My family and I embarked on a two week trip to Southern Italy from September 1st through 15th. We flew into Naples, explored the area and historical sites for several days, then drove by car to Bari. Again we explored the city for several days before driving to the main reason for our trip: the village of Castelmezzano.
Since embarking on my genealogy path in the Spring of 2020, I knew that I would soon need to see the village of my Paterno family. It was every bit magical, meaningful, and educational as I had hoped. This was our first view of Castelmezzano when we arrived.
Pay no mind that we stopped too soon to park and walked a long unnecessary walk to reach our hotel, however it didn’t matter because we were mesmerized by the village streets and we were so happy to have finally arrived.
The blue route is the way we should have come in all the way in to the Hotel Dolomiti (the pink pin just past where the blue route ends). However we stopped near where the blue route enters the screen at Parcheggio 2 ‘Belvedere Giuseppe Padula’ (lavender pin) which is a parking lot for day visitors. We walked passed the Monserrat down to the Hotel Dolomiti.
Dolomiti Lucane is a mountain range in the region of Basilicata, southern Italy. Located in the Southern Apennines and dominating the Basento Valley, the range is at the heart of the Gallipoli Cognato Piccole Dolomiti Lucane Regional Park, which also include the Gallipoli-Cognato forest. The range is named “Dolomiti” because of similarities to peaks in the Dolomites in northern Italy. The range was formed 15 million years ago. (Wikipedia)
We stayed five nights (Saturday, September 9th – Thursday, September 13th) at the Hotel Dolomiti which was delightful, comfortable, beautiful, and very welcoming. It is small with just eight rooms on the second and third floors. On site is a restaurant/bar on the first floor with indoor and outdoor seating as well as a spa. We enjoyed breakfast downstairs every morning and had dinner here twice. The food, drink, service, and hospitality were fantastic!
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10th
We devoted our Sunday to exploring Castelmezzano by foot. We marveled at the Paterno and Campagna family homes, the hundreds of homes built into and atop the rock, the steep streets the width of America alleys, and the forested mountainside around the village.
To the left of the Hotel Dolomiti is the Palazzo Paternò, the beautiful white house where brother Saverio Paterno lived when he was Podesta, or chief magistrate of Castelmezzano, appointed by Mussolini in 1922.
Click on the photos below to enlarge, scroll through, and read captions.
Below is the original Paterno home where Giovanni and Carolina lived with their first four children: Celestina, Saverio, Canio (Charles), and Giuseppi (Joseph) before emigrating to Manhattan.
The plaque reads: “With a munificent act and with spontaneity of feeling, Comm. Giuseppe (Joseph) Paterno donated this house to this municipality for the venerated memory of his parents Giovanni and Carolina and for the sincere attachment to the land that gave him birth. The fellow citizens mindful of his generosity places this plaque as an everlasting memory.” This house is located at the Volo dell’Angelo Biglietteria (Flight of the Angels zipline ticket office) on the map above (turquoise pin on the upper right).
The house that Anthony Campagna, second cousin to the Paterno siblings and husband of Marie Paterno, purchased for his Castelmezzano family is on the main village square – Piazza Emilio Caizzo – and across from the main church, Chisea di Santa Maria dell’Olmo. The position of this home is exquisite as it can be seen from nearly any direction around the village.
Click on the photos below to enlarge, scroll through, and read captions.
We walked down to the cemetery to see the Paterno mausoleum which is flanked by two beautiful angel statues. Interred here are Saverio Paterno, his wife Minnie Rose Breden Paterno, their infant son Antonio, their 8 year old daughter Carolina, and their adult daughter Giulia.
Additionally father Giovanni (John), who was the first of the family to emigrate to Manhattan, may or may not still be interred here since 1899 when he return ill to Italy to die. His crypt is present. When his wife Carolina died in 1925 in Manhattan, it is told that Giovanni’s remains/ashes were transported to the USA to be interred with her. At this time it can not be confirmed if Giovanni’s remains are in Castelmezzano, at Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, or both.
Click on the photos below to enlarge, scroll through, and read captions.
After lunch and rest, Chad and I took a hike up the mountain. At the edge of the village (see the white square on the aerial map above) there is a long rock staircase that goes up to the Via Paschiere. From that road many trails lead to the top where the “Volo dell’Angelo – Partenza da Castelmezzano” (Flight of the Angels Castelmezzano Departure) platform is located. We watched several people enjoy the thrill of this very popular zipline tourist attraction.
The video below was taken on the mountain trail as we headed back down to the village.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 11th
After breakfast at Hotel Dolomiti, Chad and I went up to the municipal building for a very important meeting. The municipal building was donated to the village as a school house by Anthony Campagna.
