Palena: the history, the stories
Palena and its territory tells a story that goes back to a distant time, a time that is hard to grasp by our intelligence: seven million years ago, this place was covered by the waters of a huge sea, whose traces are left in the rock stratigraphy in fossil finds and in paleobotanists found at the geological site of 'Capo di fiume'.
We know the story of Palena from before man came along with finds dating back to the Paleolithic period, documenting the first human presence in this place. The silence of the sources persists until the first century BC, when the geographer Diodorus mentions Palena in his historical library taken from Livio the custom of indicating the palanesi with the name of Peligni.It appears therefore, that the territory palenese was inhabited by an Italic population of Peligni, which seems to have drawn the same name from the name Palena which, in turn, may derive from the more ancient name of Mount Porrara indicated in the ancient geographical maps as Mons Pallenum .
During the Middle Ages the news starts to become more frequent and more detailed: between IX and X centuries the influence of the Benedictine Order, established in nearby San Vincenzo al Volturno, culminated in the foundation in Palena. Some churches which subsequently become extinct St. Mary Dome, St. Anthony Abbot and the small monastery of San Nicola Coccia. It is in this complex historical period, the X century, we find the story of San Falco hermit, who came from Calabria to Palena, performed miracles and at his death became the patron of the town.
During the eleventh century, the village and its importance were within the domain of Matteo di Letto, the next steps for Palena were numerous and complex. Palena had been under the control of different families interested in this settlement as a bridge towards the western part of the peninsula and to the more southern regions. The XIII and XIV centuries constitute a historical phase particularly interesting not only from a political point of view but also religious.
In 1216 St. Francis, the poor man of Assisi, passes Palena and leaves his mark in the foundation of the convent, in 1235 Pietro Angeleri, spent three years of intense prayer and meditation in a cave in the area of the town, mystical visions accompany his stay. Palena like a small Jerusalem receives the highest expressions of medieval mysticism and religion. In 1454 after a brief yearning for freedom the town was granted the status of royal domain on behalf of Matteo di Capua, and the town of Palena was back in the properties of the Aquino family that firmly holds the domain until the abolition of feudalism in XIX century.
The modern history of Palena coincides with that of a small proto-industrial society, in which the middle class is enriched with business ventures in the production and processing of sheep wool into so-called woolen cloth. This enterprising middle class thus giving birth to prominent personalities such as the painter Oreste Recchione (1841-1904) and screenwriter Ettore Maria Margadonna (1893-1975).In the XIX century Palena became an important center of ceramic production, particularly with dishes of common use, but the modern history of this mountain village coincides with the history of a town that would rise from its ruins.
If the earthquake of 1706 had dramatically upset the face of the town and the Second World War, more than two centuries later, brought the town back to zero. Palena became completely destroyed by German mines and the Anglo-American bombing, population, displaced, returned in a town that exists in their memory, which had to be rebuilt and revived with commitment and perseverance in abundance.
Palena today, with its historic center, rebuilt in the traditional local architecture, offers the visitor an authentic time schedule with layer upon layer of sedimented history and culture offering to interested parties the opportunity to travel in a completely new space and time.
Palena and its territory tells a story that goes back to a distant time, a time that is hard to grasp by our intelligence: seven million years ago, this place was covered by the waters of a huge sea, whose traces are left in the rock stratigraphy in fossil finds and in paleobotanists found at the geological site of 'Capo di fiume'.
We know the story of Palena from before man came along with finds dating back to the Paleolithic period, documenting the first human presence in this place. The silence of the sources persists until the first century BC, when the geographer Diodorus mentions Palena in his historical library taken from Livio the custom of indicating the palanesi with the name of Peligni.It appears therefore, that the territory palenese was inhabited by an Italic population of Peligni, which seems to have drawn the same name from the name Palena which, in turn, may derive from the more ancient name of Mount Porrara indicated in the ancient geographical maps as Mons Pallenum .
During the Middle Ages the news starts to become more frequent and more detailed: between IX and X centuries the influence of the Benedictine Order, established in nearby San Vincenzo al Volturno, culminated in the foundation in Palena. Some churches which subsequently become extinct St. Mary Dome, St. Anthony Abbot and the small monastery of San Nicola Coccia. It is in this complex historical period, the X century, we find the story of San Falco hermit, who came from Calabria to Palena, performed miracles and at his death became the patron of the town.
During the eleventh century, the village and its importance were within the domain of Matteo di Letto, the next steps for Palena were numerous and complex. Palena had been under the control of different families interested in this settlement as a bridge towards the western part of the peninsula and to the more southern regions. The XIII and XIV centuries constitute a historical phase particularly interesting not only from a political point of view but also religious.
In 1216 St. Francis, the poor man of Assisi, passes Palena and leaves his mark in the foundation of the convent, in 1235 Pietro Angeleri, spent three years of intense prayer and meditation in a cave in the area of the town, mystical visions accompany his stay. Palena like a small Jerusalem receives the highest expressions of medieval mysticism and religion. In 1454 after a brief yearning for freedom the town was granted the status of royal domain on behalf of Matteo di Capua, and the town of Palena was back in the properties of the Aquino family that firmly holds the domain until the abolition of feudalism in XIX century.
The modern history of Palena coincides with that of a small proto-industrial society, in which the middle class is enriched with business ventures in the production and processing of sheep wool into so-called woolen cloth. This enterprising middle class thus giving birth to prominent personalities such as the painter Oreste Recchione (1841-1904) and screenwriter Ettore Maria Margadonna (1893-1975).In the XIX century Palena became an important center of ceramic production, particularly with dishes of common use, but the modern history of this mountain village coincides with the history of a town that would rise from its ruins.
If the earthquake of 1706 had dramatically upset the face of the town and the Second World War, more than two centuries later, brought the town back to zero. Palena became completely destroyed by German mines and the Anglo-American bombing, population, displaced, returned in a town that exists in their memory, which had to be rebuilt and revived with commitment and perseverance in abundance.
Palena today, with its historic center, rebuilt in the traditional local architecture, offers the visitor an authentic time schedule with layer upon layer of sedimented history and culture offering to interested parties the opportunity to travel in a completely new space and time.