
Cilento (Italian: [t͡ʃi.ˈlɛn.to]) is an Italian mountain range (part of the Lucan Apennines), which gives its name to a geographical region of Campania in the central and southern part of the province of Salerno. Is an important tourist area of southern Italy.
UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
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![]() View from Mount Cervati | |
Location | Province of Salerno, Campania, Italy |
Part of | Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with the Archeological Sites of Paestum and Velia, and the Certosa di Padula |
Criteria | Cultural: (iii)(iv) |
Reference | 842 |
Inscription | 1998 (22nd Session) |
Coordinates | 40°17′24″N 15°28′34″E / 40.290°N 15.476°E |
![]() Location of Cilento in Campania ![]() Cilento (Italy) |

Cilento is known as one of the centers of Mediterranean diet.[citation needed]
Geography
The Cilento mountain range, part of the Lucan Apennines, is located south to Sele plain, north to Basilicata, west to Alburni mountain range and Vallo di Diano. The main mountains are the Mount Stella (1131 m) in the North, Mounts Gelbison (1705 m) and Cervati (1899 m) in the center, Mount Bulgheria (1225 m) in the south. This area is sparsely inhabited, most villages are located at high altitudes, and the territory is mostly covered by forests. The mountain range is divided in two areas by the river mouth of Alento and the Mounts Gelbison and Cervati: "High" Cilento (Alto Cilento) and "Low" Cilento (Basso Cilento), respectively at the North and the South of the listed sites.
The coast of Cilento is located on the Tyrrhenian Sea, stretching from Paestum to the Gulf of Policastro, near the town of Sapri. Most of the touristic destinations in the coast are frazioni (hamlets) of comuni (municipalities) whose seats are inland; examples include Santa Maria di Castellabate, Acciaroli, Velia, Palinuro, Marina di Camerota, Scario and Policastro Bussentino.
The inner boundaries of the Cilento mountain range are the Alburni mountains and Vallo di Diano; in addition to the Cilento mountain range, they are also considered as part of Cilento geographical region, such as the southern part of the Sele plain and the mountain range of Eremita-Marzano. The entire Cilento geographical region is located south to Sele river, an area known as the western part of Lucania, which has in Sala Consilina (in the Vallo di Diano) its largest center. The other most important towns in this area are Vallo della Lucania (in the middle of Cilento mountain range), Sapri and Agropoli in the Cilento coust; Sapri is the largest town of Cilento, and the principal harbour. Most of this area is included in "Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park". The principal site in the southern part of the Sele plain is the archeological site of Paestum, while the main center is Altavilla Silentina. In the Eremita-Marzano mountain range the principal city is Buccino, while in the Alburni mountain range there are Castelcivita and Sicignano degli Alburni.
Communes
Alto Cilento communes
- Agropoli
- Aquara
- Ascea
- Bellosguardo
- Campora
- Cannalonga
- Capaccio Paestum
- Casal Velino
- Castellabate
- Castelnuovo Cilento
- Castel San Lorenzo
- Ceraso
- Cicerale
- Felitto
- Gioi
- Giungano
- Laureana Cilento
- Laurino
- Lustra
- Magliano Vetere
- Moio della Civitella
- Monteforte Cilento
- Novi Velia
- Ogliastro Cilento
- Omignano
- Orria
- Perdifumo
- Perito
- Piaggine
- Pollica
- Prignano Cilento
- Roccadaspide
- Roscigno
- Rutino
- Sacco
- Salento
- San Mauro Cilento
- Serramezzana
- Sessa Cilento
- Stella Cilento
- Stio
- Torchiara
- Trentinara
- Valle dell'Angelo
- Vallo della Lucania
Basso Cilento communes
- Alfano
- Camerota
- Casaletto Spartano
- Caselle in Pittari
- Celle di Bulgheria
- Centola
- Cuccaro Vetere
- Futani
- Ispani
- Laurito
- Montano Antilia
- Montecorice
- Morigerati
- Pisciotta
- Policastro Bussentino
- Roccagloriosa
- Rofrano
- San Mauro La Bruca
- San Giovanni a Piro
- Santa Marina
- Sanza
- Sapri
- Torraca
- Torre Orsaia
- Tortorella
- Vibonati
Mounts Alburni communes
- Castelcivita
- Controne
- Corleto Monforte
- Ottati
- Petina
- Postiglione
- Sant'Angelo a Fasanella
- Sicignano degli Alburni
Vallo di Diano communes
- Atena Lucana
- Auletta
- Buonabitacolo
- Caggiano
- Casalbuono
- Monte San Giacomo
- Montesano sulla Marcellana
- Padula
- Pertosa
- Polla
- Sala Consilina
