THE ORIGINS
Castelmozzo was built in the twelfth century to act as fortified center of the hinge between the valleys of the Sabbath and the Heat, on a hill between Prata and Montefusco. A small village situated on a steep hill relief on the territory of Santa Paolina. This name is called the town, located halfway between the east and the valley Marotta Via Provincial in Owest is a project to position well defended, difficult to access and surrounded by streams iemali. …… “At the end of the thirteenth century it was between the houses of the state-owned land on the Mount of Montefusco, but then suffered the common fate of many other villages and was enfeoffed to the Marra, a noble family which enjoyed the favor of the royal house of Anjou . In 1343 Nicola Marra, lord of Serino, received the Royal Assent to the sale of Castelmozzo brothers John, Nicholas and Leonardo de Berteraymo of Avellino. These belonged to the class of the city notary. In 1433, with the disappearance of the heir, Angelillo, the lands of the Turkish ended at the Royal Court and were feudalised for a half Filippo Caracciolo and the other Guarino de Macris, female line descendant of the ancient family of Montefusco …. ”
IN TIME…
The village underwent several changes of ownership between different branches of the family de Macris. … “In the second half of the sixteenth century, to dower rights, passed to the De Gennaro, an ancient and noble Neapolitan family, but he soon returned after a few years in the possession of John Marra, who sold it, in 1583, the Baron Prata Giovanni Francesco Gargano. He, with modern and entrepreneurial mindset, not only he expanded its possessions, but he tried to be, thanks to the construction of a bridge on Saturday, a road network and fast alternative to the Royal Road to Apulia, with a view to ensuring the commercial development his feuds. This gave rise to the construction of various facilities, a tavern to meet the needs of travelers, (now Taverna Nuova hamlet. Prata) and a bridge that favored the increase in traffic to the early industrial settlements of Prata, the village recorded a slight demographic recovery, probably due to the improvement of roads …. “An ancient paper, you can trace the original size of the territory of Castelmozzo: principiando from the Bridge of the fabrica Bottazzo, ascends to the valley of Marotta, and go under Bridge Zeza, and ascends to d. Walloon Walloon tell her until the Marshes, from q.ale goes until Acquara, et out the road publ.ca S.ta Paulina, for which road you go up where it says the broom, from which drops to the Valley of Goliano, where again falls to the public streets, and followed up the Bridge dilla Fea, from which ascends conform to the current dill’acqua Bridge Bottazzo first boundary basins its circuit are four miles, bordering its territory with Prata, Tufo, S.ta Paulina, and Montefuscolo.
TODAY
Currently, the old castle are visible only a few works in stone, … “at the top of a threshing floor rectangular, about twelve meters are observed vestiges of walls and turns of stone arch, which arches of doors that lead into some compartment ; the walls have a thickness of almost two meters, they are in the factory, solid and well-squared. At a distance of twenty meters from the wall are described signs of another wall; this is not continuous and not always at the factory. From the above, the Castrum was formed by three row of walls, away from the first by the second, a twenty meters, and this from the third a twelve meter; whence proceeds that the Castrum Mutii was around the knoll from the fountain turned the oak grove, rose to houses Castemuzzo di Sopra and went down to the parish church of the Holy Cross, and following the way to the left, back to the fountain … “L ‘ area occupied by the fort is protected by an oak forest and here the real star of the place is the view of the valleys to the Saturday on scattered districts and surrounding mountains. The spirit of the Hirpini remains tied here in the woods and the cultivation of olive trees, hazel groves, orchards and vineyards of Aglianico, Fiano and Greco, lush and manicured with the dedication of a time, preserving and handing down from generation to generation, culture and passion.
Curiosity
The Treasury Castremuzzo
The old legend, handed down by tradition and enhanced by the fertile imagination of simpletons, says that in ancient times, near the Castrum-Mutii, was buried a chest full of precious objects, gold coins and craft works, remnants of a civilization waned ; that case is looked at by the evil spirits of the wicked bandits and damnation; that only the blood of innocent creature sacrificed to the god << wealth >>, the Moloch tyrant soul of all people, of every age and nation could appease the satanic spirits of those whose life belonged riches, messisi to guard them, defend the point of exasperation, to become the executioners of the cruel suffering of men, requiring the virgin blood of innocent creatures weak, beautiful and dear: relief of the person tired, all’abbattuto hope, joy of the family and humanity. The greed of gold that brutalizes man. The legend is still alive and has spread to neighboring countries where the villagers have moved; in these countries the legend is more credit than to Castremuzzo and Santa Paula. And they came not just strangers, credulous and superstitious, to search for the treasure Castremuzzo. Even some magician has made inspections in the area.