The plaque inside (photographed in the slideshow below) reads: “To Count Antonio Campagna who, at his own expense, by building this school house, gave a new admirable example of generosity and love for his homeland and his native place, the municipality of Castelmezzano gratefully placed. 9 (April or August) 1931”
Click on the photos below to enlarge, scroll through, and read captions.
At the municipal building we had a very important meeting about the Paterno/Campagna Museum that is being created in Castelmezzano to honor Charles and Joseph Paterno and Anthony Campagna, sons of Castelmezzano, who found success in the USA as builders of fine apartment houses.
The meeting included Castelmezzano mayor Nicola Valluzzi, Professor Alberto Baldi, Carla, and Barbara Baldi, sister of Alberto and professional translator. Journalist and author Renato Cantore participated by Zoom.
Click on the photos below to enlarge, scroll through, and read captions.
In the afternoon it was our time to fly the famous Volo dell’Angelo zipline! We secured our tickets, took the shuttle as far as it would go, and then hiked to the departure platform. Bella and Michael went first. Chad and I followed.
The red circles on the map show the first line which took us from Castelmezzano to the neighboring village of Pietrapertosa. Once there, we were shuttled around to the Pietrapertosa departure platform. This second line, indicated by the green circles, took us back to Castelmezzano.. All together it took us about 3 hours from ticket office to hotel.
Click on the photos below to enlarge, scroll through, and read captions.
The video below shows an incredible view of Castelmezzano.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12th
Every year on the 12th and 13th of September, regardless of days of week, the village annual festival takes place.
“The Basilicata is a land rich in traditions and boasts unique rituals that, since the most remote times, celebrate the ancestral link between man and nature. Particularly, during the spring and summer period, the region becomes the stage for really unique ceremonies: “wedding of the trees”.
The unusual marriage takes place between a trunk and a top of two different trees, a symbolic union between “two spouses” that calls the archaic omen to fruitfulness and the renewal of life in the auspiciousness of abundance. Tree rituals, therefore, celebrate the union of two plants that are literally grafted together to form a single new tree and raised to the sky in a climate of celebration and solemnity.
In most cases “marriage” involves cutting down a tree from the forest being dragged into the village by pairs of oxen; the log is then joined together, in a mystical friendship between heaven and earth, at the top of another tree cut down in a forest different from the first. The cerro (Hawthorn) trunk represents male vigor, while the (holly) top represents the female part.
They are segments that lead the log and the top from the woods to the town square and, to alleviate the woes of transport, several stops are planned in the name of the local food traditions. The festival has as additional protagonists the traditional music and the cries of the bovars which, along with the roar of the oxen themselves, accompany and chant in a slow and cadence pace the execution of the ancient ritual.” (source)
We were standing just outside the Hotel Dolomiti to see the oxen arrive and all of the associated festivity!
The oxen brought the tree trunk further into the village and then were turned around to bring the trunk to where it would stand.
The holly top was carried into the village and up to the church on the main square to be blessed by the priest.
Click on the photos below to enlarge, scroll through, and read captions.
After the holly top was blessed it was returned to where the trunk was taken by the oxen.
Click on the photos below to enlarge, scroll through, and read captions.
After the procession, the village had a street party with food & drink vendors, goods, games, and music.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13th
The second day of the festival was comprised of band music all day, a procession of the saints, an afternoon auction at the base of the festival tree to raise money for the church, and another street party at night with vendors.
Click on the photos below to enlarge, scroll through, and read captions.
St. Antonio, St. Rocco, and St. Vito were carried in procession throughout all of Castelmezzano then returned to the church.
On Thursday we left to drive back to Naples to fly home Friday. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in the beautiful village of Castelmezzano, the precious mountain village from where my Paterno ancestors originated. The people were so friendly and welcoming, the food delicious, the architecture amazing, and the festival was a delight to witness. We learned much, made many new friends, collected happy memories, and we’re looking forward to returning when the Paterno/Campagna museum opens!
Should you visit, be sure to download the Visit Castelmezzano app for a village map and highlighted historical markers and points of interest. You can fly into either Naples or Bari and drive to Castelmezzano. Ciao!
Wonderful compilation of Paterno Campagna history. Thank you for your excellent work. Anthony Campagna was godfather to my deceased husband, Filippo B. Galluppi, son of Bernardino Galluppi (Rome) who knew and worked with Paterno and Campagna in NYC.
This is wonderful to know Mary! Thank you so much for adding to the collective history of a magnificent man.