Torraca

• San Fantino Church, built in XVI century
• Madonna dei Cordici Sanctuary with a Greek cross plant, a rich floor made with hand-painted ceramics from Vietri
• Congrega Chapel
• Buttino Woods, with chestnut groves, walnut trees and cherry trees
• Mangosa wood made of ilexes where porcupines and wild cats live
• Santi Patroni Pietro e Paolo Church, with a XVII century baptismal font
• Viggiani House in liberty style, decorated with two clay panels called “mucciarieddi”
• Palazzo Bifani, there is a rich library (called Fondo Librario) belonged to Achille Bifani, with precious manuscripts of Southern intellectuals of 1800
• Anime del Purgatorio Church
• Palazzo Baronale built in XVI century on the ruins of a Middle Ages castle that gave hospitality to Federico II di Borbone
• Sant’Anna Chapel
• Spadarea Hamlet
• Paintings by Biagio Mercadante in the town hall

Torraca was founded as a refuge for the populations that escaped from the coast. The town is very ancient as tombs of IV century b.C. testify.
The modern town was founded in XI century when a group of Italian – Greek monks built an important monastery, whose ruins still remain along the road that goes from Torraca.
During the Vespro war between Angevins and Aragons (1282-1302), the ancient Middle Ages hamlet was one of the strongest Angevin fortresses.
In 1806 the town was assaulted by French army that burnt the town and sacked the Castle stealing pictures, statues and other objects. The painter Biagio Mercandante was born in Torraca: his paintings are in the town hall. He made also a theatre curtain painted with landscapes from Torraca.

by Stefania Maffeo