ENGLISH * CASERTA
VECCHIA
WE
HEARD THAT CAPUA'S TERRITORIES INCLUDED MANY CAMPANIAN TOWNS, CASERTA AMONG
THEM, AND WE ARE CURIOUS TO FIND OUT MORE. WE HAVE THEREFORE DECIDED TO MAKE
A BRIEF VISIT TO CASERTA. WE HEAD SOUTH, AND AFTER FLYING OVER MOUNTAINS AND
CULTIVATED PLAINS, MONTE TIFATA COME INTO VIEW, WITH CASERTA VECCHIA POSITIONED
ON ITS SLOPES, A MEDIAEVAL TOWN FULL OF CHARACTER AND STILL MIRACULOUSLY
INTACT.
IT WAS BUILT OR PERHAPS REBUILT BY THE LOMBARDS ON THE SITE OF ROMAN RUINS.
IN THE NINTH CENTURY IT WAS ASSIGNED TO THE DUCHY OF BENEVENTO, AND THEN TO
THE COUNTSHIP OF CAPUA.
IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TOWNS TO SUCCUMB TO THEN TO THE NORMANS, IN 1057.
WHEN ROGER THE NORMAN BECAME KING OF NAPLES AND SICILY, THE TOWN WAS ENFEOFFED
TO THE COUNT OF CASERTA, WHOSE DESCENDANTS WERE UNWAVERINGLY LOYAL TO THE
SWABIANS. UNDER THE ANGEVINS, IT BECAME THE FIEF OF A SEQUENCE OF NOBLE LORDS,
AND SUCH REMAINED ITS STATUS UNTIL CHARLES III OF BOURBON EXPROPRIATED IT
AS PART OF CROWN PROPERTY. TO TESTIFY TO ITS LONG HISTORY, THERE IS THE BELLTOWER
OF THE CATHEDRAL RISING UP ABOVE THE TILED ROOFS OF THE HOUSES AN UNUSUAL
BUILDING, IN WHICH THE SICILIAN-MOHAMMED AN STYLE AND THE ROMANESQUE STYLE
OF THE BENEDICTINE MONASTERY AT MONTECASSINO MEET AND BLEND. THE BELLTOWER
HAS THREE STOREYS WITH WINDOWS, AND IS SURMOUNTED BY AN OCTAGONAL SECTION
WITH A PARAPET OF CYLINDRICAL TURRETS. TO THE EAST RISES THE FOURTEETH CENTURY
CASTLE, WITH ITS HANDSOME CIRCULAR TOWER SET ON A POLYGONAL BASE, ONE OF THE
MOST INTERESTING CONSTRUCTIONS TO SURVIVE FROM THAT PERIOD. SCATTERED THROUGHOUT
THE TOWN, WE CAN SEE ELEGANT HOUSES AND TWO-LIGHT WINDOWS, WHICH LEND A CERTAIN
UNREALITY TO THE SCENE, AS IF IT WERE A STAGE SET.
DURING THE SUMMER AT CASERTA VECCHIA, PERFOMANCES ARE GIVEN ON THE PIAZZA
IN FRONT OF THE CATHEDRAL. THE TOWN TAKES ON A LIVELY AIR AND SHEDS THE ATMOSPHERE
OF THE PAST TO RE-ENTER THE PRESENT.
