Summonte

The Municipality of Summonte is located in the area of the Partenio Regional Park. It's a village with 1,538 inhabitants, located 738 metres above sea level, at 10 km from Avellino. The territory extends for 12.37 sq km and the neighbouring municipalities are: Avellino, Capriglia Irpina, Mercogliano, Ospedaletto d'Alpinolo, Pannarano, Pietrastornina, Quadrelle, Sant'Angelo a Scala, Sirignano and Sperone.
The etymology of the name comes from the Latin sub monte which means "under the mountain". The inhabitants are called Summontesi and Saint Nicholas of Bari is their patron.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Angevin Tower - Built in hewn limestone ashlars and bedding mortar based on lime, sand mixed with lapillus and ground stone
Archaeological Area - Terraces of the old settlement with panoramic views
Former Church of San Nicola (Saint Nicholas) - Ancient church leaning against the north side of the fort, dating back to the 20th century
Amphitheatre - The venue for theatrical performances, classical music concerts and presentations of literary works throughout the year
Medieval village - Characterized by elements of value and architectural relevance of the 16th century of varying beauty
Bell Tower and Congregation of the Santissimo Rosario (Holy Rosary) - It's characterized by the stone jambs, the stone cornices and the bell tower with many bells

EVENTS

Mediterranean Paths - International festival of ethnic music, scheduled during the summer
Christmas at the Enchanted Village - Event with lights, shops, shows, gastronomy, roasted chestnuts and bonfires, scheduled for the Christmas period
Borgo Festival - Excursions and visits to the most significant ancient places in the area, scheduled for September
The Romantic Night - Initiative of the "Italy's Most Beautiful Villages" association, it is a mix of musical, theatrical, literary and artistic events, accompanied by tastings with a setting of great romanticism to rediscover the beauty of the village
Chestnut Festival - Food and wine event, scheduled for October

TYPICAL FOOD AND PRODUCTS

Partentio black truffle - Precious product in which the scents of the undergrowth are found
Honey - An integral part of the culture and history of local populations. It's produced in the Partenio area in different types: Asphodel Honey, Borage Honey, Thistle Honey and Bramble Honey, all recognized as PAT
Chestnut honey - Obtained from chestnut nectar, it forms the basis of the Torrone di Summonte nougat, also known as "cupeto"
Fiano di Avellino DOCG - One of the finest white wines in Italy and on the international market
Hazelnut - Strong presence of hazelnut cultivation, already existing in Campania in Roman times
Chestnuts - Very characteristic production of the mountains that surround the village
Caciocavallo Silano PDO - Semi-hard cheese, with spun curd, produced with milk from different breeds of cows, including Podolica

FUN FACTS

Summonte is one of the five Irpinian municipalities to be part of the "Italy's Most Beautiful Villages" network.
The mulberry tree, attested around 1037 in the Summonte area, represents the first testimony of its kind in Southern Italy.
In Summonte, in the 19th century, an active Carbonari nucleus was established, called "I Pitti del Partenio": it had as its most important exponents the brothers Severino and Vincenzo De Cristofaro, condemned to exile for many years.

HISTORICAL NOTES

The current territory of Summonte was inhabited since pre-Roman times: as proof of this, in fact, there are numerous tombs found in the area, whose origins seem to be traced back to the Osci. The birth of the current village dates back to the 5th century AD, a period in which the inhabitants of the ancient Nola, Abella and Abellinum took refuge under the slopes of Mount Vallatrone to escape the siege of the barbarian populations.
Initially returning to the possessions of the county of Avellino, Summonte was destroyed in 1134 by the troops of Ruggero II and, a few centuries later, it became a fief of the Della Leonessa family, who transformed the castle into a border watchtower.
Then various families took turns leading the village. The last feudal lords of Summonte were the Doria del Carretto, who administered it for over two hundred years, until the subversion of feudalism, which took place in 1806.