Borgo di Casamale
Somma Vesuviana
Hidden gemVillages
The story
The medieval heart enclosed by Aragonese walls and towers, a tangle of alleys where every four years the Festa delle Lucerne lights thousands of little lamps.
Access
FREE
The story
The Casamale is the fortified old centre of Somma Vesuviana, at the foot of Vesuvius. The name comes from the ancient family of the Causamala, already cited in 1011; the walls that still surround it were reinforced in 1467 by King Ferrante of Aragon, with their four gates. Inside, a medieval maze of alleys, arches and piperno portals.
What to see
The Aragonese walls with the four gates, the narrow alleys and the arches of the village, and the church of Santa Maria della Sanità (a collegiate church since 1595) in the convent of the Hermits of Saint Augustine. Every four years the Casamale lights up for the Festa delle Lucerne (Feast of the Oil Lamps), with its perspective plays of lights.
Hours and prices
Free entry.
Tips
The Casamale is an inhabited village: move with respect among the houses and alleys of the residents. It is visited on foot. If you happen upon the right year, the Festa delle Lucerne is a unique spectacle. You are at Somma Vesuviana, at the foot of Vesuvius.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Casamale?
The fortified old centre of Somma Vesuviana, at the foot of Vesuvius, with the Aragonese walls of 1467, four gates and a medieval layout of alleys and arches.
What is the Festa delle Lucerne?
A tradition of the Casamale held every four years, with light displays and perspective plays in the alleys of the village.
Where is the Casamale?
At Somma Vesuviana, in the old centre, at the foot of Vesuvius.
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