Traditions - Comune di Pollica

Comune di Pollica
Via D. Alighieri, 8
84068 Pollica (SA)
tel. 0974 901004 - fax 0974 901422
www.comune.pollica.sa.it
info@comune.pollica.sa.it
Cittaslow Legambiente Bandiera Blu
Cinque Vele
POLLICA
c i t t a s l o w
unique nature, holidays to discover

Pollica Land and Sea
The administrative district, or comune, of Pollica lies entirely within the
National Park of Cilento and the Vale of Diano and is situated in the ancient
land of Cilento. It lies on hill and coastal land, and it has a rare wealth of
suggestive landscapes which conserve unspoilt the variety of architectural
styles, especially inland.
The comune consists of the principle village Pollica (the capoluogo) and
its five dependent villages. Two of these (Acciaroli and Pioppi) are on
the coast and three (Cannicchio, Celso and Galdo) are inland. Seen from
the sea, this corner of Cilento presents a scenario of simple beauty:
spectacular hills gently lapped by the sea, clusters of houses nestled
on the coastal slopes which bloom with cistus (rockroses), broom,
olive groves and pine trees. Everywhere there is colour and the scents
of land and sea.
Pollica Cittaslow
Pollica is a member of the international network of Città'e0slow
(Slow Cities), an association designed to uphold traditions and
protect land and culture. Living in a Slow City is a whole way
of being: daily life is not frantic, and slowing down means
finding time to appreciate the tastes, colours and scents
around us. This does not mean being stuck in the past, but
living the present in the best possible way. It implies
constantly looking to the future without ever forgetting the
wealth of experience that we inherit from the history and
culture of our people, as well as using the technological
opportunities of our time to pass these values on. A Slow
City proposes, not only for its inhabitants, but also to
all those who visit it, the philosophy of “good living”,
protecting the environment, agriculture, the social
structure and traditional local food production, whilst
harmonising natural rhythms with those of culture
and economics.

POLLICA
The first citation of Pollica was in 1113 in a document which attests the transfer of
Pollica
properties in the village from Torgisio II Sanseverino to the Abbey of Cava. At the
end of the 13th century the village belonged to the D’Alemagna family, then the
Capano family, who were originally from Rocca Cilento. The Capano princes held
Pollica until the family line came to an end (1795), when the feud was inherited and
maintained by the De Liguori family until the end of the feudal system.
The Castello dei Principi Capano (Castle of the Capano Princes) was inherited in 1290
by Guido d’Alment, who came to Italy during the reign of Charles I of Anjou, and
was subsequently bought by the Capano family. The castle as it is today is the result
of restoration work carried out in 1610 by Vincenzo Capano. The impressive square
tower, with a single monofora window on each of its 3 floors, is very picturesque
and dominates the little village centre. The enchanting service areas of the castle
- the ugliaro (a store room for oil), olive press, guard room and stables - are
simple and well-preserved.
According to local tradition Saint Alfonso De’Liguori stayed in Capano Castle when he
collected information in Pollica on pagan customs in Cilento. A room in the castle is still
known as “Saint Alfonso’s room”. The castle was bought by the local council in 1997.
Festival
2nd July - Festa della Madonna
delle Grazie. Procession through
the streets from the convent to
the parish church, led by the
‘cente’ (ex voto, or offerings, in
the form of boats carried on the
heads of bare-footed women),
and by the confraternity.
The Convento Francescano di Santa Maria delle Grazie (Franciscan Monastery of Santa Maria
delle Grazie) was begun in 1611 and finished in 1625. After various events that determined
its closure and reopening on several occasions, it has been operating continuously since
1931, when it was restored, improved and reopened by Father Vincenzo Riccio of Siano.
The church houses four small altars on the sides, three of which bear the coat of arms of
the Capano family. The altarpieces that line the entrance are striking; they are attributed
to the Neapolitan painter Malinconico, a follower of Luca Giordano. The panelled wooden
ceiling, by Giuseppe Marrocco of Celso, surrounds a painting by M. Cilento depicting the
Assumption. Particularly worth seeing are the 18th century wooden choir, the 1741 organ,
the sacristy with its wooden ceiling, a large cupboard from 1772 and a snail-shaped lavabo
in sculpted stone.
The Chiesa di San Pietro (St. Peter’s Church) is the oldest in Pollica. Built in 1524 it was
once a public oratory belonging to the Pepe family. In the little church, now deconsecrated,
the family arms can be admired on the main door and inside, in the central nave, there is
a beautiful polychrome marble altar and a stone holy water font.

