Salza Irpina

The Municipality of Salza Irpina is located within the area of the Sabato Valley. It's a village with 744 inhabitants, located 547 metres above sea level, at 12 km from Avellino. The territory extends for 4.96 sq km and the adjoining municipalities are: Chiusano di San Domenico, Parolise, San Potito Ultra, Sorbo Serpico and Volturara Irpina.
The etymology of the name comes from Latin salsa, the feminine gender of the adjective salsus, or “salty”, attributable to the source of salt water located on the border of the town and used for the extraction of salt. The inhabitants are called Salzesi and Our Lady of Graces is their patron saint.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Imperiale-D’Afflitto Palace - Located in the oldest part of the village, it has a beautiful façade with a splendid portal of the 18th century in the centre
Church of San Sebastiano (Saint Sebastian) - Built between the 15th and 16th centuries, it stands out for the portal full of ornamental decorations and for the works of art inside it
Church of Santi Pietro e Paolo (Saints Peter and Paul) - Built in the 16th century, it is the Mother Church of the village, known for its imposing bell tower
Church of the Immacolata Concezione (Immaculate Conception) - Known for the very old confraternity
Capozzi Palace - Located at the entrance to the city centre, it has a Renaissance façade, a stone portal and two corner towers
Church of the Madonna delle Grazie (Our Lady of Graces) - Not far from the historic centre, it offers a fascinating panoramic view
Fountain-Wash house - Located near the Imperial Mill, it testifies to the abundance of water in this territory
Porta Salza (Salza Gate) - Located in the north-west area of the village, it is the gateway to the historic centre
Mount Serrone route - Nature trail on the slopes of the mountain with picnic areas (Murilli and Angilo)

EVENTS

Chestnut Festival - Traditional chestnut promotion event, held in October
Spaghetti Festival with Porcini Mushrooms - Culinary event, held in August
Feast of Our Lady of Graces - Celebrations in honour of the patron saint that take place on the second Sunday of September

TYPICAL FOOD AND PRODUCTS

Chestnut - Typical product of Irpinia, from which many traditional dishes are obtained
Porcini mushroom - Product widespread throughout the province of Avellino, known for its unmistakable flavour
Fiano di Avellino DOCG - One of the finest white wines of Italy and the international market
Caciocavallo Silano PDO - Semi-hard cheese, with spun curd, produced with milk from different breeds of cows, including Podolica

FUN FACTS

Salza Irpina is commonly known as “Il Paese degli Scarpari” (The Town of Footwear Workers), because of the footwear tradition developed in the 20th century among the artisans of the village. The original name of the town was that of Salza Principato Ulteriore, later changed to Salza Irpina, with Royal Decree of 1862.

HISTORICAL NOTES

Some archaeological evidence found in the territory of Salza, as well as the etymology of the name, suggest the existence of settlements since Roman times.
In the Middle Ages, there was a first phase of development that, in the following eras, saw numerous families, princes and marquises alternate at the helm of the town. In the second half of the 19th century, thanks to the commitment of Michele Capozzi, mayor of Salza and, subsequently, parliamentarian of the Kingdom of Italy, the village experienced a new period of splendour, with the construction of the railway station, located on the historic Avellino-Rocchetta Sant’Antonio route, and the establishment of the first Popular Library of Irpinia, located today in the Town Hall.
In the 20th century, the progressive depopulation caused a sudden demographic decrease, contrasted by the local population with the flourishing of the footwear trade.