Borgo Le Taverne, Guardia Lombardi, Case Siconolfi, Masseria Maiorano, Pietri di Sopra, Rione Forche, Rione Fornace, Rione Montemarano, Santa Maria Manganelli
The town was first settled by theLombards in the late sixth century as a defensive outpost, giving rise to its name. As of 2017[update], it is home to 1,698 inhabitants.[4]
Situated 998 metres (3,274 ft) abovesea level, ranging from a low of 433 metres (1,421 ft) in the Ufita Valley to a high of 1,024 metres (3,360 ft) in Monte Cerreto, Guardia Lombardi is the second highest municipality in Campania, afterTrevico. The territory spans an area of 55.77 km2 (21.53 sq mi) and, as of 1 January 2017[update], has a population of 1,698, giving it a population density of 30 inhabitants per square kilometer.[2] The territory is part of theAlta Irpina mountain community. Its neighboring municipalities areAndretta,Bisaccia,Carife,Frigento,Morra De Sanctis,Rocca San Felice,Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi, andVallata.[5]
Positioned between the Ufita Valley and the Ofanto Valley, north of Monte Cerreto, in easternIrpinia, Guardia Lombardi is surrounded by woods and countryside characterized by typical rural buildings.[5]
Throughout its history, Guardia Lombardi has experienced numerousearthquakes. Several of the major earthquakes resulted in almost complete destruction of the town. For this reason, Guardia is classified as within zone 1 of the seismic classification index by theProtezione Civile, indicating very highseismicity.[3]
Center of town seen from Villa Comunale during heavy snowfall in 2012
According to theKöppen climate classification, Guardia belongs to theCsa range (warm temperate climate,steppe-type precipitation, hot summer).[11] It is within thetemperate zone of the middle latitudes, but its climate is affected by its altitude and topography. In particular, the winter is characterized by frequent rains and heavy snowfall relative to its region. The temperature often drops below freezing (in Celsius) between the months of November and April, with minimum temperatures hitting −10 °C (14 °F). During autumn, fog is quite common. Summer is dry, with maximum temperatures that rarely exceed 30 °C (86 °F).
Data on the weather of Guardia and the Irpinia area is collected at the nearby Trevico Meteorological Station.
The name of the town is traced back to the term "guarda/garda," which is part of the names of many places in Italy. It alludes to the existence of a guard post; it also can refer to the a place that is elevated compared to the surrounding land.[13] The word derives from the Germanic word "warda," which is of analogous meaning and is perhaps attributable to theLombards, although it is more likely ofGothic origin.[5][14]
The Lombards built a castle in the town as a lookout, which gives rise to the name of Guardia Lombardi.[15]
One of the first known names of the town is theLatin name of Guardiae Longobardorum, which later became Guardiae de Lombardis (AD 1100-1300).[16] The name was then changed to Guardialombarda (AD 1400-1600),[17] then Guardia Lombarda (AD 1600-1800),[18] then Guardia dei Lombardi (for the first half of 1900), and finally Guardia Lombardi.[5][14]
There is a hypothesis that the founding of Guardia Lombardi occurred much earlier than many documents indicate. Based on studies of the distances traveled in theTabula Peutingeriana and theAntonine Itinerary on theVia Appia Antica, Guardia could, in fact, be the ancientSamnite city of Romulea, described byTitus Livius inAb Urbe Condita (book 10, chapter 17). According to Livy's history, Romulea was an opulent city that was conquered and sacked in 293 BC by the RomanconsulPublius Decius Mus or, according to another academic source, by Volunnio, and was never rebuilt.[19]
Despite this, the most likely theory is that the ancient city of Romulea coincided with the nearby town ofBisaccia,[20] but the existence in the ancient texts of amansio called Sub Romula, a small settlement outside Romulea on the edge of the Via Appia, suggests the existence of a population in the Guardiesefrazione of Taverne di Guardia. This hypothesis is reflected by the fact thatRoman roads were conceived for purely military purposes, favoring paths at high altitudes that allowed control of the surrounding territory to lower valley paths that were subject to floods and landslides and whose travelers were more vulnerable to ambushes.[21]
Recent studies, such as those byE.T. Salmon (based on archeological excavations) and Werner Johannowsky, suggest that Romulea was located in present-dayCarife.[22][23] In that case, it is possible that the mansio Sub Romula would have been located in the Guardiesefrazione of Piano d'Occhio, which is close to the river Ufita and geographically closer to Carife, where the ruins of a large Roman villa are located.[24]
TheLombards settled the area betweenBenevento andTaranto on theIonian Sea; theDuchy of Benevento was established and the eponymous city became the capital ofSouthern Italy. It was during this period, between the arrival of the Lombards led by theZotto in 571, and 591 in which the town of Guardia was settled. The area was selected for its geographic features, which could be used as a defensiveoutpost.[5][25]
The Lombards formed strongholds that proved vital to repelling the Arab threats. Guardia became a center of importance due to its strategic position, as the town both bordersSaracen land and is on the Via Appia Antica that connectsRome withBrindisi. In 591, the Lombards, having completed their conquest of Irpinia, created theGastaldate ofConza, their administrative division. Part ofLangobardia Minor, the gastaldate included Guardia and was designed to protect Benevento by repelling any armies approaching from the East.[26] For this reason, the Lombards built a defensive castle in Guardia, which was an elevated position.[5] It is believed that this castle was incorporated into a palazzo built in the seventeenth century, which is now owned by the Forgione and Santoli families.[15]
Guardia remained under Lombard control until the arrival of theNormans in 1076.
