BORGO TERRA VECCHIA
Make a change from your usual holiday:
stay in a beautiful medieval village

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Medieval village of Terravecchia in Giffoni Valle Piana

The history

With the birth of Rome and its expansion, the clash with the Picentes from the Marche Region was inevitable. The result of their defeat was the deportation in the valley north-east of Salerno that still to-day is called “Valle del Picentino”, crossed by the homonym river and fenced in at north-east by the pre-Appennine southern tops (Monti Picentini).
The umpteenth rebellion of the Picentes against Rome with the alliance with Hannibal and his defeat was for the Picentes a further humiliation: the Romans banned them to form large social groups. So arose around the valley small villages that with time became the communes and the small villages of the present “Valle del Picentino”. In order to control the Picentes rebels of the valley in 146 a.C. was built a roman fortress on the top of a hill that now days is called Terravecchia.

After the fall of the roman empire Terravecchia was forgotten. Only after the year 1000 , following a notable demographic growth, the fortress was transformed in rural houses that during the High Middle Age became landed estates. Were built the first castles and restored the roman fortresses to defend the neighbouring territories. In 1240 Federico II ordered the restoration of various castles including the one in Terravecchia.

The village below knew a vast expansion: from the Church of S.Egidio at east to the new area at west with Church of S.Leone. The village was linked up with the castle by a muletrack. The plain farm houses reflected with their wood burning ovens, castle sheds, cisterns, cellars and fireplaces, all requirements of an economy based on agriculture and raisins.

In the XIII century the castle passed on to the Angioini. In 1489 became property of Rodrigo D’Avalos that restored it for use as his home. In 1628 Don Carlo Doria Duke of Tursi became the Lord of Terravecchia and his family maintened possession of it until 1765. From the middle of the 1700 to the middle of the 1800 the castle was in a state of total neglect. Only in 1884 the architect Gennaro Dini restored the south wing of the manor. The east side of the village went through a notable intervention of renovation in 2000.

There are 5 buildings restored during the works of intervention: the palace named after Federico II, palace D’Avalos, palace Normanno, palace S.Egidio named after the nearby Church and the little house Angioina sited at the village’s entrance.

Description:

Terravecchia is a suggestive medieval village totally renovated, immersed in a centuries-old olive grove and in a luxuriant Mediterranean vegetation.

Sited on the very top of a hill, the village command a view on the valley below that depicts one of the more beautiful sea stretches of Italy and stands in the enchanting territory of the Picentini Mounts, at the centre of the Cilento and Amalfi coasts. The tourist destinations and archaeological sites more important (Paestum, Salerno, Capri, Pompei, Ercolano, Naples) are all a few kilometres from this picturesque medieval village and the beautiful beaches of the Cilento and the “divine” Amalfi coasts offer to the village’s guests the possibility to choose every day a different beach or strech of coast.

Apartments:

Palace Federico II: is the largest and occupied nearly 1100 square metres on 4 levels.
The palace has a great multi-purpose that makes it for sure on of the receptive structures to use for congresses, meetings, encounters, the largest master university of the valley.
This building is, as the others, entirely cabled with wairles system for the connection to wide band of internet and is cable connected for internal and external communication.

Palace D’Avalos: is to use exclusively as receptivity with two apartments on two separate level, but with a courtyard in common. Characteristic not only its simples beauties, but also the colours, furniture, tiles, local ceramic and a beautiful Norman window.

Palace Normanno: is pure Norman style is an impressive building with a breathtaking panoramic view. Four are the apartments in this palace.

Palace S.Egidio: is a big solid structure situated near the Church of S.Egidio, place of summer gathering with the little square that commands a view over the valley and arrival point of the old road in stone steps that takes to Giffoni Village. In the Palace there are two apartments on ground floor and two on first floor and two kitchens remained intact with big fireplaces and ovens built at least two century ago. The old red terracotta stands out and underlines the local pleasant nature and rich of simple and rural history.

Little house Angioina: is situatd at the village’s entrance, the ground floor is the reception of the entire village’s structure. The first floor is an adorable little apartment with four bed spaces and equipped with all comforts, with an old oven, windows overlooking the valley and terraces on which especially during summer, can be spent very enjoyable relaxing moments.

More info - Photogallery - The video