Lauro

The Municipality of Lauro rises in the Vallo di Lauro area. It's a town of 3,441 inhabitants, located 192 meters above sea level and 30 km from Avellino. The territory extends for 11.29 sq km and the adjoining municipalities are: Carbonara di Nola, Domicella, Moschiano, Pago del Vallo di Lauro, Palma Campania, Quindici, Sarno and Taurano.
The etymology of the name seems to come from the Latin laurum which means "laurel", whose woods completely surrounded the town in Roman times. The inhabitants are called Lauretani. Saint Roch and Saint Sebastian are their patron saints.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Lancellotti Castle - Ancient castle of Lombard-Norman origin, among the most beautiful ones of the province
Pignatelli Palace - Seat of the Museum of Umberto Nobile and of Italian airships, it rises in the square dedicated to the famous explorer
Del Cappellano Palace - Also called "Palazzo dei Tufi" (Tuff Palace), it's the most intact example of Renaissance architecture in Campania
Mastrodattia Palace - Today it's the Town Hall, in the past justice was administered there
Former Church of Jesus and Mary - Also called "Church of Rocchettine" and renovated many times, together with the adjoining Convent of the Santissima Trinità (Holy Trinity), it houses a precious canvas by Angelo Mozzillo
Church of Santa Maria della Pietà (Saint Mary of Mercy) - Dating back to the 12th century, it was destroyed many times: it preserves a cycle of frescoes commissioned in the 15th century
Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Maddalena (Saint Mary Magdalene) - Deconsecrated, it is currently used as a conference room and auditorium
Church of Santa Margherita e San Potito (Saint Margaret and Saint Potitus) - Reopened in 1992, here you can admire a painting illustrating Our Lady of the Assumption by Mozzillo and one of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, by Giuseppe Mazzia
Church of the SS. Rocco e Sebastiano (Saints Roch and Sebastian) - Also known as "Little Church of the vine", it's located in the ancient district of Lauro
Roman villa of San Giovanni del Palco - Imposing thermal complex dating back to the 1st century BC located on the border with Taurano
Civic tower - With a quadrangular shape, it dates back to the 13th century
Via Terra - Ancient path that crosses part of the medieval village
Porta ad arco di Fellino (Arch of Fellino) - Dating back to the 17th century, it was renovated and equipped with a clock in 1789: made in white stone, it allows access to the historic centre of Lauro
Other churches - Church of Annunziata (Our Lady of Annunciation), Church of S. Maria Carmine (Our Lady of Mount Carmel), Church of the SS. Vito e Sisto (Saints Vitus and Sixtus)

EVENTS

Lumina in Castro - Event that takes place at the end of August starting from 2006, with a guided visit to the rooms of the Lancellotti Castle by actors who stage a story of a specific historical period
Saint Sebastian celebrations - Religious celebrations in honour of the patron saint
Biancovestiti - Event held on Good Friday, when every town of the Vallo di Lauro organizes a procession, dressing in white and singing songs of the Passion of Christ. They go to different towns and then they gather in the main square of Lauro, where there are hundreds of people waiting for them

TYPICAL FOOD AND PRODUCTS

Noce malizia PAT - This nut is a typical local product of the Vallo di Lauro area
Casomuscio - Pecorino cheese, historical product of the pastoralism of the Vallo di Lauro, which owes its name to its characteristic softness that it retains for a long time before hardening
Olivella - Native vine of Campania, specifically in the area bordering the province of Avellino and the Vesuvian area, characterized by a grape that resembles the shape of an olive, hence the name
Caciocavallo Silano PDO - Semi-hard cheese, with spun curd, produced with milk from different breeds of cows, including Podolica

FUN FACTS

According to the legend, Lauro was founded by Hercules who, after having been in Pompeii and Herculaneum, arrived in this area, initially called Fraconia, where he was greeted by the people with laurel branches. For this reason, the name was transformed into Lauro.

HISTORICAL NOTES

According to some testimonies, Lauro's origins date back to the Roman period and, thanks to its strategic position in Vallo, it was an important marquisal fief in the Middle Ages.
Due to its position, Lauro was contended by various dynasties in Campania: it was, for example, dominated by the Principality of Benevento and then by the Principality of Salerno and Capua. Then it was conquered by Roger II of Sicily and became a countship, and after that it was donated to Roberto da San Severino around 1115.
After several changes, in 1541 Lauro was sold for about 12,000 ducats to Scipione Pignatelli; in 1632 it was acquired by the Lancellotti marquises, who held it until the abolition of feudalism (1806) and, in 1799, it came out almost unscathed from the fire started by French troops.