TheNormans, led byRobert Guiscard, conquered the entire Gastaldate of Conza between 1076 and 1079 as part of the largerconquest of Southern Italy. The last gastald of Conza, Guido, the uncle ofGisulf II, unsuccessfully opposed the invasion. Under the Normans, Guardia became afiefdom governed by afeudal lord. Under the lords, the peasants were bound to the fiefdom and were sold along with the land asserfs. There were two types of agrarian pacts between the feudal lords and peasants:
Emphyteutic contracts, in which the peasant received a piece of land to be cultivated in perpetuity or for a long time and in return had to pay an annual fee.[27]
Pastinato contracts, in which the peasant was granted an unproductive piece to cultivate of land for a longer period of time. At the end of the contract, only if the land was productive, the yield would be divided between the lord and the peasant farmer, the latter of which had the alternative option of continuing to reside on the productive land. This was intended as a way of introducing new crops to an area.[28][29]
Pastinato was practiced in Guardia. This meant that the castle of Guardia became the population center around which houses were built, permitting the spread of small, peasant properties.
The Normans generally did not alter the pre-existing Lombard districts and allowed the feudal lords who pledged their allegiance to keep possession of their fiefdoms. However, in many cases, they destroyed the castles and confiscated the lands of those who opposed their rule. This was the case in Guardia.[5]
In 1133, the town was destroyed byRoger II of Sicily. Once rebuilt, it became the fiefdom of the Balvano family, after which the town ofBalvano is named.[30]
Manfred, depicted with a falcon, who fought in the Battle of Guardia Lombardi.
In 1250, the year of his death,Frederick II of Hohenstaufen resided in the castle of Bisaccia, which he used forfalconry trips on Monte Formicoso, on the border of Guardia, which he renamed Montesano.[31] He was succeeded by his son,Manfred, who, on 30 October 1254, defeated here a papal army in the Battle of Guardia Lombardi,[32] theretofore owned by the MarquisBertoldo of Hohenburg.[33]
TheAngevins, who succeeded the Hohenstaufen, assigned the fiefdom of Guardia to the family member and advisor Milone di Galata. When the Aragonese seized theKingdom of Naples in the 15th century, the Guardiese fiefdom passed to the House ofOrsini del Balzo.
In 1503, Guardia came underSpanish rule. In this period, it moved from rule under the Folliero family to the House ofDella Marra, when in 1611, the system of rule transitioned from feudal lords todukes. The head of the house, Ferrante Della Marra, a notably cultured man, took over in 1607 as Duke of Guardia.[5]
With the end of Austrian domination, Guardia became part of theUltra Principality of the Kingdom of Naples. The dukes were from theRuffo di Calabria family, whose head, Guglielmo Antonio Ruffo I, had married Silvia Della Marra.[5]
In 1861, Guardia was annexed by theKingdom of Italy and adjoined to the third district ofMontefusco. The title and ownership of the castle remained with the Ruffo di Calabria family and the 8th, current, Duke of Guardia Lombardi is Fulco Ruffo II di Calabria, nephew of the aviator and politicianFulco Ruffo di Calabria.
