THE MATESE MASSIF

Underbrush in Matese

Geographical map of Matese

Aerial view of Matese massif

Countryhouse on Matese Mountains

Ancient map fo "Tratturo regio" (royal sheep run)

Spring on Matese Massif.

Sheeps on Matese Mountains.

Between the mountains of the southern Appennines, the Matese massif represents without a doubt the place for those most interested in the fascination of mountain climbing or winter sports. The numerous roads that go back from every slope, although some are comfortable despite the many hairpin curves, also at the most rushed traveler gives time to admire the splendid alpine views that are offered from its extensive plateaus.

These proud beech-woods covered mountains still preserve some traditional appearances of the age-old secular pastoral activities. Today they are opened to mass tourism (the winter station of Campitello Matese is one of the most used in Southern Italy), harsh struggles between the Romans and samnites developed besides these mountains in far ages. In spite of the submission of Samnites, numerous testimonies of their civilization remain throughout all of Molise. These are in places where there are many centers now as Venafro, Bojano and Isernia, all developed on the site of the primitive Samnite installations. The ancient Samnitical and Roman presence in these lands are particularly recalled from the remarkable and evocative ruins of Saepinum. This is at the foot of the northern side of the Matese, along one of the roads of the Appenninian "transumanza" (sheep run), while on the southern side interesting ruins emerges in Castello Matese and Alife.

In its geographic-administrative singularity a place give the sense (for exasperation) of the cointerest that many regions and provinces have about the Matese. This area is called "Bocca della Selva" (Mouth of the Forest), a marvelous pass to 1393 m. of altitude. It is immersed in an immense one beech-wood, with rich underbrush of mushrooms, raspberries and strawberries: summer coolness and then snow and winter ski. The environmental features here remain clean, while the administration create some competence problem. It happens because Bocca della Selva is exactly at the crossroads of two regions - Campania and Molise - and of three provinces, Caserta, Benevento and Campobasso. Many players do not bring many initiatives, unfortunately.

In a certain manner the Matese is delimited by valleys in which, from the west to east, flow the rivers Volturno, Calore Irpino, Tammaro, and high Biferno (Molise). A series of high and steep mountains covers a surface of approximately 1000 square km. It aligns from NW to SE for a length of approximately 54 km. and a width that at the maximum point is approximately 30 km., consisting essentially of two lines of crests. The greater ones are Miletto (2050 m.), Gallinola (1923 m.) and Mutria (1822m.) that also limit the campanian-molisan watershed (even if the molisan side includes a larger extension of the massif). In this place we only consider the campanian side.

There are a series of valleys, some dry and others deeply carved from the course of rivers like the Titerno, the Lete and the Sava, which isolate low hills and formed by steeps walls like the Vallone dell'Inferno between Castello Matese and Piedimonte Matese. There are terraces and plateaus that contribute to draw an high quality environment, fortunately still for a very large part whole. So it is possible to dedicate himself to the re-disclosure of foreshortenings and panoramas, of feeling and human warmth.
In the small villages may again be found, with the sense of tradition and cordiality, the ancient habit to not forgotten jobs and to customs, that are still part of the daily way of life.


This is the habitat in which the transumanza(sheep run) originated; it was a vital requirement of physical hard work and solitude. It was a relationship directly between man and the flock (economical and cultural property together). It is the instrument for an extraordinary osmosis of civilization, a vital relationship between various regions and various mentalities, between the sea and the mountain. The way of "tratturi" (path) was the road through which the ancient populations of the Sannio, rough and determined shepherds, went to annoy nothing less than the great powers of the Etruscan, Greek and then the Roman. Samnites gave them not only a series of problems, but also some sharp and historically everlasting failures.
Yet today the herds are the richness: approximately 40,000 heads of sheep and goats produce meat, cheese and wool. The breeds are called Comisana, Laticauda, Lamassese. And the tonnages where the shepherds make cheeses like pecorini, provolette and caciocavalli are still present.


We return to the geographic Matese, to this land of the mountains that is also a land of water. Not only because in winter for a great part of the year, the mountains return the snow in the form of water, but mostly because of the extraordinary way the absorbing surface water gives back the water in the form of a spring at the base of the massif. There are approximately 350 of these springs, from east to the west that gush from the foot of the mountains. This happens when the climate is still acceptable, in mild winters and in the summer. These springs are not only of fresh water.

Between the major ones, indeed there are two mineral springs. One is at Costa Pizzuta (at the foot of Pratella), which contains principally bicarbonate-calcium-magnesium waters. The other is at the bottom of the eastern slopes, the sulfurous waters of Telese.