Carife

The Municipality of Carife is located in the Baronia area. It's a village with 1,381 inhabitants, located 740 metres above sea level, at 60 km from Avellino. The territory extends for 16.72 sq km and the adjoining municipalities are: Castel Baronia, Frigento, Guardia Lombardi, San Nicola Baronia, Sturno, Trevico and Vallata.
The etymology of the name is uncertain and could come from Carifi, hamlet of Sanseverino, near Salerno. The inhabitants are called Carifani and Saint John the Baptist is their patron.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Archaeological Museum of Carife - Territorial Museum, which displays finds from the Samnite (5th-4th century BC) and Roman times, inaugurated in 2019
Archaeological Area of Carife - Site of the Samnite era located on the Campania Apennines, it is one of the most important archaeological areas of Irpinia
Collegiate Church of San Giovanni Battista (Saint John the Baptist) - Destroyed by the earthquake of 1732, it was rebuilt in 1756 in the Vanvitelli style
Church and Convent of San Francesco (Saint Francis) - Located in the “Fossi” district, it's certainly one of the most important and dearest places to the Carifa community
Church of the Addolorata (Our Lady of Sorrows) - it preserves the handcrafted majolica with the image of Our Lady of Sorrows
Palace of the Marquis - 10th century building, with rustic ashlar arched portal and large courtyard
Sources - Watercourses in Bocche and Fiumara

EVENTS

Tridd in Festa - Festival dedicated to typical fresh pasta, scheduled for the month of August
Bonfires of Baronia - Event held in December with a walk among the olive trees, sensory paths and evening bonfires together with music and food and wine
Feast of Saint John the Baptist - Event with a sacred and historical character, in honour of the patron saint, scheduled for the month of June
Feast of Saint Roch - Celebrations in honour of Saint Rocco, scheduled for the month of August
CarifOlio - Food and wine event collateral to "Bonfires of Barionia", scheduled for December
Brancaterra on fire - Artistic event dedicated to local crafts, scheduled for May

TYPICAL FOOD AND PRODUCTS

Triidd al sugo - Typical local dish, based on fresh pasta (similar to Triilli of Trevico) and ragù
Irpinia Colline dell'Ufita PDO - Extra virgin olive oil deriving largely from the Ravece variety, characterized by a pleasant bitter and spicy taste
Ufita garlic PAT - Product with an aromatic flavour and characterized by a high quantity of essential oils and active ingredients
Ufita cherry tomato PAT - Of medium-small size, it has a bright red colour and numerous seeds inside
Caciocavallo Silano PDO - Semi-hard cheese, with spun curd, produced with milk from different breeds of cows, including Podolica

FUN FACTS

There are numerous and lively legends around the "Pietra del Pesco": there are those who claim that the place is inhabited by devils, who even swear to have seen them running in and out of the numerous ravines of the limestone rock, while others have looked there for the rich and fabulous treasures hidden there by the brigands.
In the history of the Municipality, the drove roads play a key role: wide grassy, stony or beaten earth paths, with a natural background, originating from the passage and trampling of herds. With the passage of time these roads, from ancient transhumances, became the main roads of people.

HISTORICAL NOTES

Carife has very ancient origins starting from the third millennium BC, testified by many pre-Roman finds. The most documented human presence is, however, that of the Samnites who settled between the 5h and 4th centuries BC, before the advent of the Romans. With the fall of the Empire, the first invasions arrived, by Barbarians, Goths, Byzantines and Lombards.
Throughout its history, Carife has been ruled by several families: De Bruveriis, Del Balzo, Orsini, Consalvo, Como, Mirobello and, finally, Capobianco, the last lords of the town of Baronia, before the abolition of feudality in 1806.
In 1820, the Carifani took part in the revolutionary uprisings with the opening of the group called "Love of the Fatherland", led by the revolutionary Tommaso Santoro, who was then sentenced to life exile by the Grand Criminal Court of Avellino.