In the first half of the twentieth century, there was heavy emigration to the United States due to poor economic conditions.[5]Lombard Street inBaltimore, Maryland was named after the town, asthe area was once predominantly inhabited byItalian immigrants.[35] Additionally,Scranton, Pennsylvania and Guardia Lombardi declared each othersister cities in 2014 due to the number of Guardiese immigrants residing in Scranton.[36] Likewise, many Guardiese immigrated to theNew York metropolitan area, especiallyWestchester County. An organization called the Association of Former Citizens of Guardia Lombardi was established as abenefit society forItalian American immigrants from Guardia and their descendants, with its headquarters inMount Vernon, New York, where a street was named Guardia Lombardi Plaza.[37]
The population as of 1 January 2023[update] is estimated to be 1,518 inhabitants.[40] With a geographical area of 55.77 square kilometres (21.53 sq mi), the population density is 27 people per square kilometer, or around 70 people per square mile.[2] As of 2023[update], there were 693 families in Guardia and the average number of members of a family was 2.19, compared to 2003, in which there were 785 families and the average number of family members was 2.53.[41]
As of 1 January 2023[update], there are 68 foreign citizens residing in Guardia, constituting 4.5% of the population. Nationals of ten different countries reside in Guardia, with 92.65% of foreign nationals originating from elsewhere in Europe. The country of origin of the largest number of people isBulgaria, whose 34 citizens account for half of all foreign citizens, followed byUkraine andRomania.[42]
In 2023, there were 181 residents aged 18 years or fewer, 93 of whom are 10 years of age or younger.[43] In the same year, there were 736 males living in the town, comprising 48.5% of the population, and 782 females, comprising 51.5% of the population.[44]
Guardia has been in constant population decline since the post-World War II period. The decade with the greatest population decrease was that of 1961 to 1971, during which the population shrunk by more than one quarter.[38] Since 2002, the rate of population decline in Guardia has been markedly higher than the rate of decline of the Province of Avellino and the region of Campania. In each year between 2002 and 2022, themortality rate was higher than thebirth rate; in 2022, this resulted in 26 fewer births than deaths with 34 deaths and 8 births.[41]
Church of Santa Maria Delle Grazie during a summer event
Guardia Lombardi is home to a municipal library (Italian:Biblioteca Comunale Associata UNLA), which was founded in 1982 by Guardiese historianSalvatore Boniello. It hosts cultural events, such asLe strade della poesia (English:The streets of poetry) andPaese Mio.[45]
Guardia is known for producing certain food products. One of these isPecorino di Carmasciano. This cheese is made from the milk of theLaticauda breed of sheep, which graze onalfalfa andsainfoin in the mountains of Guardia andRocca San Felice. Carmasciano is traditionally made by hand and aged for up to 24 months. It has a strong, sapid taste.[50] Due toendangerment of Laticauda sheep, Carmasciano is produced in small quantities by small, family-run farms and is expensive. A 2015 survey indicated that there were only five farms producing Carmasciano, with 2000 wheels of cheese produced annually. Pecorino di Carmasciano was presented atExpo 2015 inMilan.[51][52]
Thebeekeeping company Beveri is located in Guardia and produces local honey and syrups.[52][53]
Bell tower of the mother church as seen from Monte Cerreto.
Themother church of Guardia Lombardi is the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie (Italian:Chiesa S. Maria delle Grazie), which was established in the year 1315. Its first architectural design wascruciform, specifically in the shape of aGreek cross. This building was destroyed by an earthquake on5 December 1456 and was rebuilt upon the initiative of the feudal lord of Guardia, Maria Donata Del Balzo.[5] In 1665, a bell tower was added to the edifice. With theIrpinia earthquake of 1980, the church was once again destroyed. It was later rebuilt and restored. It was reopened in 1999 as it now stands today, within the territorial jurisdiction of theArchdiocese of Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi-Conza-Nusco-Bisaccia.[54][55]
While there were once several churches in the center of town, the only other church that remains there besides the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie is the Church of the Miracle (Italian:Chiesa del Miracolo). It was built around the year 1600 at the behest of Beatrice Della Marra, Duchess of Guardia Lombardi, along with a monastery ofAugustinian priests but was seriously damaged by an earthquake on 8 September 1694, which also killed around 300 Guardiesi. It was rebuilt in 1754 and took the name Church of Purgatory (Italian:Chiesa del Purgatorio), being dedicated to theBlessed Virgin Mary and the souls inpurgatory. It was later named the Church of San Vito, in honor of a statue ofSt. Vitus inside the church. By decree of the government on 17 July 1890, the church then became known as the Congregation of Charity (Italian:Congrega della Carità). The church building had deteriorated over the years and was restored in 1980 with funds contributed by locals and Guardiesi in the United States.[56]
There are numerous public fountains in the area. One of the most significant is Fontana Beveri, which is located at the southwestern foot of the mountain Mundi. It is constructed out of large slabs of white, hard-carved stone.[57]
Another fountain is Fontana Manganelli, which includes anamphitheater and picnic area. Other fountains are Fontana di Tolla, San Leone, Matrone, Righiera, San Leonardo, Frassino, Volacchio, Della Calce, Lavagnili, Pietri di Sotto, Dell'Agata, Fontanili, and Tonsone.[57]
The Fontana Tonsone is the source of the Frédane stream, a tributary of theCalore Irpino.[58]
The Museum of Technology, Farming, and Culture of Rural Life in Alta Irpinia (Italian:Museo delle Tecnologie, della Cultura e della Civiltà Contadina dell'Alta Irpinia) is located in Guardia Lombardi. It was founded in 1981 by Guardiese historian Salvatore Boniello, and contains around one thousand objects and tools of the farming culture of Alta Irpinia from theMiddle Ages to the 20th century, in addition to common tools, such as a plow and the first typewriter purchased by the municipality.[59]
The museum houses reconstructions of the rural and municipal environments, which depict the different lifestyles. Within its collection is also a photographic exhibit on typical dress, a collection of noble coats of arms, and exhibits on embroidery, weaving, blacksmithing, carpentry, and medicine.[60]
The most important road to Guardia Lombardi is the SS 303 state road, which connectsMirabella Eclano toApulia andBasilicata. SS 425 state road can be used to reachLioni and SS 7, the Appian Way modern state road, known locally asOfantina Bis, from Guardia. The SP 281 provincial road connects Guardia to theGrottaminarda exit, from which one can reachNaples and theA1 motorway.[61]
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