FERRANDINA
In a territory that is characterised by the presence of numerous
olive trees, which produce an excellent Majatica oil, is where
one will find Ferrandina, a locality of the
Basento Valley.
History
It was founded by Greeks or Trojan refugees around the X
century BC, by the name of Troilia, meaning small Troia. It
had an acropolis known as Obelanon by the Romans, which subsequently
became Uggiano.
During the Imperial era, it lost importance
because the Romans concentrated more on the development of
the road network leading from Calabria to Puglia.
During the Byzantine era, the first Castle (VI century) was
built. In the subsequent century, under the Longobards (VII
century) it became part of the Gastaldo of Latiniano. During
the X century it once again became Eastern Imperial property,
but already during 1058, it was conquered by the Norman Robert
Guiscard.
The City was destroyed by an earthquake in 1456 and its inhabitants
moved and populated the new centre of Ferrandina.
Tombs containing funerary objects from an ancient period,
dating back to between the VIII and IV centuries BC, have
been found.
The present day habitation instead sprung up during 1490,
under the wishes of King Frederick of Aragona, who in 1494,
named it Ferrandina to commemorate his father Ferrante. The
town’s coat of arms shows six F’s which stand
for: Fridericus Ferranti Filius Ferrandinam Fabbricare Fecit.
It was a fief of Bernardo Castriota Scanderberg, Fabrizio
Pignatelli and Garcia de Toledo.
After the end of feudal rights (1806), Ferrandina lined up
with the Republican faction, adhering to the Carbonari motions
of 1820 and 1821, as well as those which led it to the Unification
of Italy (1860).
During the Second World War, the population rebelled against
the hierarchal fascists (September 1943).
A visit to the City
The centre of the City is Piazza del Plebiscito, where one
can visit the beautiful Santa Maria della Croce Church (1492),
with its oriental dome and 16th century wooden statue in its
interior.
There are many religious buildings worthy of being visited:
the S. Chiara Monastery (XIV century); the S. Francesco (XVII
century) and the Cappuccini convents (XVII century), and in
the higher part of the City, the beautiful S. Domenico Church.
It’s impossible not to visit the evocative Uggiano Castle,
sadly in ruins and abandoned after the terrible seismic tremours
of 1453.
Place of interest
The Uggiano Castle (VI-X century); San Francesco Convent
(1614); Sant’Antonio Church (1615); Chiesa Madre of
Santa Maria della Croce (1492); Santa Chiara Monastic Complex
(XIV century); Palazzo Cantorio; San Domenico Monastic Complex
(1517); Palazzo Centola; Palazzo Lisanti; Purgatorio Church;
Santa Maria dell Consolazione Chapel; Madonna dei Mali Chapel.
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