Campochiaro, Province of Campobasso, Molise

Small, picturesque town inside the Matese mountains, it was originally a Samnite center as documented by remains of huge pre-Roman walls on the hill of Civitavecchia, and by the many burial sites dating back to the 8th and 7th centuries BC.

Info

Altitude: 731 m a.s.l.
Territory: mountainous
Population: about 650 inhabitants
Zip/postal code: 86010
Dialing Area Code: +39 0874
Frazioni & Localities: Civitella, Civitavecchia, Fonte Maiura.

History

In the area called Civitella there are traces of an ancient temple to Hercules, the semi-god deeply worshipped by the Samnite populations. Other burial sites in the area of Vicenne of the 6th and 7th centuries AD contain German weapons and also horse skeletons, and are to be connected to the Bulgarian knights who were sent by the Lombard king Grimoaldus to his son, the Duke of Benevento, who in his turn established with them a Countdom in Boiano.

In the late Middle Ages it was under the D'Aquino family, the D'Alneto, Caraccioli, Pandone and Mormile, who were the last feudal lords.

What to see

The historical center, in the form of a pentagon surrounded by walls and defended by nine towers.
The parish church of Santa Maria Assunta, with a beatiful statue of the Virgin Mary by Paolo Di Zinno.
The Temple to Hercules, dated 4th century BC, covering a very wide area and consisting of a number of different environments surrounded originally by walls, where two doors opened, of which the Western door was 4 mt tall and 6 wide.

Genealogy & Links

Surnames in Campochiaro.

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Family History

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Provinces of Molise

Campobasso | Isernia

Surnames in the Provinces of Molise

Campobasso | Isernia

Info on Italian Regions