header

Altomonte

 
 The picturesque landscape overlooking the valley of the river Esaro.
 
By Domenico Russumanno




As one of the most charming towns in the province of Cosenza, Altomonte ( high mountain) is also known as the "Wedding City" thanks to the beautiful setting it offers, attracting couples from Calabria, and abroad. 

It was first a feud belonging to the powerful Sangineto family and later to the Sanseverino.​


In ancient times it was known as Balbiano and was famous for its wine.
Later, in 1065, the name was changed to "Brahalla", then Bragalla and finally, in 1343 the town received its current name of Altomonte, at the behest of Queen Giovanna II of Naples.
The town has preserved its medieval setting with houses that lean against each other and narrow alleys. 

 
The integrated nature of the Pellegrino mountains and a picturesque landscape overlooking the valley of the river Esaro come together to provide a rich artistic and cultural heritage of churches and palaces, arches and rosettes and masterpieces of fourteenth century Tuscany.​


 
Altomonte is also an important tourist attraction both for 
its artistic treasures and the natural beauty of the area.
It is listed as one of Italy's most beautiful hamlet  where hospitality and friendliness are the valuable corollary to the historical-artistic and naturalistic that it possesses.
 
 
Dominating the Esaro Valley is the church , located on the highest part of the village.
 

 
The building is also the main attraction of the historic center, dedicated to Santa Maria della Consolazione, built around the end of XIV and restored in the XVII, an important example of Gothic-Angevin architecture. 
 
 
Inside there's the sepulcher of Filippo Sangineto, who was a land owner living there.
 
 
Many of its works of art have been transferred to the nearby museum of the same name (open daily from 9.00 to 13.00 and from 15.00 to 19.00).
 
 
The museum has a variety of works of art on display, tablets, sculptures, inlaid work, canvases and sacred vestments from the 17th/18th century.


 
While the Norman tower known as Torre Palotta holds the art gallery...
 


The  Pallotta tower 


 ...the local hotel is to be found in the castle close by, 
 


The  hall inside  the castle 


 
The town hall is located in a restored mini monastery around the corner from the hotel. 
 

The Dominican monastery , built in 1440, houses the library, where you can also admire the cloister of the same age, here, Tommaso Campanella took refuge before being arrested.​


 
Below San Francis's church the patron Saint


The surface of the territory is about 65.29. dotted with olive grove and wine yards producing native wines Balbini, an ancient wine also praised by Pliny the elderly.
Other local crops are citrus orchards, legumes, wheat, barley and vegetables
By Angela de Marco   &
Made in South Italy


















The Medieval Exhibit : The work of art  present in this exhibit of the museum, all of the highest quality, testify that the patronage of feudal lords Philip Sangineto and Covella Ruffo Sanseverino, followed the taste and the style of the royal court of Naples, first that of the Angevin dynasty followed by that of the Durazzo.












 
History Note
 
Tommaso Campanella was the son of a poor and illiterate cobbler, he entered the Dominican Order before the age of fifteen, taking the name of fra' Tommaso in honour of Thomas Aquinas. He studied theology and philosophy with several masters.


 
Early on, he became disenchanted with the Aristotelian orthodoxy and attracted by the empiricism of Bernardino Telesio (1509–1588), who taught that knowledge is sensation and that all things in nature possess sensation. Campanella wrote his first work, Philosophia sensibus demonstrata ("Philosophy demonstrated by the senses"), published in 1592, in defence of Telesio.

In Naples he was also initiated in astrology; astrological speculations would become a constant feature in his writings. Campanella's heterodox views, especially his opposition to the authority of Aristotle, brought him into conflict with the ecclesiastical authorities. Denounced to the Inquisition and cited before the Holy Office in Rome, he was confined in a convent until 1597.



 



Selected  for you

Cultural events
Where to stay
   The bread festival

May: Festival Theatre School - www.festivalteatroscuola.it
May: Great Festivity of the Bread - www.comunedialtomonte.it
June: Festival of Danza - www.comunedialtomonte.it
July: Altomonte Rock Festival - www.altomonterockfestival.it
July: AgriAltomonte - www.comunedialtomonte.it
August: Festival Euromediterraneo - www.festivaleuromediterraneo.org
August: The great Visual Reviews of Art. - www.comunedialtomonte.it
August: 10 - Night White woman - www.lanottebiancaltomonte.it
August: Festivity of the Casello - www.comunedialtomonte.it
September: Of... Jazz wine - www.comunedialtomonte.it
October/November: Enogastronomiche festivals - www.comunedialtomonte.it
 - 
   Hospitality 
Hotels - Guest houses - B & B
 
Il Castello dei Conti - WWW
Hotel Barbieri - WWW
Nuovo Hotel D'Ambra - WWW
Hotel food & drink - WWW
Youth Hostel - WWW 
B & B
Casa di Gasperi WWW
Conca D'Oro  WWW
Palazzo Pancaro (FB)  WWW
L'Antica  Balbia WWW
Agriturismo - Farmhouse
La Quercia del Barone - WWW
 
La vetrina ideale per promuovere i vostri prodotti e servizi sul mercato Nord Americano ma che potrebbe essere un punto di visibilità anche nei vari mercati internazionali.

AZIENDE - PRODUTTORI - STRUTTURE RICETTIVE - GUIDE TURISTICHE - TOUR OPERATORI 

Ai  nostri  visitatori piace il Sud Italia, vuoi  dire loro qualcosa?
Il nostro obiettivo e' quello di promuovere prodotti tipici del Sud in un contesto di marketing globale, e allo stesso tempo  proporre il nostro Meridione come alternativa turistica, ben consapevoli che il successo dell'uno è essenziale per il successo dell'altro.​
Paesi di provenienza dei  visitatori in ordine numerico
Stati Uniti - Canada - Italia - Gran Bretagna - Australia - China - Germania - Francia - Nuova Zelanda - Olanda

Coloro interessati ad inserire la loro attivita'/azienda/ nel sito   
sono pregati di  mettersi in contatto  usando il  modulo sottostante .
Per saperne di piu'...

 
WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO?...suggested links..
HOME  
Top of the page
Abruzzo
Molise
Campania
Basilicata
Apulia
Calabria
Sicilia
Sardegna

 
Acri - Aiello Calabro 
Alessandria del Carretto
Civita - Amantea -
Belmonte Calabro
Belvedere Marittimo
Campana - Cariati
Diamante 
Fiumefeddo Bruzio 
Morano Calabro

POI in the Cosenza Province
Made in South Italy Today.com-2014-Hamilton-Ontario-Canada -  CMS by  Albo  Digital  Copyrights issues
 
First Name
Last Name
Email Address
Tel
Country
Comments

spacer