ACCIAROLI
Acciaroli
The first mention of a village named Aczarulo (probably derived from “lazzarolo”,
a shrub from the Rosaceae family, similar to hawthorn) was in 1165. In 1187 there
is mention of a church (Sancta Maria of Acciarolo) which, with its adjoining land
and the tower built by the Normans in the 12th century, belonged to the Sanseverino
family. In the 17th century it passed to the Capano family of Pollica. Acciaroli had
a certain importance as a customs base until the 19th century.
The Chiesa dell’Annunziata (Church of the Annunciation) is very old, but can only be
traced back to the 16th century, when Fabrizio Poderico, feudal lord of Cannicchio,
gave a piece of land adjoining the chapel to the Franciscans for the construction of
a covent, which was then dissolved in 1652. The present church has been renovated
many times, most recently in 1971. Of particular interest are the majolica compositions
representing the Annunciation on the tympanum of the church, and the bell tower
which, together with the Norman tower, characterises the panorama of Acciaroli.
As early as 1223 the Norman Tower was classed by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick
II as a coastal defence tower. The Spanish later also used it, along with the tower at
Caleo, in their coastal defence system. In the 1960s the tower was bought and
restructured by the Schiavo family.
The solid structure of the Caleo Tower stands just outside the village centre in the
direction of Pioppi. Built around 1520, for the lord of Cannicchio, it has a similar
history as the Norman tower, but has not been restructured.
Festival
Second Sunday in August
Festa di Maria Santissima
dell’Annunziata. There is
a procession by boat
along the coast and a
spectacular firework
display over the sea

CANNICCHIO
Cannicchio
The first mention of a church on the coast “Sancto Primo de Canniclo”, is in a parchment of 994
conserved in the Abbey of Cava. According to legend, after the destruction of San Primo, the
refugees fled to the hills and founded Cannicchio. The village dominated Acciaroli for many
centuries, and indeed many of the first families who populated the marine village of Acciaroli
from the 17th century were in fact originally from Cannicchio. The village lines the crest of a hill
and has a very particular urban structure which highlights the defensive aim of the buildings:
they are joined together, giving a heavy, solid appearance, almost like fortresses, with few openings
on the ground floor. There are characteristic parts to the village with medieval arches and towers.
According to tradition, the original chapel of the Chiesa di San Martino (Saint Martin’s Church)
was built by three bishops sheltered from a storm by the lords of Cannicchio. Enlarged in
1580 with the help of all the residents of Cannicchio, it has three naves and a very welcoming
atmosphere.
The Cappella di San Rocco (St.Roch’s Chapel) was built after the plague of 1508 at the point
where, with the help of the saint, the plague ended, and the village was saved. The entrance
to the chapel was formerly through a pronaos but this no longer exists.
The Cappella della Madonna del Soccorso (Chapel of the Madonna del Soccorso) was built
before 1580 on the site where the Madonna appeared to a girl possessed by the devil. It later
belonged to the local Confraternity and became their seat.
Festival
8th September
Festa della Madonna
del Soccorso

