The Matese ( Italian : Monti del Matese or Massiccio del Matese ) is a chain of mountains in southern Apennines , southern Italy .
31-457: The Matese mountains straddle two regions ( Molise and Campania ) and four provinces ( Campobasso , Isernia , Benevento and Caserta ). The highest peak, on the boundary between Molise and Campania, is the Monte Miletto, at 2,050 m, followed by La Gallinola (1,923 m a.s.l.), Monte Mutria (1,823 m a.s.l.), Monte Monaco di Gioia and Monte Maio. Westwards, it faces the middle valley of
62-509: A commanding point, where traces of ancient settlements (including Samnite walls) have been found. The current construction is the result of later rebuilding after the earthquakes of 1456 and 1805 . Next to the castle is the Chiesa della Madonna del Monte (Santa Maria Maggiore), erected in the 11th century and rebuilt in 1525. It houses a precious wooden statue of the Incoronata from 1334. Below
93-587: A defensive stronghold, but became a significant trading and administration centre. From 1330 to 1745 the city was ruled by the Monforte-Gambatesa family, who built the castle and established a mint. Later it came under the control of the Di Capua, Gonzaga , Vitagliano, Carafa and Romano families. The original old town of Campobasso contains the Castello Monforte , although in 1732 the inhabitants built
124-624: A lake of glacial origin (Lake Matese), two artificial lakes (lakes of Gallo Matese and Letino , formed by a dam on the Lete River), as well as the ski resorts of Bocca della Selva and Campitello Matese. The area of the Matese was inhabited in historic times by the Samnites , who were conquered by the Romans in the 3rd-2nd centuries BC. Later it was a center of monasticism . In the 7th century some villages in
155-538: A negative trend until 2001. Between 1991 (330,900 inhabitants) and 2001 (320,601 inhabitants), the population of the region decreased by 3.1%; since 2001 the population remained stable. The region is home to two main ethnic minorities: the Molisan Croats (20,000 people who speak an old Dalmatian dialect of Croatian alongside Italian), and those who speak the Arbëresh dialect of Albanian in five towns of "basso Molise" in
186-637: A new town on a lower-level plain. In 1763 the citizens abandoned the old city and settled in the lower valley. The current city was expanded in 1814 by the king of Naples Joachim Murat , and lies on the Campo Basso ("Low field"). Campobasso was the scene of heavy fighting during the Second World War . In the months of October and November 1943 a battle between the German and the Canadian troops for possession of
217-643: A simple but tasty sauce of aromatic herbs. Zuppa di pesce, a fish stew, is a specialty of Termoli . The cheeses produced in Molise are not very different from those produced in Abruzzo. The more common ones are Burrino and Manteca, soft, buttery cow's-milk cheeses; Pecorino, sheep's-milk cheese, served young and soft or aged and hard, called also "Maciuocco" in Molise; Scamorza, bland cow's-milk cheese, often served grilled; and Caciocavallo , sheep's-milk cheese. Sweets and desserts have an ancient tradition here and are linked to
248-454: A variety of ham is available, such as smoked prosciutto . Frequently, the sausages are enjoyed with polenta . Main dishes of the region include: Common second dishes (often meat and vegetable dishes) are: Typical vegetable dishes may include: Fish dishes include red mullet soup, and spaghetti with cuttlefish . Trout from the Biferno river is notable for its flavor, and is cooked with
279-625: Is twinned with: Campobasso railway station , which is managed by Centostazioni , is located in the centre of the city at the junction of two lines: that from Termoli to Vairano and the branch from Benevento . Road traffic is regulated by the State Road Sannitica, by the State Road SS645 Del Tappino and by the State Road 647 Fondo Valle del Biferno. The urban public transport consists of 23 lines of autobus managed by
310-433: Is Campobasso at 2,909 km , while the smaller is Isernia at 1,529 km . The province of Campobasso is the more densely populated of the two provinces, with 79.4 inhabitants per km , whereas Isernia registers 58.9 inhabitants per km . At the end of 2008 the most populous towns were Campobasso (51,247 inhabitants), Termoli (32,420) and Isernia (21,811). In the period 1951–71, large-scale emigration to other countries of
341-521: Is a region of Southern Italy . Until 1963, it formed part of the region of Abruzzi e Molise together with Abruzzo . The split, which did not become effective until 1970, makes Molise the newest region in Italy. Covering 4,438 square kilometres (1,714 sq mi), it is the second smallest region in the country, after the Aosta Valley , and has a population of 313,348 (as of 1 January 2015). The region