- San Pietro al Tanagro
- San Rufo
- Sant'Arsenio
- Sassano
- Teggiano
Southern part of Sele plain communes
- Altavilla Silentina
- Albanella
- Serre
Mounts Eremita-Marzano communes
- Buccino
- Palomonte
- Ricigliano
- Romagnano al Monte
- San Gregorio Magno
- Salvitelle
History
Ancient History
As part of the ancient region of Lucania, the Cilento was inhabited by Lucanians people, an italic tribe. Known lucanian site are Roscigno, Roccagloriosa and Caselle in Pittari, where archaeological excavations have been made. The region is steeped in Greek mythology and legends, as in the names of some towns, which is also visible in the remains of the colonies of Velia (ancient Elea) and Paestum (ancient Poseidonia). Velia was also the seat of "Eleatics", a school of pre-Socratic philosophers as Parmenides, Zeno of Elea and Melissus of Samos). The Romans made new cities mainly in the Vallo di Diano and Mounts Eremita-Marzano, as Volcei, because of the central position in relation to the main road of the empire in this area (the Capua-Regio).
Middle Ages
After the Lombard conquest, the Cilento area was included in the Principality of Salerno, as a "gastaldato" (a type of district of the time) of Lucania, divided into the counties of Capaccio and Magliano. The Normans created the baronies of Rocca Cilento and Novi Velia, which became the main centers of the region. The Cilento territory was located on the border with the Byzantine area, which is why many Greek rite monasteries were created. The nobles of the territory frequently rebelled against the sovereigns, as with Frederick II of Swabia and Ferrante of Aragon, carrying out many conspiracies. The Angevins and Aragonese fought in the territory during the War of the Vespers, becoming a battlefield for a long time. At the end of the Middle Ages there were continuous battles with the Ottoman pirates. All these events led to the construction of the numerous castles that characterize the area.
Cilento comes by the Latin word Cis Alentum, meaning "On this side of the Alento", a name given by the Lombards.
Sixth province of Campania
In the 1990s it was proposed to make Cilento a new province of Campania. This proposal has never come near to implementation; in particular there was the difficulty of choosing an administrative centre. The four candidates were Vallo della Lucania (in the most central position), Agropoli (the largest town, situated in the north), Sala Consilina (the most populous town of Vallo di Diano) and Sapri (in the centre of southern Cilento, with the most important railway station).[citation needed] Another more recent proposal was to move Cilento from Campania to Basilicata, as a third province together with the existing provinces of Potenza and Matera.
National Park
In 1991, Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park was instituted to preserve the landscape and promote tourism. In 1998, the park became a World Heritage Site of UNESCO.
Coast
The Cilentan Coast, or Costiera Cilentana in Italian, is a stretch of coastline situated in the gulfs of Salerno and Policastro, extending in 16 municipalities; from Capaccio-Paestum in the north-west to Sapri in the south-east.
Language
Cilento was part of ancient Lucania, and its language is influenced by Lucanian. In the north of Cilento the dialect is more influenced by Neapolitan, but in the south it has many similarities with Sicilian.
Cilento DOC
Italian wine, red, white and rose, under the Cilento DOC appellation comes from this area. Grapes destined for DOC product must be harvested to a maximum yield of 12 tonnes/hectare with the finished red wines fermented to a minimum alcohol level of 11.5% and the whites and roses fermented to 11%.
Red Cilento wines are a blend of 60-70% Aglianico, 15-20% of Piedirosso and/or Primitivo, 10-20% Barbera and up to 10% of other local red grape varieties. The whites are a blend of 60-65% Fiano, 20-30% Trebbiano, 10-15% of Greco and/or Malvasia bianca with up to 10% of other local white varieties. The roses are blends of 70-80% Sangiovese, 10-15% of Piedirosso and/or Primitivo and up to 10% of other local red grape varieties. A separate varietal Aglianico can also be produced under the Cilento DOC provided that at least 85% of the wine is Aglianico with Primitivo and/or Piedirosso permitted to fill in the remainder and that the wine is aged at least one year before it is released.
