming from Teano, camped nearby. Cicero more than once alludes to the great fertile ground of the territory, that the tribune Rullus proposed by his agrarian law to divide among the Roman citizens. This project proved abortive, but a colony (Colonia Augusta Julia Venafrum) was founded at Venafrum under Augustus, and the city continued henceforth to bear the title of Colonia, which is found both in Point's works and in inscriptions. In the Augustan era, much attention was given to the aqueduct (Rivus Venafranus) that carried water of the Volturno river from Rocchetta a Volturno. Tye town is mentioned by Horace as a resort, renowned for its amenities, while Pliny the Elder also speaks of the waters located there. In Roman times the economy developed a renowned olive oil industry which according to legend was brought by Licinius. When the Romans brought Christianity to the Apennine Plains, a bishopric for the Roman Catholic church was established in the 5th century.

Middle Ages

Between 774 and 787 the Venafro plain was crossed by the troops of Charlemagne, which clashed with the Lombards of the Principality of Benevento. According to Monte Cassino chronicler Erchempertus, in 861, Venafro was occupied by Emir Sawdan of the Emirate of Bari. After the dark period of the Middle Ages, which saw Venafro sinking into poverty and disease in later centuries the city enjoyed an era of expansion and prosperity, with numerous churches and palaces dating from that era that changed the face of the city. Feudal families that reigned over Venafro were the Savelli, Spinelli, Peretti, and the Caracciolo of Miranda, Italy.Robert F. Paget. Central Italy: an archaeological guide; the prehistoric, Villanovan, Etruscan, Samnite, Italic, and Roman remains, and the ancient road systems. Publisher Noyes Press, 1973

Modern era

From autumn 1943 to spring of 1944 Venafro was the scene (along with Pozzilli, Filignano, San Pietro Infine) of bitter fighting between the Germans, entrenched in the mountains to the north and the British – French – U.S. along the Gustav Line, during the Battle of Monte Cassino. Mistaken for Monte Cassino, Venafro was hit hard by aerial bombing on March 15, 1944.
Venafro until 1863 was included in the territory of the Terra di Lavoro (currently the province of Caserta), until the establishment of the province of Campobasso was annexed to that territory, and then got incorporated into the Molise region. In 1970, it was incorporated into the newly formed province of Isernia, despite controversy and often violent protests that favored to remain part of the province of Caserta.
In the spring of 1984, the city was severely damaged by the earthquake originating in the nearby Valle di Comino, in the province of Frosinone. In 1987, the city was named by Censis (Centro Studi Sociali Investments, an institute of socio-economic research), one of the 100 municipalities of the "Great Little Italy." Since 1994, it has been a member of the ANCO (National Association of (Olive) Oil Citys). On April 25, 2005 Venafro was awarded the gold medal for Civil Valor from the President of the Republic, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, for its valor during the air bombardment it suffered during World War II.

Main sights

Venafro can be divided into two distinct areas: the old town, of Roman origin, enclosed by walls and dominated by Castle Pandone, and new town that has several newly developed neighborhoods.

Historic center

The old town (Centro Historic) was built on the existing Roman urban structure and many of the buildings still have Roman foundations. It was depopulated from the 1960s and many buildings were damaged by successive earthquakes. Government funding for repairs came slowly to the province, but by 2000 most buildings had been structurally secured, although remained unoccupied. Slowly a new generation started to reside in some of the properties from middle of the noughties. The upper floors of buildings are residences, while some lower floors of the premises are used as shops.

Castle Pandone

Built in the highest part of the city, it derives its name from the Lombards who built it on an older fortification in the 10th century. In the 14th century it was expanded with the addition of three circular towers, and was transformed in the 15th century by adding a moat. Frescoes depicting horses, commissioned by Count Enrico Pandone, were added during the Renaissance. Currently, the halls of this castle have become the Museo Nazionale del Molise - an art gallery in which paintings are collected from several different churches abandoned or closed in Venafro. It also hosted an exhibition curated by Cultural Documents, ''Winterline'' by the Scottish artist Elaine Shemilt (12 Decrmbet 2014- 30 May 2016). The exhibition retraces, through drawing, print, painting and video the routes of the Allied and German conflict on the adjacent territory during 1943 and 1944. Four of Shemilt's works were purchased for the national collection (MiBACT - Ministero dei beni e delle attività culturali e del turismo) in 2016.
A permanent exhibition hall to house the work of Romeo Musa was inaugurated in May 2014.

Verlasce Roman Amphitheater

Located in the center of modern Venafro and despite development overlap are the still visible remains of the Roman elliptical amphitheater. It is believed that the stands could hold up to 15,000 spectators. Until some time ago, this structure housed stables and stores of agricultural tools.

