Mercogliano

The Municipality of Mercogliano rises in the area of the Partenio Park. It's a city of 12,180 inhabitants, located 550 meters above sea level and 5 km from Avellino. The territory extends for 19.92 sq km and the adjoining municipalities are: Avellino, Monteforte Irpino, Mugnano del Cardinale, Ospedaletto d'Alpinolo, Quadrelle and Summonte.
The etymology of the name seems to derive from the Latin term mercurianum which, according to some scholars, indicates the presence in these places of possessions of the magistri mercuriales, that is, the "magistrates" who administered the cult of Mercury; the current name derives, in particular, from Castrum Mercuriani. The inhabitants are called Mercoglianesi. Saints Modestinus, Florentinus and Flavianus are their patron saints.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Sanctuary of Montevergine - Seat of one of the six Italian territorial abbeys, it houses the painting of the "Madonna di Montevergine", venerated here and also called "Mamma Schiavona", visited every year by about one and a half million pilgrims
Loreto Abbey Palace - Architectural structure of considerable artistic and historical interest
Church of Santi Modestino, Fiorentino e Flaviano (Saints Modestinus, Florentinus and Flavianus) - Religious building of which the first records date back to 1052: it is located at the end of Viale San Modestino and, inside there is a well and an ancient temple dedicated to Mercury
Church of Santi Pietro e Paolo (Saints Peter and Paul) - It preserves the bones of Saints Modestinus, Florentinus and Flavianus, as well as majolica decorations and also some 17th century paintings, one of which is attributed to Giuseppe Scala
Medieval Castle - Dating back to the years between 1077 and 1099, it is located in the ancient centre of Mercogliano, known as Capocastello due to the presence of the fortress
Antiquarium - Museum inaugurated in 2009, located in the Crypt of the Church of Santissima Immacolata Concezione (Holy Immaculate Conception) in the ancient medieval village of Capocastello
Church of San Francesco (Saint Francis) - Religious building built at the beginning of the 17th century: among the works of art on its walls and ceiling, those dedicated to the life of the saint stand out
MAM - Montevergine Abbey Museum - Exhibition set up inside the Sanctuary of Montevergine, whose museum rooms were completed in 2000
Porta dei Santi (Gate of the Saints) - Lower portal of access to the ancient town of Mercogliano: in the upper part a fresco depicting Saints Modestinus, Florentinus and Flavianus is still visible
Acqua Fidia - A source of fresh water located just 5 km from the centre of Mercogliano that owes its name to a legendary temple dedicated to the goddess Phidias that would have appeared in this area
Campo Maggiore - Also called "Campo Mercogliano", it's located at an altitude of 1,406 meters and is a fascinating place from a naturalistic and landscape point of view

EVENTS

Candelora - Among the most heartfelt devotional celebrations in Campania, is celebrated on the 2nd of February, when the "femminielli" go up to the Sanctuary of Montevergine (the so-called Juta) to honour the rite of Mamma Schiavona and respect an ancient tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages
Feast of the Mountain - Three days to experience and talk about the mountains, with competitions, sports activities, courses, tastings of local cuisine, theatrical performances and musical performances
La Zeza di Mercogliano - Carnival event which consists of a real ancient popular theatrical representation, with some key characters
Cronoscalata al Santuario - A sports day with an individual time trial cycling race
Castellarte - An event that has been held since 1993, on the last weekend of July, in the village of Capocastello, with performances by international artists and an audience of about 60,000 people per edition (it has been suspended for the last 3 years)

TYPICAL FOOD AND PRODUCTS

Montevergine liqueurs - Seven types of liqueur produced by the Benedictine Fathers of Montevergine, produced with blends of aromatic herbs (Amaro Benedettino, Anisetta Benedettina, Anthemis, Brandy, Gran Liquore Partenio, Gran Liquore Romito e Gran Liquore Verginian)
Honey - An integral part of the culture and history of local populations. It's produced by the Benedictine fathers of Montevergine in different types: Asphodel Honey, Borage Honey, Thistle Honey and Bramble Honey, all recognized as PAT
Fiano di Avellino DOCG - One of the finest white wines in Italy and on the international market
Nougat - Born from ancient recipes, it is a tradition carried on by several local companies
Caciocavallo Silano PDO - Semi-hard cheese, with spun curd, produced with milk from different breeds of cows, including Podolica

FUN FACTS

From the highest points of the mountain ranges of Mercogliano it is possible to admire a splendid panorama that embraces vast areas of the region, leading the gaze to the sea and the islands.

HISTORICAL NOTES

The first settlements in the current territory of Mercogliano date back to Roman times: in fact, a Roman military column was found in the locality of Alvanella, evidence of a roadway that still connects Irpinia to Naples. Further proof of these settlements is the strong cult towards the god Mercury, whose image, today, stands out on the town's coat of arms.
The foundation of today's Mercogliano dates back to the period of Lombard domination, when a colony of refugees from the destroyed Abellinum settled on the hill where the city centre stands today. Originally a hamlet of Avellino, it was mentioned for the first time in a document of 982. With the construction of the Castle, which took place in the 1000s, Mercogliano acquired its own autonomy, under Enrico di Sarno, subfeudatory of the Count of Avellino Rainulfo.
Later, Mercogliano was administered by Ruggiero Dell'Aquila, before being absorbed by the Abbey of Montevergine and finally returning to the feuds of Santa Casa dell'Annunziata in Naples.