SHARRYLAND
Villages of the Orange Coast - 3 DI 3
Three Villages of the Gulf - Montepaone
This is the third leg of a hilly route that winds scenically through the early hinterland of the Gulf of Squillace
Where is
This is one of three villages on the Orange Coast.
Montepaone, on the road from the gulf up to the Serre Mountains
Montepaone is a municipality that stretches its territory from the Ionian coast, between Copanello and Soverato, to the hills that gradually rise toward the Serre ridge. From the coastal road, take the provincial road that climbs to the junction with the foothills between Squillace and Chiaravalle. The main town, perched on a hill in the early hinterland, offers a wide view either side of the much newer seaside hamlet of Montepaone Lido.
In the coat of arms, a peacock is a Christian symbol.
The origins of the town are lost in the mists of time. It is believed to have originally been a maritime center, which, like others on the same coast, was moved to an early inland relief for defensive needs. Cited anciently as Arunco, it took the name Mons Paonis, whence the present Montepaone, because it was somehow associated with the peacock, a bird that in fact appears in the municipal coat of arms, probably as a symbol of immortality and of Christ himself. It is due to the Norman Roger of Altavilla, the donation of the town to the Charterhouse of San Bruno, under whose jurisdiction it would remain for centuries.
The medieval physiognomy of a hilltop village
The ancient nucleus retains the typical physiognomy of hilltop villages, with the dense web of streets and alleys that pander to the shapes of the place, offering glimpses of the surrounding olive groves and the arc of the gulf. A picturesque labyrinth of low houses, giving way to a few noble palaces, up to the square that serves as the parvis of the mother church. Perfect setting, for the Passion Play that involves all the inhabitants on Good Friday.
At the highest point the profile of the twin bell towers
At the highest point of the village stands the Church of the Immaculate Conception, rebuilt after the 1973 earthquake in its present neoclassical form. On either side of the facade are twin bell towers that make the village recognizable even from a great distance. In the center is a carved stone portal and an oval rose window that gives light to the interior divided into three naves. Focal point, the high altar, complemented by a remarkable tempietto tabernacle. In the artwork, a beautiful Madonna of the Rosary of the 17th-century Neapolitan school. In a niche, the bust and reliquary of the patron saint Saint Felix, who is celebrated on the first Sunday in August.
On the parvis of the mother church a botanical curiosity.
In Immaculata Square, beyond the parish churchyard, a venerable elm specimen attracts the attention of visitors. It is the so-called Tree of Liberty, planted in 1799 as evidence of the montepaonese municipality's adherence to the Partenopean Republic. Among the last of its kind, marked by various vicissitudes, it is cared for with the care reserved for a relic of the past.
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Index
INTRODUZIONE
Villages of the Orange Coast
1 di 3
Three Boroughs of the Gulf - Montauro
2 di 3
Three Boroughs of the Gulf - Gasperina
3 di 3
Three Villages of the Gulf - Montepaone
Where is
