Scapoli

The little town rose on the sides of the Mainarde, on an elevated terrain relic of a prehistorical glacier, after the first destruction by the Saracens of the Abbey of San Vincenzo al Volturno in 881, when the surviving monks gathered the population away from the abbey and organized them in small farms called "curtes", which created a network of fortified boroughs, among them also Scapoli. In its territory was the ancient roman road connecting Colli to Sora, where the traffic of shepherds allowed the development of an economy that supported transhumance, such as the selling of tools. Though always under the influence of the Abbey of San Vincenzo, Scapoli was ruled by a number of feudal lords, among them the Borrello, who ruled obver the whole Volturno Valley until 1050 AD. Later on the fiefdom passed to the Caldora, the Pandone then in the 15th century to the Bucciarelli family, until in 1626 it was auctioned and given to Baron Innico di Grazia from Cerro al Volturno.

But the great fame of Scapoli rests on the bagpipes, an instrument invented by the Samnites and then used by the Romans to frighten the horses of the enemy. Still today there are workshops making this ancient instrument, which in the western tradition, being the musical instrument of shepherds, was then connected to Christmastime.

WHAT TO SEE

Church of San Giorgio, 17th century, restored recently

Lombard Fortress also called today Scarupato, which is a kind of pathway embracing the whole historical center.

Santa Maria delle Grotte, on the road to Rocchetta al Volturno, immersed in an impressive natural landscape and rich of magnificent frescoes.

EVENTS

Festival Internazionale della Zampogna, last week in July, performances with zampogna and ciaramelle (bagpipes), still built as 2000 years ago.

Patron Saint San Giorgio, 23 April

SURNAMES: [54 different surnames presently recorded in the phone directory]

MESSAGES ABOUT THE PLACE

Izzi

Caccia, Izzi

Scapoli