Pescopagano.
This village was one of the sites of the Samnites
wars and of Pirro’s expeditions.
This territory was occupied in 555 A.D. by the Goths
and later by the Longobards. Between the IX and the
X centuries it was several times attacked by the Saracens.
In order to avoid their attacks, the inhabitants of
this area took shelter on the highest rock. This gave
the village its name (‘Castrum Petrae Paganae’
means village built on a fortified rock).
The Clock Tower was built on the ancient ‘Porta
Sibilla’. In a niche there is the stone bust
of Giano Bifronte, ancient mythological god.
Amongst the several churches, that of San Giovanni
Battista is particularly interesting. It was built
in 970 and renovated after the earthquake of 1980.
Inside, there are some paintings of the XVIII century.
Not far from the village there is the ‘Badia
di San Lorenzo in Tufara’, seriously damaged
by a fire and renovated by Cesare Gesualdo.
