Quindici

The Municipality of Quindici is located within the area of the Vallo di Lauro. It's a town with 1,914 inhabitants, located 247 metres above sea level, at 29 km from Avellino. The territory extends for 23.91 sq km and the adjoining municipalities are: Bracigliano, Forino, Lauro, Moschiano, Sarno and Siano.
The etymology of the name seems to come from Roman times, as there were fifteen farms in the area called with the Latin expression of “ad quindecim praedia” or “ad quindecim villas”, which then was transformed into the current toponym. The inhabitants are called Quindicesi and Saint Mary of Graces is their patron saint.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Museum of Sacred Art - Exhibition in which furnishings, manuscripts, tools of peasant civilisation and archaeological finds are kept
Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie (Saint Mary of Graces) - In Baroque style, it was originally built in the 15th century; it was totally rebuilt three centuries later
Sanctuary of San Teodoro (Saint Theodore) - Built in the 14th century on a hill from which one can admire a suggestive panorama: it was rebuilt several times and, even today, it is a place of pilgrimage
Church of Santa Lucia (Saint Lucy) - Located in Mulini, it is a small church built in the 18th century
Medieval Tower - Born as a watchtower, it saw its function change over time, becoming a water tank
Nature trails - Località Campo Somma, Pizzo di Alvano

EVENTS

Notte Bianca (White Night) - Event that takes place in September and involves street artists, food stands and crafts
Feast of Saint Anthony - Feast with the traditional blessing of the animals, procession through the main town streets and lighting of the three fires
Feast of the Emigrant - Celebrations held in August with food and wine stands, inflatables for children, music and typical local products
Feast of Our Lady of Graces - Celebrations that take place on 8 September, with both religious and civil initiatives

TYPICAL FOOD AND PRODUCTS

San Martino Walnut PAT - Local product, typical of the area between Moschiano and Quindici, particularly appreciated for its high-quality characteristics
Caciocavallo Silano PDO - Semi-hard cheese, with spun curd, produced with milk from different breeds of cows, including Podolica

FUN FACTS

The Maglificio “100 e Quindici Passi” (Knitwear factory "100 and Fifteen Steps") is a bunker villa confiscated from organised crime and converted into a small production plant in the knitwear sector.
Quindici experienced its maximum splendour in the Renaissance period, a period in which twenty churches were built.

HISTORICAL NOTES

The first settlements in the current territory of Quindici date back to prehistoric times, while small settlements saw many populations alternate in the Vallo di Lauro: Ausoni, Opici, Osci, Etruscans, Greeks, Samnites and, finally, Romans, to whom the toponym of the municipality is attributed.
In medieval times, Quindici was a fief of several families: the Orsini, Sanseverino, Pignatelli and Lancellotti families. Following the Unification of Italy in 1861, the town was incorporated into the province of Terra di Lavoro, with Caserta as its capital. Only in 1927, it was included in the province of Avellino.