Photogallery
- Sanza
- Agropoli
- View from Campora
- Velia ruins
- Castle of Rocca Cilento
- Licosa island in the Comune of Castellabate
- Mount Bulgheria
- Paestum
- Bussento river at Morigerati
- Paestum
- Romagnano al Monte
- S.Maria di Castellabate
- Vallo di Diano
- Cape Palinuro
- View from Alburni mounts
See also
- Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park
- Vallo di Diano
- Velia ("Elea")
- Paestum ("Poseidonia")
- Pruno Cilento
- Cilentan language
- Gulf of Salerno
- Agropoli
- Vallo della Lucania
- Sapri
- Sala Consilina
- Marina di Camerota
- Certosa di Padula (Padula)
- Cape Palinuro (Palinuro)
References
- A. La Greca, Storia del Cilento.
- "Cis Alentum: The origin of the name "Cilento"". Archived from the original on September 22, 2018.
- "Rassegna Stampa" [Press Review]. Il Mattino, www.oricchio.it. 14 November 2001. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
- "L'area comprende il Vallo di Diano, il Cilento e il Golfo di Policastro «Via dalla Campania, entriamo in Basilicata»" [The area includes the Vallo di Diano, Cilento and the Gulf of Policastro "Via the Campania, let's enter Basilicata"]. Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 26 September 2022.
- Saunders, P. (2004). Wine Label Language. Firefly Books. p. 139. ISBN 1-55297-720-X.
Sources
- Maurizio Tortora: Cilientu mia. Edizione del Delfino, 1977, Naples
- Giuseppe Vallone: Dizionarietto etimologico del basso Cilento. Editore UPC, 2004
- Pietro Rossi: Ieri e oggi 1955-2005. Poesie in cilentano. Grafiche Erredue, 2005
- Barbara Schäfer: Limoncello mit Meerblick. Unterwegs an der Amalfiküste und im Cilento. Picus, 2007, ISBN 978-3-85452-924-8
- Peter Amann: Cilento aktiv mit Costa di Maratea - Aktivurlaub im ursprünglichen Süditalien. Mankau, 2007, ISBN 3-938396-08-3
- Peter Amann: Golf von Neapel, Kampanien, Cilento. Reise Know-How, 2006, ISBN 3-8317-1526-2
- Barbara Poggi: La Cucina Cilentana - Köstlichkeiten aus der Cilento-Küche. Mankau, 2006, ISBN 3-938396-02-4
- Luciano Pignataro: Le ricette del Cilento. Ed. Ippogrifo, 2007, ISBN 978-88-88986-43-2
External links
- What to do and see in Cilento and Tourism in Cilento (in Italian)
- Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park (in Italian and English)
- Historical and other infos about Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park (in English)
- Cilento Photos (in English)
- Tourism in the National park of Cilento (in Italian)
- Tourism and holidays in Cilento (in Italian)
- Cilento Social Network (in Italian)
Cilento Italian t ʃi ˈlɛn to is an Italian mountain range part of the Lucan Apennines which gives its name to a geographical region of Campania in the central and southern part of the province of Salerno Is an important tourist area of southern Italy CilentoUNESCO World Heritage SiteView from Mount CervatiLocationProvince of Salerno Campania ItalyPart ofCilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with the Archeological Sites of Paestum and Velia and the Certosa di PadulaCriteriaCultural iii iv Reference842Inscription1998 22nd Session Coordinates40 17 24 N 15 28 34 E 40 290 N 15 476 E 40 290 15 476Location of Cilento in CampaniaShow map of CampaniaCilento Italy Show map of ItalyNational Park nearby Cannalonga Cilento is known as one of the centers of Mediterranean diet citation needed GeographyThe Cilento mountain range part of the Lucan Apennines is located south to Sele plain north to Basilicata west to Alburni mountain range and Vallo di Diano The main mountains are the Mount Stella 1131 m in the North Mounts Gelbison 1705 m and Cervati 1899 m in the center Mount Bulgheria 1225 m in the south This area is sparsely inhabited most villages are located at high altitudes and the territory is mostly covered by forests The mountain range is divided in two areas by the river mouth of Alento and the Mounts Gelbison and Cervati High Cilento Alto Cilento and Low Cilento Basso Cilento respectively at the North and the South of the listed sites The coast of Cilento is located on the Tyrrhenian Sea stretching from Paestum to the Gulf of Policastro near the town of Sapri Most of the touristic destinations in the coast are frazioni hamlets of comuni municipalities whose seats are inland examples include Santa Maria di Castellabate Acciaroli Velia Palinuro Marina di Camerota Scario and Policastro Bussentino The inner boundaries of the