CELSO
The first historical citation of Celso is found in a document from 1050. The origin
of the village is however much older and is correlated to families from Pollica
taking refuge in the hills to escape from village feuds and arguments. Celso
preserves the ancient urban structure which makes it particularly characteristic,
especially in the areas of San Biase and Valle.
Celso
The Palazzo Baronale Mazziotti (Palace of the Mazziotti Barons) is a national
monument, and it is here that Matteo Mazziotti was born, a member of
Parliament in the 1920s and eminent scholar of the Cilentan Risorgimento
movement.
The church of Celso is dedicated to the Madonna dell’Assunta (Our Lady of
the Assumption). The main door into the church of three naves is on the
façade of local stone decorated with brick cornices. The baptismal font of
1771 in sculptured stone stands out, as does the stone holy water font of
1625. The bell tower,which is very low with respect to the size of the church,
was built in the 18th century.
The Chiesetta di San Giovanni (St. John’s Church), probably built in 1503,
stands on the country road from Celso to Casalvelino. The little church of
the former village Praganito, it was mentioned for the first and only time
in a donation made by Torgisio II Sanseverino to the Abbey of Cava. The
village disappeared probably in the 12th century.
The Convento di Costantinopoli (Constantinople Convent) was built in the
15th century, when refugees from Constantinople, assaulted by Mohammed
II, fled the sacking of their city and wanted to build a place of culture
dedicated to Our Lady. In 1610, Antonio Griso, lord of the area, entrusted
the chapel to the Augustine monks, who founded a convent, but it was
dissolved after about a decade for lack of resources.
Festival
28th July
Festa di San Celso

GALDO
This is the most evocative village of the comune as it is the only one to have preserved
completely intact the simplicity and soundness of the characteristics of the traditional
Cilentan village. The name Galdo is of Longobard origin, and means “woods”. It is
cited for the first time in a document of 1092.
Galdo
The Chiesa di San Nicola (St. Nicholas’ Church) is isolated from the village and for this
reason appears all the more solemn and majestic. It was built in the 14th century,
although the church today is the result of restoration dating from the 17th century.
The interior with three naves is now completely devoid of the old stuccoes which
decorated the altar, the beautiful wooden choir and the 17th century organ.
The Palazzo dei Baroni Galdi (theGaldo Barons Palace) is an old building of 1605 with
an impressive doorway. The adjoining noble chapel is dedicated to the Ascension and
has a balcony from which the Galdi family took part in religious services.
The Chiesa di San Rocco (St. Roch’s Church), restored several times, is a rustic chapel
with Baroch touches on the faç'e7ade. The two arches with the bell that are above the
tympanum are worthy of note. Some splendid wooden statues are kept inside.
Festival
16th August
Festa di San Rocco

PIOPPI
Pioppi
In ancient times, at the estuary of the river Mortelle, a little to the west of the present village,
there was a natural harbour for even quite large ships. This harbour was under the control of
Velia and was a working port until the 14th century as a possession of the Abbey of Cava.
It was here in 994 that a church called Sancta Maria de li Pluppi was built, around which a
fisherman’s village developed. Completely destroyed during the war of theVespers (1282-
1302), it was later rebuilt on the present site of Pioppi. The village is mentioned in numerous
books, among them A Pedestrian Tour in Calabria and Sicily by the Englishman John Arthur
Strutt (1842) and Journey to the South by the well-known Italian writer Giuseppe Ungaretti.
The Castello Vinciprova (Vinciprova Castle) was built in the 17th century by the Ripoli family,
who came from Spain but were originally from Pollica. In 1888 it belonged to the mayor Giuseppe
Sodano, who ceded it to the Vinciprova family in Omignano. A member of this family was Leone
Vinciprova who was one of the Thousand in Garibaldi’s famous expedition. Recently the castle
was donated by the heirs of the Vinciprova to the comune who have housed the Living
Sea Museum in the palace.
The Chiesa della Madonna del Carmine was founded in the early 17th century and was from the
beginning a centre of cult worship as there was a picture of the Madonna believed to be
miraculous. The streams of pilgrims determined the rise of a little fair at the time of the annual
festa, which, as was the custom in other places, was celebrated on 16th July. The little church,
seriously damaged in the earthquake in 1980, was reopened for worship a few years ago.
Festival
16th July
Festa della Madonna
del Carmine.
To celebrate the festa, on 15th
and 16th July there is a
fair with the same name.

