Sanza territory is characterized by two mountains chains: Cervato Mountains, the highest in Campania (1898 m) and Centaurino Mountains. The wood of white birches and the expanse of lavender are very picturesque.
The landscape is particularly beautiful in Ponte Inferno and Varco dell’Abete hamlets. In these areas there are wonderful and charming falls. On the top of Cervato Mount there is a carstick cave, where a statue of Madonna della Grotta is. According to a legend, in the past the entrance of the cave was wider than today and then Our Lady narrowed it as a miracle, to protect the cave from a group of robbers that wanted to steal the statue.
Rural architecture is very interesting, there are beautiful rural houses belonging to rich families. The territory is also characterized by mills and foundries along Bussento river.
Madonna della Neve chapel is very interesting, the inner part is of Middle Ages origin, the façade was rebuilt in a later period, maybe XVIII century.
Sheep’s milk cheese festival in July is very nice.
Monuments and natural beauties...
- Grava del Festolaro, called also Inghiottitoio di Vallevona. It is a depression in the ground, 50 m wide and around 90 m deep, at the bottom there is a small lake
Località Lago, with three swallow-holes
Nevara, a cave used to collect the snow used by Bourbon family to make sorbets
Località Ponte l’Abate, with a Middle Ages bridge that linked Sanza to Caselle in Pittari and Brancato path that leads to the ancient mill, whose ruins remain, for example there are the two stone millstones that used the water of Bussento river
San Pietro Abbey ruins. There are the ruins of the ancient church, only the bell tower remains
Madonna della Neve Chapel. The design is very simple. The inner part is of Middle Ages origin, the façade was rebuilt in a later period, maybe XVIII century. Near the chapel there is a cave containing a simulacrum with Our Lady and the Holy Child
Assunta Church, the main portal is very interesting; it is made of Padula stone. There is a wonderful wood Crucifix on the main altar. This cross is maybe the most important wood work of art in the whole territory. There is also a statue portraying Madonna della Neve made in XVI century
Sant’Antonio Chapel. There is a venerated wood statue of the Saint, in a niche on the altar maybe by Sabino Peluso
San Martino bell tower. Maybe it was built before 1468, date of construction of one of the bells
San Francesco d’Assisi Church. There is a beautiful portal of 1610, an interesting painting of XVIII century with a picture portraying Padre Angelo da Maiori, dead in the monastery of Sanza (1738), and a beautiful wood statue portraying San Pasquale Bailon made by Sabino Peluso in 1749. There is an interesting ciborium by Andrea Carrara
San Vito Chapel with a beautiful stone altar made of Padula stone, of late Baroque style, made by Andrea Carrara in 1720, and a statue portraying the Saint by Sabino Peluso, made in 1776
Palazzo Baronale and Bonomo
Cippus by Carlo Pisacane
Osservanti Monastery
History...
The town had a strategic position because it was on the road that linked the coast with the Southern part of Vallo di Diano, inhabited by Sontini.
During Middle Ages the town was called Sansa. In that period there was the development of a community of Italian-Greek monks. Probably the cult of Vergine della Neve or della Grotta on Cervato began in this period.
During Svevian and Angevin periods Sansa contributed to the defence and the maintenance of Policastro fortress against Saracen pirates. In the second half of XIII century it was ruled by different families, then it was ruled for two hundred years by Sanseverino family and in 1498 it passed to Counts Carafa from Policastro.
After the Neapolitan revolution of 1799 brigandage developed, brigands had a perfect refuge in the caves of the mountains. The most famous band was that of Francesco Cozzi alias Ciccotunno di Sanza.
In the morning of 2nd July 1857 Carlo Pisacane and his men who had survived to the massacre of Padula, on the day before, tired and without munitions, were killed by Sabino Laveglia and his army.
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