Cilento mountain range are the Alburni mountains and Vallo di Diano in addition to the Cilento mountain range they are also considered as part of Cilento geographical region such as the southern part of the Sele plain and the mountain range of Eremita Marzano The entire Cilento geographical region is located south to Sele river an area known as the western part of Lucania which has in Sala Consilina in the Vallo di Diano its largest center The other most important towns in this area are Vallo della Lucania in the middle of Cilento mountain range Sapri and Agropoli in the Cilento coust Sapri is the largest town of Cilento and the principal harbour Most of this area is included in Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park The principal site in the southern part of the Sele plain is the archeological site of Paestum while the main center is Altavilla Silentina In the Eremita Marzano mountain range the principal city is Buccino while in the Alburni mountain range there are Castelcivita and Sicignano degli Alburni CommunesAlto Cilento communes Agropoli Aquara Ascea Bellosguardo Campora Cannalonga Capaccio Paestum Casal Velino Castellabate Castelnuovo Cilento Castel San Lorenzo Ceraso Cicerale Felitto Gioi Giungano Laureana Cilento Laurino Lustra Magliano Vetere Moio della Civitella Monteforte Cilento Novi Velia Ogliastro Cilento Omignano Orria Perdifumo Perito Piaggine Pollica Prignano Cilento Roccadaspide Roscigno Rutino Sacco Salento San Mauro Cilento Serramezzana Sessa Cilento Stella Cilento Stio Torchiara Trentinara Valle dell Angelo Vallo della Lucania Basso Cilento communes Alfano Camerota Casaletto Spartano Caselle in Pittari Celle di Bulgheria Centola Cuccaro Vetere Futani Ispani Laurito Montano Antilia Montecorice Morigerati Pisciotta Policastro Bussentino Roccagloriosa Rofrano San Mauro La Bruca San Giovanni a Piro Santa Marina Sanza Sapri Torraca Torre Orsaia Tortorella Vibonati Mounts Alburni communes Castelcivita Controne Corleto Monforte Ottati Petina Postiglione Sant Angelo a Fasanella Sicignano degli AlburniVallo di Diano communes Atena Lucana Auletta Buonabitacolo Caggiano Casalbuono Monte San Giacomo Montesano sulla Marcellana Padula Pertosa Polla Sala Consilina San Pietro al Tanagro San Rufo Sant Arsenio Sassano Teggiano Southern part of Sele plain communes Altavilla Silentina Albanella SerreMounts Eremita Marzano communes Buccino Palomonte Ricigliano Romagnano al Monte San Gregorio Magno SalvitelleHistoryAncient History As part of the ancient region of Lucania the Cilento was inhabited by Lucanians people an italic tribe Known lucanian site are Roscigno Roccagloriosa and Caselle in Pittari where archaeological excavations have been made The region is steeped in Greek mythology and legends as in the names of some towns which is also visible in the remains of the colonies of Velia ancient Elea and Paestum ancient Poseidonia Velia was also the seat of Eleatics a school of pre Socratic philosophers as Parmenides Zeno of Elea and Melissus of Samos The Romans made new cities mainly in the Vallo di Diano and Mounts Eremita Marzano as Volcei because of the central position in relation to the main road of the empire in this area the Capua Regio Middle Ages After the Lombard conquest the Cilento area was included in the Principality of Salerno as a gastaldato a type of district of the time of Lucania divided into the counties of Capaccio and Magliano The Normans created the baronies of Rocca Cilento and Novi Velia which became the main centers of the region The Cilento territory was located on the border with the Byzantine area which is why many Greek rite monasteries were created The nobles of the territory frequently rebelled against the sovereigns as with Frederick II of Swabia and Ferrante of Aragon carrying out many conspiracies The Angevins and Aragonese fought in the territory during the War of the Vespers becoming a battlefield for a long time At the end of the Middle Ages there were continuous battles with the Ottoman pirates All these events led to the construction of the numerous castles that characterize the area Cilento comes by the Latin word Cis Alentum meaning On this side of the Alento a name given by the Lombards Sixth province of Campania In the 1990s it was proposed to make Cilento a new province of Campania This proposal has never come near to implementation in particular there was the