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#1732836999303372-443: Is mostly mountainous, with 55% covered by mountains and most of the rest by hills that go down to the sea. Agriculture, involving small and micro holdings, is currently offering high-quality products. The agricultural holdings produce wine, cereals, olive oil, vegetables, fruits and dairy products. Traditional products are Grass Pea (cicerchia) and Farro . Molise's autochthonous grape is Tintilia which has been rediscovered during
403-515: Is not far to the north in Abruzzo and connected to Molise by the A14 highway (the only highway passing through Molise, by Termoli). The unemployment rate stood at 9.5% in 2020. Molise has many small and picturesque villages. Four of them have been selected by I Borghi più belli d'Italia (English: 'The most beautiful villages of Italy' ), a non-profit private association of small Italian towns of strong historical and artistic interest, founded on
434-530: Is split into two provinces, named after their capitals: Campobasso and Isernia . Campobasso also serves as the regional capital. Molise is bordered by Abruzzo to the north, Apulia to the east, Lazio to the west, and Campania to the south. It has 35 kilometres (22 miles) of sandy coastline to the northeast, lying on the Adriatic Sea looking out toward the Tremiti Islands . The countryside of Molise
465-613: The Archdiocese of Campobasso-Boiano . The origins of Campobasso are disputed. According to the most widely held theory, the city was founded by the Lombards before the 8th century as a fortified camp on the slope of the hill where the castle stands. The original name was Campus vassorum , suggesting that the city was the seat of the vassals of the duke of Spoleto . After the Norman conquest of Southern Italy , Campobasso lost its importance as
496-674: The SEAC company. Situated 701 metres (2,300 ft) above sea level and close to the Apennine Mountains , Campobasso is considered one of the coldest cities of central/southern Italy. It has an humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) according to the Köppen climate classification , and an oceanic climate ( Do ) according to Trewartha climate classification , with an average temperature of about 13 °C (55 °F), with winter to summer ranging from 4 to 23 °C (39 to 73 °F) on average. During
527-683: The Volturno River towards the Monti Trebulani, while eastwards it faces the Molisan Pre-Apennines; northwards it is bounded by the Mainarde chain and, from the south, by the Camposauro and Taburno mountains. From north to south, the massif has an extension of some 60 km, while from east to west it measures some 25 km. They are included in the regional Park of the Matese, and include
558-454: The province of Campobasso . It is located in the high basin of the Biferno river, surrounded by Sannio and Matese mountains. Campobasso is renowned for the craftsmanship of blades (including scissors and knives ), a fact well documented since the 14th century. It is also famous for the production of pears and scamorza (cheese). The city is home of the University of Molise and of
589-513: The 11th century, in limestone. The interior has a nave and two aisles. San Leonardo (14th century) has a façade mixing Gothic and Romanesque elements, and a side mullioned window with vegetable decorations influenced by the Apulian architecture of the period. Villa de Capoa , recently restored, is a noteworthy garden with statues and a wide variety of plant species, including sequoias , Norway Spruces , cypresses and Lebanon Cedars . Campobasso
620-471: The European Union, to other parts of Italy and overseas led to a significant decline in the population of Molise. Negative net migration persisted until 1981. Large-scale emigration has caused many of the smaller towns and villages to lose over 60% of their population, while only a small number of larger towns have recorded significant gains. From 1982 to 1994, net migration has been positive, then followed by
651-500: The area ( Gallo Matese , Sepino , Boiano ) were settled by a small Bulgar horde led by Alcek . In the early 19th century it was a shelter for the anti-French partisans who were fighting against the French King of Naples , Joachim Murat . After the unification of Italy (1861), they became the base for anti-Piedmontese brigands, including both criminals and former Neapolitan soldiers organized in bands counting up to 600 men. In
