San Potito Ultra

The Municipality of San Potito Ultra is located in the valley of the Salzola river. It's a town with 1,552 inhabitants, located 517 metres above sea level, at 8 km from Avellino. The territory extends for 4.54 sq km and the adjoining municipalities are: Atripalda, Candida, Manocalzati, Parolise, Salza Irpina and Sorbo Serpico.
The etymology of the name comes directly from the name of the patron saint, while the specific “Ultra” refers to the belonging of the town to the administrative division of the Ulteriore Principality at the time of the Kingdom of Naples and, subsequently, to the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The inhabitants are called Sanpotitesi and Our Lady of Perpetual Help is their patron saint.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Museum of Work - Set up within Amatucci Palace, the municipal seat, it consists of an anthological collection of objects of the most diverse work tools and instruments of the past
Church of Sant’Antonio Abate (Saint Anthony the Abbot) - Mother Church in Romanesque style, it stands out for its imposing bell tower
Church of Sant’Antonio di Padova - Built in the 18th century, it is characterised by a bell tower overlooking the entire village, simple architectural lines and understated details
Church of Santa Maria del Soccorso (Our Lady of Perpetual Help) - Also known as the Church of the Congregation, it rises next to the Mother Church
Factory of the Old Copper Workshop - Initially conceived as an ironworks, it was later converted for the purpose of copper processing
Salzola Eco-museum - Environmental Education Centre established in 2007 and accredited by the Campania Region which has included it in the INFEA Network, it has to its credit various publications and collaborates with organisations and associations
Other - Villa Maffei, Baroni Amatucci Palace, Primo Maggio Park, Nature area of the Salzola torrent

EVENTS

Wild Boar and Fusillo Festival - Food and wine event held in October
Notte ‘e Tammorre - Cultural and musical event that takes place during the summer
Feast of Saint Potito the Martyr - Celebrations in honour of the patron saint, held in January
Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help - Celebrations in honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, held in September

TYPICAL FOOD AND PRODUCTS

Typical products - Honey, cold cuts, desserts: in particular the Easter taralli nasprati called ‘nginetti
Fiano di Avellino DOCG - One of the finest white wines of Italy and the international market
Chestnut - Typical product of Irpinia, from which many traditional dishes are obtained

FUN FACTS

In the rural area of San Potito Ultra, traces of some mills are still evident. Among these, we must include: the Cavaliere Mill and the Don Nicola Mill (with the remains of an ancient paper mill), privately owned.
Legend has it that, after the destruction of the village of Radicozzo by the Romans, a young man, Saint Potito, stopped at the ruins of this village and the locals, amazed by the figure of this boy, decided to name the town in his memory.

HISTORICAL NOTES

The origins of San Potito Ultra are indeed uncertain. It is believed that, before the birth of the current village, there was a primordial village, known by the name of Radicozzo, and that this rural site has preserved this name until 1272, the year in which the place changed its name to Casale di Santo Petito.
Belonging, for a very long period of time, to the fief of Candida and ceded over the centuries to various families, San Potito Ultra managed to become an autonomous municipality in 1860, just in the period in which the community of San Potito was about to move towards a massive phenomenon of emigration to the Americas. This process lasted until the outbreak of the First World War, causing a demographic impact on the local population, but not on the ancient traditions, still well rooted today.