Montevaccaro Castle

This beautiful rural residence is located in the Montevaccaro district in the town of Lacedonia, and it's visible, to the left, before the Lacedonia exit driving on the freeway from Bari. Long ago, this was a thickly wooded area, today this castle belongs to the Giannetta Family.

About 140 years ago, this stronghold was a good defense against the brigands who in Alta Irpinia and in the area of Melfi, they found the territory perfect  to put their schemes in action.

In these lands, unscrupulous and ruthless brigands roamed, few names are Petrozzi, Marciano Lapio, Caruso, Sacchitiello, Crocco and Ninco Nanco.

On September 11 , 1862, their gangs murdered 25 members of the rifle regiment of the 20th Battalion from Piedmont stationed in Lacedonia.
The Battalion was under the orders of Lieutenant Pizzi and this episode happened exactly in the Monterosso farm, between Lacedonia and Carbonara (today's Aquilonia).

Even though it was about ruthless brigands, the locals remembered them with a sense of nostalgia, in fact , after Ninco Nanco died, people sang a pathetic song that repeatedly said:

Ninco Nanco, why did you die.

You didn't lack bread and wine.

And your salad grew in the orchard.

Ninco Nanco why did you die.

Indietro