Vibonati

Vibonati is one of the most interesting villages of Southern Italy. It is one the “Authentic Villages of Italy”. It is famous for the multitude of Medieval stone portals.

Vibonati is placed inland, not far from the Gulf of Policastro. Less than half the municipality population lives here: the majority of citizens have moved to Villammare, a frazione (“wards)” on the coast, popular holiday resort (località Villammare in depth).

The ancient village is set 110 m above sea level. The urban centre develops on a spur between two valleys. One side of the ridge reaches the coastal plain where Villammare developed, whereas the inner zone connects with mountains of Serra.
The Medieval urban centre was born as shelter from sea assault: it was protected by two portal, Porta Fontana and Porta del Ponte.
There are different hypothesis on the origins of Vibonati: was it founded by Phoenician exiles? Or is it the Vibo ad Siccam, a roman settlement Cicero referred to? It is even thought it had Langobards origin.
It is certain that, as the Langobards had lost the control of Salerno, Vibonati became a Norman dominion. Later , during feudalism, it has been a county of Policastro and a hamlet of Tortorella.

On September 3rd 1848, during Cilento revolts, Giuseppe Garibaldi stopped here (as a gravestone of house De Nicolellis mentions).

HISTORICAL AND ARTISTIC ATTRACTIONS
The main attraction of Vibonati is the Medieval town: rich in stone staircases and alleys reachable only on foot.
You could start from the bottom of the town and visit the Monastery of San Francesco di Paola (1611), then Corso Umberto where wonderful portals adorn such Noble Palaces as De Nicolellis Palace or La Corte Rizzuti Palace. Finally you could reach Sant’Antonio Abate Shrine at the top of the town: built in the 11th century in Romanesque style, it has undergone a series of renovations that changed completely the original features into a Baroque church. Within the church you can admire the 1700’s pipe organ and the baptismal font carved from a Corinthian capital. At the feet of the shrine, in rione Tirone, you could walk underneath the sopportico ( a protected passage) that underpins the church yard. Also of great interest are the frescoes of Santissima Annunziata Church and the turret of Santissima Trinità Church .
You could take a break in largo Nicotera , social gathering of Vibonati, and then go to “Casa Museo” where Mr Nino Tancredi has set up an exhibit of rural art.

NATURALISTIC ATTRACTIONS
On the SP (Provincial road) Vibonati-Morigerati at an altitude of 200 m, there is Santa Lucia wood, 40 hectares of resinous trees and broad-leaved, especially cork oak.
In the wood there are the little church of Santa Lucia, a picnic area and the ruins of an ancient barnyard and, down-river, some old water mills.