difficulty of choosing an administrative centre The four candidates were Vallo della Lucania in the most central position Agropoli the largest town situated in the north Sala Consilina the most populous town of Vallo di Diano and Sapri in the centre of southern Cilento with the most important railway station citation needed Another more recent proposal was to move Cilento from Campania to Basilicata as a third province together with the existing provinces of Potenza and Matera National ParkIn 1991 Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park was instituted to preserve the landscape and promote tourism In 1998 the park became a World Heritage Site of UNESCO CoastThe Cilentan Coast or Costiera Cilentana in Italian is a stretch of coastline situated in the gulfs of Salerno and Policastro extending in 16 municipalities from Capaccio Paestum in the north west to Sapri in the south east LanguageCilento was part of ancient Lucania and its language is influenced by Lucanian In the north of Cilento the dialect is more influenced by Neapolitan but in the south it has many similarities with Sicilian Cilento DOCItalian wine red white and rose under the Cilento DOC appellation comes from this area Grapes destined for DOC product must be harvested to a maximum yield of 12 tonnes hectare with the finished red wines fermented to a minimum alcohol level of 11 5 and the whites and roses fermented to 11 Red Cilento wines are a blend of 60 70 Aglianico 15 20 of Piedirosso and or Primitivo 10 20 Barbera and up to 10 of other local red grape varieties The whites are a blend of 60 65 Fiano 20 30 Trebbiano 10 15 of Greco and or Malvasia bianca with up to 10 of other local white varieties The roses are blends of 70 80 Sangiovese 10 15 of Piedirosso and or Primitivo and up to 10 of other local red grape varieties A separate varietal Aglianico can also be produced under the Cilento DOC provided that at least 85 of the wine is Aglianico with Primitivo and or Piedirosso permitted to fill in the remainder and that the wine is aged at least one year before it is released PhotogallerySanza Agropoli View from Campora Velia ruins Castle of Rocca Cilento Licosa island in the Comune of Castellabate Mount Bulgheria Paestum Bussento river at Morigerati Paestum Romagnano al Monte S Maria di Castellabate Vallo di Diano Cape Palinuro View from Alburni mountsSee alsoCilento and Vallo di Diano National Park Vallo di Diano Velia Elea Paestum Poseidonia Pruno Cilento Cilentan language Gulf of Salerno Agropoli Vallo della Lucania Sapri Sala Consilina Marina di Camerota Certosa di Padula Padula Cape Palinuro Palinuro ReferencesA La Greca Storia del Cilento Cis Alentum The origin of the name Cilento Archived from the original on September 22 2018 Rassegna Stampa Press Review Il Mattino www oricchio it 14 November 2001 Retrieved 26 September 2022 L area comprende il Vallo di Diano il Cilento e il Golfo di Policastro Via dalla Campania entriamo in Basilicata The area includes the Vallo di Diano Cilento and the Gulf of Policastro Via the Campania let s enter Basilicata Corriere della Sera in Italian Retrieved 26 September 2022 Saunders P 2004 Wine Label Language Firefly Books p 139 ISBN 1 55297 720 X SourcesMaurizio Tortora Cilientu mia Edizione del Delfino 1977 Naples Giuseppe Vallone Dizionarietto etimologico del basso Cilento Editore UPC 2004 Pietro Rossi Ieri e oggi 1955 2005 Poesie in cilentano Grafiche Erredue 2005 Barbara Schafer Limoncello mit Meerblick Unterwegs an der Amalfikuste und im Cilento Picus 2007 ISBN 978 3 85452 924 8 Peter Amann Cilento aktiv mit Costa di Maratea Aktivurlaub im ursprunglichen Suditalien Mankau 2007 ISBN 3 938396 08 3 Peter Amann Golf von Neapel Kampanien Cilento Reise Know How 2006 ISBN 3 8317 1526 2 Barbara Poggi La Cucina Cilentana Kostlichkeiten aus der Cilento Kuche Mankau 2006 ISBN 3 938396 02 4 Luciano Pignataro Le ricette del Cilento Ed Ippogrifo 2007 ISBN 978 88 88986 43 2External linksWikimedia Commons has media related to Cilento What to do and see in Cilento and Tourism in Cilento in Italian Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park in Italian and English Historical and other infos about Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park in English Cilento Photos in English Tourism in the National park of Cilento in Italian Tourism and holidays in Cilento in Italian Cilento Social Network in Italian