Bellona: Churches, Ancient Traces and Memorial Sites in the Volturno Area

Bellona lies on the northeastern edge of the Volturno plain, where the first foothills of the Monte Maggiore massif begin. Those wishing to combine culture, landscapes and historical discoveries on their trip will find various points of interest here: visible fortification remains on a hill, historic churches and chapels, memorial sites and traces of ancient roads. When choosing a holiday apartment in Bellona, the desired focus of the trip can therefore provide useful guidance.

Ancient Traces between the Plain and the Hills

On Monte Grande, north of the town, polygonal fortification remains dating from the 4th–3rd century BC are visible. Their circumference is approximately 400 metres. The site brings Bellona’s ancient history to life at a specific point in the landscape, without requiring the trip to focus on a single museum or enclosed exhibition.

Historical evidence can also be found at the Camarelle delle Fate at the foot of the S. Croce hill northeast of Bellona: the remains of a large rural villa from the 2nd century BC are located there, built on three levels. In the riverbed of the Volturno near the present-day bridge, fragments of the ancient Ponte Annibale also lie within a small archaeologically protected area. The Ponte Rotto, in turn, connected ancient Capua with the Via Latina and was rebuilt around AD 560 by Emperor Justinian.

Churches, Chapels and Religious Traditions

Bellona’s most important Catholic religious building is the Chiesa Arcipretale di San Secondino Vescovo e Confessore. The present building dates from 1473 and was expanded from an earlier Romanesque church with a Latin-cross floor plan. After several renovations, it acquired its current form in 1821. Particularly striking is the 15th-century octagonal dome, which has a diameter of approximately 15 metres; it was restored by the municipality in 1830. Around twenty statues are kept in the church, most of them dating from the 18th to the 20th century.

The statue of Maria SS. di Gerusalemme is also part of the town’s religious history. It was first created in 1806 and finally brought to Bellona in 1810. The associated cult was originally centred on a chapel on Monte Rageto. There, a fresco depicting the Madonna and Child, commissioned in 1419 by Priamo Marra of Bellona, was located. The Sancta Jerusalem chapel on Monte Rageto was built by Riccardo II, Prince of Capua, at the end of the Crusade to reconquer Jerusalem.

The Cappellina Santella houses an old painting of the Madonna delle Grazie, to whom the chapel is dedicated. The Cappellina Santella was opened for worship in 1870. The celebrations for Maria SS. di Gerusalemme take place during the Easter season; their central day is Martedì in Albis. The annual festival of Maria SS. delle Grazie in Bellona is celebrated from 29 June to 2 July.

Memorial Sites of Particular Significance

The Mausoleo Ossario dei 54 martiri commemorates the victims of the Bellona massacre on 7 October 1943. It was inaugurated on 7 October 1968 on the site of the former tuff quarry where the victims were killed. The ossuary can be reached by descending a staircase to a certain depth of the former quarry; marble plaques list the names of those who died. The Cappella di San Michele Arcangelo is also associated with this event. It has no architectural barriers and is therefore accessible to people with reduced mobility.

Bellona as a Starting Point for Trip Planning

A bridge built after the Second World War at the site of the Ponte Annibale now connects Bellona with Sant’Angelo in Formis, Capua and Santa Maria Capua Vetere. When looking for accommodation, you can therefore consider whether you would like to focus on Bellona’s religious buildings and memorial sites, on ancient traces in the landscape or on the connected destinations. Triflisco, a district of Bellona, also adds to the historical picture: under Fulvius Flaccus, its springs were developed into Roman thermal baths; because the waters were considered beneficial, the Romans built several villas there on the hillside.

If you would like to explore other places in addition to Bellona, here is a concise overview: Casagiove, Piedimonte Matese, Pietramelara, Maddaloni, Piccilli, Vitulazio, Caiazzo, San Castrese.

For the higher-level travel overview: Caserta.