OSPITI
Eminent Visitors
Every visitor is fascinated by the varied, enchanting countryside of the area of Pollica,
from the coastal villages gently exposed to the clear blue sea, to the mountain
villages with arches, stone gateways, chapels and secret gardens. In this environment
of silent beauty the philosophy of the Mediterranean Diet was developed by the
American Doctor Ancel Keys. After landing in Salerno in 1945 with the American Army,
he lived for many years in Cilento, studying the lifestyle of the local population, and
discovered that the people were less prone than other populations to cardiovascular
diseases. Keys suggested that this phenomenon was correlated to the eating habits
of the Mediterranean area which favoured fresh seasonal foods and simple natural
products. Today Pioppi hosts the Museum of the Mediterranean Diet.
The crystal clarity and
intense colour of the sea of
Acciaroli won the heart of
Ernest Hemingway, who
stayed here in the 1950s. For
it is said that the famous
writer drew inspiration from
the old harbour and the daily
conversations with an old
fisherman for his
masterpiece “The Old Man
and the Sea”.
Comune di Pollica low
Slow Food Presidia
A presidium is a sign of gastronomic excellence. The presidia are projects developed by Slow
Food in 2000 to promote production of diverse traditional foods. Pollica is the area of
production of two Slow Food presidia: the menaica anchovies and cacioricotta cheese from
Cilentan goats.
Menaica Anchovies
The menaica anchovies, slender and delicate, with light coloured flesh and intense flavour,
are fished using an ancient method which still survives in Pollica. Fine-mesh nets called
menaicas allow the smaller fish to pass through, selecting only the bigger ones. On arrival
in the harbour, the anchovies are washed in saltwater and laid in layers with salt in terracotta
pots called terzigni, and left to mature for three months.
The Cilentan goat is bred mostly for meat, but its milk is of an exceptional quality: low
cholesterol content, high in antioxidants, and of a particular aromatic flavour due to the plants
of the Mediterranean maquis eaten by the goat. The cacioricotta is obtained by a particular
method of milk curdling. It is a cheese that can be eaten fresh (in salad or with honey), or
used for grating when it has been left to mature.
Food

Traditions
TRADIZIONI POLLICA
U’ Focaro (the bonfire)
On Christmas Eve the bonfire is lit after Midnight Mass. On the days leading up to Christmas,
big stumps of wood are piled up in open spaces near the churches, where they are to be lit.
Carnevale Cilentano (Carnival in Cilento)
An old-fashioned festival, very different from the modern parades of carnival floats, this is a
“poor” carnival. People dress in secret in improvised costumes and,during the festa in the
village square, they have fun with games and tricks which are only possible because they
cannot easily be recognised.
Domenica delle Palme (Palm Sunday)
Adults colour olive branches silver or gold and take them to the traditional blessing. Children make a
palm of steel wire and coloured tissue paper, and decorate it with chocolates, sweets and sugared
almonds, which they eat when they return home.
Confraternite (Cilentan Confraternities)
There are five confraternities in the administrative district of Pollica: in Pollica, Acciaroli, Cannicchio,
Celso and Galdo. The confraternity of Pollica is the oldest and dates back to 1747. On Good Friday they
visit the sepulchres of historical Cilento, singing old laments such as the “Pianti della Madonna” (The
Weeping of the Madonna). The brothers wear robes with a cord at the waist, and a hood and a stick
to perform the ancient rites of penance of the medieval pilgrims. The cape or mozzetto and the cord
have different colours according to the order of the confraternity.
Comune di Pollica
mercurio comunicazione
ph giuseppe cucco
translation by Susan Haslam