Roman theater

On the Decumanus Maximus is a theater of considerable size and presents a scaenae frons of about 60 m, with an auditorium capable of hosting 3,500 spectators. After a series of archaeological excavations and interventions to bring it to light, this monument is paired with the nearby odeon.

Other Samnite, Roman and medieval remains.

In the town center are visible traces of a Roman aqueduct, the walled city of the Samnites dating from the 4th century BCE and one polygonal Samnite structure of the 1st century BCE. Of Roman origin is the "Torricella", a fortified structure recently restored to its former glory.
Other monuments include "Market Tower" (Palazzo Caracciolo), a defensive structure with its massive medieval battlements, in defense of that which once corresponded to the eastern gate of Venafro, and the Palazzo Libertina of the 20th century, which served as a hydroelectric plant to provide power to the town.

Churches

Due to a large number of churches in the area Venafro was given the nickname "The city of 33 churches." These are many churches of various sizes and ages in the historic center and in the foothills area. Unfortunately, many places of worship such as Santi Martino e Nicola are now closed and abandoned.

Cathedral

Venafro Cathedral, the largest church of the city, is situated at the foot of Parco Oraziano. Dating from the 5th century, it was built under Bishop Constantine in the place where for centuries there was a pagan temple. It is adorned with materials from other monuments of earlier eras (Roman elements, Christian decorations, and Bishop Pietro di Ravenna's bas-relief which is called "March Settecappotti"). The interior has three naves decorated with paintings from the 14th century. The current appearance is due to renovation works dating back to the 1960s and 1970s which have replacing the ancient Baroque style, bringing the back sacred aspects of the Gothic and Medieval eras. At the end of 1600 the "cappellone" was built; a chapel in which to administer the sacraments.

Annunziata or Church of the Annunciation

The church is an example of Baroque architecture built in the 14th century, and has been repeatedly amended over time. It was built with material from a nearby Roman theater and had a gabled façade. Over the centuries it underwent a major restoration and the church assumed its present Baroque appearance. The single nave interior preserves a crucifix of the 14th century. In a lateral niche is the silver bust of St. Nicandro with a some relics of martyrs. The church also has a large frescoed dome, visible from every point of the city.

Basilica of San Nicandro and convent

The Basilica of San Nicandro was built atop Roman ruins on the eastern outskirts of the city, on the road to Isernia. The church has had many reconstructions and most recently restored in 2001. It features two naves and retains an altar in wood marquetry and pyrography. Under the altar is the crypt the tomb of St Nicandro was discovered, a spring called "Manna of St. Nicandro" also appears in the crypt.

Chiesa del Cristo or Church of Christ or of ''the Last Sacrament''

The church located on Via Cavour was built in the second half of the 16th century and expanded, taking the present form in the second half of the 17th century. The church has a single aisle and presents stucco cornices and capitals. There are several paintings and at the top of the nave in special niches are the statues of Four Evangelists. The church has two small domes with no windows, and a Baroque bell-tower, looking similar to the Church of the Annunciation. The facade has a large window and is preceded by a staircase.

National Archaeological Museum "Santa Chiara"

In an 18th-century monastic structure houses the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Santa Chiara. Among the works exhibited are Roman artifacts: the "Venus of Venafro" by Antonine (2nd century AD), two large statues of men who are identified as Augustus and Tiberius, and the great memorial or "Tavola Acquaria" where the regulations designed to regulate the use (edict of Augustus) of the Roman aqueduct during the Augustan age.

French military cemetery

Along Highway 85 to Isernia, on an extended flat area is the French war cemetery in which are buried about 4,500 (but many have been exhumed) soldiers. Notable are the two thirds of African origin, mainly Moroccan, Algerian, Tunisian and Senegalese, who fell in large part during the Battle of Monte Cassino. A monument was erected that refers explicitly to the North African minarets decorated with ceramic tiles of blue, set against the whitewashed walls, and some inscriptions. Inside, there are tombs of the Unknown Soldier dedicated to soldiers: one Tunisian, one Algerian, and one Moroccan. All the tombs are arranged on the north-east south-west, with the gravestones facing north-east, with the exception of some graves, located behind the section of Jewish soldiers and animists. On each plaque by the name (if known) are the words (in French) "died for France".Ros Belford, Martin Dunford, Celia Woolfrey. Rough Guide to Italy. Edition 4, illustrated Publisher Rough Guides, 1999

Parks

Wildlife preserve

Located at the border between Molise and Campania, in the municipalities of Venafro and Capriati a Volturno is a man-made wildlife preserve. The approximately of property, have been entrusted to World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Italy. Situated along the short stretch of the Volturno River, which marks the border between Molise and Campania, The Mortine Oasis

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