Manocalzati

The Municipality of Manocalzati is located in the area of the Sabato Valley. It's a town with 3,198 inhabitants, located 450 metres above sea level, at 11 km from Avellino. The territory extends for 8.75 sq km and the adjoining municipalities are: Atripalda, Avellino, Candida, Montefredane, Pratola Serra and San Potito Ultra. It's crossed by the Sabato river.
The etymology of the name comes from the Latin “Manus Calceati”, that is "handful or troops of shod men", or it is composed of "male" and "calvati", that is "luxuriant land". The inhabitants are called Manocalzatesi and Saint Mark is their patron saint.

PLACES OF INTEREST

San Barbato Castle - Built by the Lombards, it dominates the valley below from the top of the spur and it's connected with the village with the same name which, up to the second half of the 19th century, had the role of autonomous municipality
Transverse Flute museum - Collection of music instruments, curated by the association "Igor Stravinsky". It's a reference point, both nationally and internationally, for exhibitions dedicated to aerophones
Church of San Marco Evangelista (Saint Mark the Evangelist) - Church of uncertain origins, it stands out for its façade, with a beautiful stone portal, and for its bell tower
Church of Sant'Anna (Saint Anne) - Church located in the medieval village of San Barbato, near the Lombard Castle
Stone cross - Dating back to 1733, a Latin inscription is engraved on this monument
Churches - Church of the Immacolata (Immaculate Conception), Church of S. Maria del Carmine (Saint Mary of Mount Carmel), Church of S.Antonio (Saint Anthony)

EVENTS

Assettati addo vuo' - Very popular food and wine and musical event that has taken place in July since 2013
Feast of Saint Barbatus - Religious celebrations scheduled for February
Feast of Saint Mark - Religious celebrations in honour of the patron saint, scheduled for April
Feast of Saint Anthony of Padua - Religious celebrations, scheduled for June

TYPICAL FOOD AND PRODUCTS

Fiano di Avellino DOCG  - One of the finest white wines in Italy and on the international market

FUN FACTS

Manocalzati has a twinning relationship with the French municipality of Sainte-Féréole, located in the Corrèze department, in the New Aquitaine region.

HISTORICAL NOTES

Already inhabited in prehistoric times, Manocalzati has preserved numerous archaeological finds dating back to the Iron Age. The first settlement, formed around a castle, dates back to the Lombard period.
The feud belonged to the counts of Avellino from 1127 then it passed over the centuries to other families, such as the Salza, the Gambacorta, the Grillo and the Poderico. It was annexed to the nearby barony of Candida and it followed its fate for about three centuries. It became property of the Tocco family in the 17th century and it remained under its possession until the abolition of feudalism in the Kingdom of Naples 1806.
Moreover, the territory of Manocalzati was the scene, in 1503, of the clashes between the Angevin and Aragonese troops for the dominance of the Kingdom of Naples.