Altavilla Silentina

The origins of Altavilla are very ancient and are testified by the discovery of a painted tomb dating back to the 7th century. BC, which includes a vase attributed to the "painter of Altavilla". The Village of Borgo Carillia, according to the story of Silio Italico, is probably the same town that was destroyed by Hannibal. Altavilla is surrounded by walls and is accessible throught 4 ports. Probably the towers that served as a reinforcement for those of Frederick II, when the rebellious barons took refuge in the hinterland of Capaccio in Altavilla: only the Church of S. Biagio was spared from destruction. The current towers are from the Angevin period, the result of subsequent fortification works. In 1363 the fiefdom passed to Ruggiero Sanseverino, whose family belonged for a long time, until in 1564 it passed to Nicola Grimaldi, prince of Salerno, who abdicated in favor of the first-born Agostino, duke of Eboli. On June 26, 1596, the fiefdom was sold, for about 33,000 ducats, to Beatrice Putigna who, in turn, sold it in 1608 to G. Antonio Parisio on behalf of Pompeo Colonna. Giacomo Colonna was the first sovereign to bring the buffalo farming in the area, obtaining both sanitary and citizen disapproval, since the animals caused problems damage to the defenses. In 1646 Giacomo Colonna obtained the title of Marquis of Altavilla and the fiefdom remained in the possession of his family until the early 18th century. Passed to the Spinellis, counts of Bovalino and dukes of Castelluccia, the fiefdom was left without heirs, so it returned to the Crown: Charles of Bourbon granted it, then, to Gabriele Solimene, noble of Nocera dei Pagani, in whose hands he remained until the last decades of the '700.

The origins of Altavilla are very ancient and are testified by the discovery of a painted tomb dating back to the 7th century. BC, which includes a vase attributed to the "painter of Altavilla". The Village of Borgo Carillia, according to the story of Silio Italico, is probably the same town that was destroyed by Hannibal. Altavilla is surrounded by walls and is accessible throught 4 ports. Probably the towers that served as a reinforcement for those of Frederick II, when the rebellious barons took refuge in the hinterland of Capaccio in Altavilla: only the Church of S. Biagio was spared from destruction. The current towers are from the Angevin period, the result of subsequent fortification works. In 1363 the fiefdom passed to Ruggiero Sanseverino, whose family belonged for a long time, until in 1564 it passed to Nicola Grimaldi, prince of Salerno, who abdicated in favor of the first-born Agostino, duke of Eboli. On June 26, 1596, the fiefdom was sold, for about 33,000 ducats, to Beatrice Putigna who, in turn, sold it in 1608 to G. Antonio Parisio on behalf of Pompeo Colonna. Giacomo Colonna was the first sovereign to bring the buffalo farming in the area, obtaining both sanitary and citizen disapproval, since the animals caused problems damage to the defenses. In 1646 Giacomo Colonna obtained the title of Marquis of Altavilla and the fiefdom remained in the possession of his family until the early 18th century. Passed to the Spinellis, counts of Bovalino and dukes of Castelluccia, the fiefdom was left without heirs, so it returned to the Crown: Charles of Bourbon granted it, then, to Gabriele Solimene, noble of Nocera dei Pagani, in whose hands he remained until the last decades of the '700.