Village of Montemiletto

Montemiletto (Mons Militum in Latin, Mundemelétte in Campanian) is a small village located on a mountainous relief that forms the watershed between the valleys of Calore and Sabato, in the central hills of Irpinia. The village originated at the dawn of the Middle Ages even if the area has been frequented since prehistoric times. The first certain news about Montemiletto date back to the XII century. It was feud of Della Leonessa and De Tocco families until 1806. The historical centre of the village develops just around the Castle of the Leonessa, placed in dominant position on the Irpinian hills. The "porta della terra" is an ancient arch adjacent to the castle, once crossed it reaches the district defined in dialect as "N'coppa a piazza", that is Piazza Umberto I, where there is also the main entrance to the castle. The Borgo Medievale is also important, winding along Via Regina Margherita and the numerous "ruve", characteristic stone alleys. The history of Montemiletto is also visible in the two churches in the town, the first is the mother church of Santa Maria Assunta, which is located along Via Regina Margherita and is flanked by a beautiful bell tower. The second church, that of Sant'Anna, along Via Roma, is rich in paintings and worthy of note. The church is adjacent to the current seat of the Town Hall, once a convent of Dominican friars. Here there is still a suggestive cloister with arcades and a well. The new centre of town aggregation has become Piazza IV Novembre, placed under the castle of Leonessa. Most of the economic and commercial activities of Montemiletto are instead along the Viale degli Astronauti. Very suggestive it is also the zone of the country denominated "Torrecella", a true and just terrace on the hills of the Irpinia, from which a breathtaking panorama is admired on the surrounding hills and the sight spaces until the reliefs of the Sannio.