Sant'Andrea di Conza

The Municipality of Sant'andrea Di Conza is located in the Upper Irpinia area. It's a village with 1,461 inhabitants, located 660 metres above sea level, at 72 km from Avellino. The territory extends for 7.05 sq km and the adjoining municipalities are: Conza della Campania and Pescopagano. It's crossed by the Ofanto river.
The etymology of the name is inspired by the cult of the patron saint of the town, while the specification "di Conza" refers to its geographical position, near Conza della Campania. The inhabitants are called Santandreani and Saint Andrew the Apostle is their patron saint.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Episcopal Palace - Architectural complex dating back to the 13th century, born as the bishop's palace and current Town Hall
Church of Santa Maria della Consolazione (Saint Mary of Consolation) - Old religious building abandoned and reduced to ruins, to which the Franciscan Convent of the Reformed Friars was annexed
Former Clemente-Malanga Furnace - Rare example of industrial archaeology, which was, in the past, a brick factory
Seminar - Episcopal building built in the 18th century, the result of a fine restoration
Church of San Michele (Saint Michael) - Neoclassical structure that houses a beautiful wooden choir and paintings by Miglionico
Mother Church of San Domenico (Saint Dominic) - It dates back to the 18th century with a precious wooden statue of Blessed Stefano Seno
Arco della Terra (Arch of the Land) - Entrance portal to the village, dated 1753
Fountain - Located in Piazza Umberto I, it's dedicated to King Umberto I of Savoy
Water mill - Structure dating back to the 18th century
Historic centre - Full of narrow streets and well-kept medieval portals

EVENTS

Procession of the Mysteries - Recurrence of the death of Jesus during the Holy Week
Feast of Our Lady Crowned - Religious festival that takes place on the last Saturday of April
Maggiaiole Ritual - Traditional ceremony held on the last Saturday of May
Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel - Religious celebrations, scheduled for July
Feast of Saint Andrew and Saint Emygdius - Religious holidays, scheduled for August
Saint Anthony Fire Festival - Religious event that takes place in January and is accompanied by the lighting of bonfires

TYPICAL FOOD AND PRODUCTS

Struffoli Santandreani - Typical struffoli (honey balls) in the Sant'Andrea variant
Chestnut Calzoncelli - Desserts similar to small ravioli, filled with chestnut cream
Caciocavallo Silano PDO - Semi-hard cheese, with spun curd, produced with milk from different breeds of cows, including Podolica
Caciocavallo irpino di grotta PAT - Spun curd cheese, produced with milk from small and medium-sized farms, mainly from brown cattle, traditionally aged in caves

FUN FACTS

During the "Maggiaiole Ritual", typical of Sant'Andrea di Conza, the girls of the community go to the Co-Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (Saint Mary of the Assumption) in Conza della Campania to ask the Virgin Mary to find a good boyfriend.
In Sant'Andrea Di Conza seven furnaces have existed for the production of bread.

HISTORICAL NOTES

The origins of Sant'Andrea di Conza are controversial. According to some sources, the village arose after the earthquake of 990 and the subsequent malaria epidemic, when groups of farmers settled around the Church of Sant'Andrea, located between Conza and Pescopagano. According to another hypothesis, the first settlement was born with the arrival of the Bulgarians in Irpinia, called by the Lombards to repopulate the inland areas of Southern Italy, which had remained deserted due to the conflict against the Byzantines.
Surely, Sant'Andrea di Conza was mentioned, for the first time, in a deed of donation of 1161, with which the Norman count Gionata of Conza and Carinola undertook to sell the Church of Sant'Andrea to the Church of Santa Maria dell'Episcopato of Conza.
From that moment on the village belonged to the Archbishop's authority until the abolition of feudalism in 1806. During this very long period, it was administered by numerous families: Del Balzo, Gesualdo, Ludovisi and Mirelli.