Bisaccia

The Municipality of Bisaccia is located in the Upper Irpinia area. It's a town with 3,799 inhabitants, located 860 metres above sea level, at 85 km from Avellino. The territory extends for 37.19 sq km and the adjoining municipalities are: Andretta, Aquilonia, Calitri, Guardia Lombardi, Lacedonia, Scampitella and Vallata.
The etymology of the name seems to come from the Latin Bi Saccus, which recalls the shoulder strap placed on the saddle of the pack animal. The inhabitants are called Bisaccesi and Saint Anthony of Padua is their patron saint.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Church of the Natività di Maria (Nativity of Mary) (Co-Cathedral) - Built by the Normans with a Gothic style façade, it's the main place of worship in Bisaccia and it's not far from the Ducal Castle
Ducal Castle of Bisaccia - Bastion which had the function of protecting the territories from enemy incursions, it then became a noble residence; from its loggia you can enjoy a beautiful view
Civic Archaeologic Museum - It's set inside the castle and it preserves finds of the civilization of Oliveto-Cairano
Capaldo Palace - Residence where the senator of the Kingdom of Italy Pietro Capaldo was born, located in the old part of Bisaccia
Formicoso - A plateau with gentle steppe reliefs without trees, which was once the emperor's hunting ground
Other - Church of S. Maria del Carmine (Our Lady of Mount Carmel), Church of Saint Gaetano, Church of S. Michele (Saint Michael), Chiesa dei Morti (Church of the Dead), Church of S. Antonio da Padua (Saint Anthony of Padua), Church of Contrada Oscata, Church of the Sacro Cuore (Sacred Heart)

EVENTS

Feast of Saint Anthony of Padua - Feast of the town, in honour of the patron saint, with lights and concerts
Estate bisaccese - Review of concerts and musical and cultural events, scheduled during the summer
Feast of Saint Michael - A deeply felt religious celebration in the town, it's held in May and is inspired by the ancient country festivals
Frederick II days- Parade of period costumes
Processione del Calvario - Religious procession to Mount Calvary
Saint Joseph fires - Traditional bonfires held on the 18th of March

TYPICAL FOOD AND PRODUCTS

Cheek lard of Formicoso PAT  - Triangular cut of pork, obtained from the cheek of the pig, with a component of high-quality fat
Masciatica olive PAT - medium-sized fruit with medium-late ripening, sometimes used to make an oil with a fruity aroma and a sweet taste
Caciocavallo di grotta PAT - Spun curd cheese, produced with milk from small and medium-sized farms, mainly from brown cattle, traditionally aged in caves
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
Caciocavallo Silano PDO - Semi-hard cheese, with spun curd, produced with milk from different breeds of cows, including Podolica

FUN FACTS

Inside the castle there is a museum collection focused on the indigenous female world of the Oliveto-Cairano culture, unique in its genre. An unrepeatable journey through the traditional jewellery of women who lived in Eastern Irpinia between the 8th and 7th centuries.
Franco Arminio, Italian poet, writer and film director, self-described as a "village expert", is a native and resident of the village in Upper Irpinia.

HISTORICAL NOTES

Bisaccia has a very ancient history, rooted in the tradition of wool processing and cattle breeding. It was possible to prove the presence of a prehistoric social civilization dating back to 2300 BC from the numerous finds. Already in the 7th century BC, this civilization traded workers and wool products through the so-called “via della lana” (wool road) which connected the gulf of Manfredonia to that of Salerno.
The first mention of the medieval village dates back to 1087, in a document which speaks of Roberto, Lord of Bisaccia. This territory was crossed by the Roman, Lombard and Norman dominations until 1230, the year in which the fief passed to the Contigli family. Then, the latter was deprived of its throne by the Emperor Frederick II, who had the castle of Bisaccia, which was almost entirely destroyed by the earthquake of 1198, rebuilt, using the basement as a prison. The territory later experienced periods of Spanish, Austrian and Bourbon domination.
As for many other municipalities of Irpinia, also the history of Bisaccia has been marked by terrible earthquakes, among which those of 1456, 1694 (with the destruction of all the churches and more than two hundred houses), 1732 and 1980.