Sturno
Sturno (AV)
Hidden gemVillages
The story
The village once called Frigento-Sturno that wanted a name of its own, clinging to a ridge swept by the wind of the Ufita.
Access
FREE
The story
Sturno is a young village, and this is its truest story. Born as a cluster of hamlets dependent on nearby Frigento, it obtained independence at the will of Joachim Murat: 9 April 1809 is considered the date of its foundation, after a long claim to autonomy that the people of Frigento opposed and that took years to define the boundaries. Then on 23 November 1980 the Irpinia earthquake struck it hard, with five victims and the collapse of the ancient church of San Michele Arcangelo of 1688 — from which, however, the statue of the Archangel was saved.
What to see
Sturno is not a picture-postcard village of medieval stone: its identity is another, and it is the one worth seeking. It is the town that wanted to exist, breaking away from Frigento in 1809, and that rebuilt itself after 1980. In the valley of the Ufita, between the slopes of Monte Frigento and the river, the centre still keeps the statue of San Michele Arcangelo, survived the collapse of its church and become a symbol of the town's continuity.
Hours and prices
Free entry.
Tips
Come to Sturno for the history and the identity more than for a single monument: it is a case where knowing the story of the village — the foundation of 1809, the rebirth after the earthquake — changes the way you look at it. Handy to arrive by car, in the valley of the Ufita. A good stop along an itinerary in inland Upper Irpinia.
Frequently asked questions
When was the municipality of Sturno founded?
On 9 April 1809, when it obtained independence from Frigento at the will of Joachim Murat, after a long claim to autonomy.
What happened at Sturno with the 1980 earthquake?
The quake of 23 November 1980 caused five victims and grave damage, including the collapse of the ancient church of San Michele Arcangelo of 1688; the statue of the Archangel was saved.
Where is Sturno?
In the valley of the Ufita, in the province of Avellino, between the slopes of Monte Frigento and the river Ufita.
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