Flumeri

The Municipality of Flumeri is located within the area of the Ufita Valley in Baronia. It's a town with 2,950 inhabitants, located 638 metres above sea level, at 53 km from Avellino. The territory extends for 34.55 sq km and the adjoining municipalities are: Ariano Irpino, Castel Baronia, Frigento, Grottaminarda, San Nicola Baronia, San Sossio Baronia, Sturno, Villanova del Battista and Zungoli. The Ufita river runs through it.
The etymology of the name would seem to speak of a link of Flumeri to water, given the confluence in the area of rivers (Lat. fluminibus), or even better “flumen”. The inhabitants are called Flumeresi and Saint Nicholas is their patron saint.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Dogana Aragonese (Aragonese Toll House) - Wonderful complex also called “Bufata Palace”, with a total perimeter of about 200 metres, a resting place during transhumance from Campania and Abruzzo to Puglia and vice versa
Mother Church of Santa Maria Assunta (Saint Mary of the Assumption) - Of uncertain date, it is assumed to be datable to the late Middle Ages
Church of San Rocco (Saint Roch) - Dating back to the 17th century, it has a beautiful bell tower and three entrance portals; inside are preserved the relics of the saint to whom the building is dedicated
Other - Church of Santa Maria Addolorata (Our Lady of Sorrows), Church of San Francesco (Saint Francis)

EVENTS

Alzata del Giglio di Flumeri - Extraordinary traditional event that takes place on 15 August, the Giglio today is built in honour of Saint Roch and symbolises the loyalty of the People of Flumeri to its saint, as well as the collective gratitude for the good harvest and for the protection from natural disasters
Dogana Blues - Blues festival that takes place in August in the beautiful location of the Aragonese Toll House

TYPICAL FOOD AND PRODUCTS

Irpinia Colline dell’Ufita PDO - Extra virgin olive oil deriving largely from the Ravece variety, characterised by a pleasant bitter and spicy taste
Caciocavallo Silano PDO - Semi-hard cheese, with spun curd, produced with milk from different breeds of cows, including Podolica
Ufita garlic PAT - Product with an aromatic flavour and characterised by a high amount of essential oils and active ingredients
Ufita cherry tomato PAT - Of medium-small size, it has a bright red colour and numerous seeds inside
Caciocavallo irpino di grotta PAT - Spun curd cheese, produced with milk from small and medium-sized farms, from mainly Bruna cattle, traditionally aged in caves

FUN FACTS

Flumeri is famous for its superlative oil and in fact the municipality is part of the national association Città dell’olio (Cities of oil).

HISTORICAL NOTES

Flumeri has very ancient origins, but it is only from the 12th century – when it became part of the Barony of Trevico – that there is a reliable documentation of its history and it is mentioned for the first time in 1122, when it was destroyed by the troops of William, Duke of Puglia. Important, however, is also the archaeological documentation; thanks to the various excavations carried out on the territory, in fact, an urban complex with a sewage system and orthogonal road axes paved in worked stone has also been revealed, but remains of artisan shops, buildings from the Roman era, a public domus with Pompeian style decorations, columns, terracotta pottery, amphorae and much more have also been found. Despite the violent seismic events that have hit the territory over the centuries, it has been possible to reconstruct some traces of Flumeri's past.
To dominate the fief were the Swabians, then the Normans and the Angevins; the struggles of the latter with the Aragonese deeply marked the territory and in 1461, Flumeri was besieged by the Aragonese. In the following centuries the feud belonged to several families (among these: the D’Aquino, Marchesi di Corato, Carafa and De Cardines families). In 1656 the town was struck by a very serious plague and was involved, from the 18th century, in the historical events that affected the Baronia.