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#1732836999303682-533: The castle, the church of St. George is probably the oldest in Campobasso, built around the year 1000 AD over the ruins of a Pagan temple. The Cathedral, or Chiesa della Santissima Trinità (Church of the Holy Trinity), was built in 1504 outside the city walls. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1805 and a new Neoclassical edifice was built in 1829. The church of San Bartolomeo is a Romanesque building from
713-468: The city caused the destruction of many public buildings, including the City Hall and the archives held there. Thirty eight civilians were killed in the action, including the bishop of the diocese, Bishop Secondo Bologna, and an unknown number of people were injured in the intensive bombardment. The occupation by the Canadian troops, and the administrative and political control resulting, had such an impact on
744-405: The history of the territory and to religious and family festivities. Most common are: Molise is twinned with: Campobasso Campobasso ( UK : / ˌ k æ m p oʊ ˈ b æ s oʊ / , Italian: [ˌkampoˈbasso] ; Campobassan : Cambuàsce [ˌkambuˈwaʃʃə] ) is a city and comune in southern Italy , the capital of the region of Molise and of
775-574: The initiative of the Tourism Council of the National Association of Italian Municipalities. The density of the population in Molise is well below the national average. In 2008, Molise registered 72.3 inhabitants per km , compared to a national figure of 198.8. The region is subdivided into two provinces: Campobasso and Isernia, which together cover 1.5% of Italy's territory and less than 1% of its population. The larger province in terms of area
806-408: The last ten years, and many other PDO (DOP) wines, both red and white. Though there is a large Fiat plant ( Termoli ), the industrial sector is dominated by the farming industry with small and medium-sized farms spread widely throughout the region. Another important industry is food processing: pasta, meat, milk products, oil and wine are the traditional products of the region. In the services sector
837-889: The late 19th century, La Banda del Matese , a group of 26 anarchists and republicans from the Italian First International , waged an insurrectionary campaign to disrupt operations in the region and show their group's dedication to sociopolitical change. Flora include beech at middle altitudes and fir at higher ones, while on lower altitudes it includes birch , juniper , oak , chestnut and, more southwards, woods of holm oak . Wildlife includes several examples of italian wolf , roe deer and eagle. Molise Molise ( UK : / m ɒ ˈ l iː z eɪ / mol- EE -zay , US : / ˈ m oʊ l i z eɪ , m oʊ ˈ l iː z eɪ / MOH -lee-zay, moh- LEE -zay ; Italian: [moˈliːze] ; Molisan : Mulise , pronounced [mə'li.zə] )
868-514: The many aromatic herbs that grow there. Some of the characteristic foods include spicy salami , a variety of locally produced cheeses , dishes using lamb or goat , pasta dishes with hearty sauces, and vegetables that grow in the region. In addition to bruschetta , a typical antipasto will consist of any of several meat dishes, such as the sausages capocollo , the fennel -seasoned salsiccie al finocchio, soppressata , ventricina , frascateglie or sanguinaccio. In addition to these sausages,
899-439: The most important industries are distribution, hotels and catering, followed by transport and communications, banking and insurance. With few exceptions, in all sectors firms are small, and this explains the difficulties encountered when marketing products on a national scale. International tourism is growing largely as a result of the recent opening of international flights from other European countries to Pescara Airport , which
930-433: The province of Campobasso. Molise comprises two provinces: [REDACTED] Molise has much tradition from the religious to the pagan, many museums, archeological sites, musical and food events. Tradition Arts, musical and food festivals Museums The cuisine of Molise is similar to the cuisine of Abruzzo , though there are some differences in the dishes and ingredients. The flavors of Molise are dominated by
961-523: The town that it became known as "Canada Town" or "Maple Leaf City". In 1995 the city was awarded the Bronze Medal for Civil Valour in recognition of the hard work done in clearing the region of dangerous unexploded warheads, a task that lasted well into 1948. One of the main attractions of Campobasso is the Castello Monforte , built in 1450 by the local ruler Nicola II Monforte, over Lombard or Norman ruins. The castle has Guelph merlons and stands on