Calvi Risorta: Ancient Cales and Medieval Art

Calvi Risorta combines the history of ancient Cales with impressive examples of medieval art. Those planning a trip filled with cultural discoveries will find different historical layers here: from the Ausonian foundation and the Roman colony to the Romanesque cathedral and the fresco caves in the tuff. When choosing your holiday apartment, you can therefore consider whether you would like to focus on archaeological visits, sacred art or a varied combination.

Ancient Cales on the Long Plateau

The archaeological site of ancient Cales lies near present-day Calvi Risorta on a long plateau surrounded by the Rio de’ Lanzi and Rio Pezzasecca streams. Cales was founded by the Ausonians and became a Roman colony from 334 BC. The city walls enclosed six gates; some sections of the walls date from the 5th century BC. The site therefore illustrates not only Roman history but also earlier stages of development.

Among the notable structures is the so-called Ponte delle Monache. It was carved into the tuff so that a road could run towards the ager Falernus. The Roman amphitheatre of Cales dates from the 1st century BC and has later building phases from the imperial period. The baths also bring the ancient city to life: the central baths date from the early 1st century BC; parts of their rooms are almost completely preserved, and some still feature stucco decoration. The northern baths date from the 1st to the 2nd century AD. Their remains, arranged across three levels, are visible along the Cardo maximus.

Cathedral and Fresco Caves

A different highlight awaits you in the 11th-century Romanesque cathedral of Calvi Risorta, which is a national monument. Even older-looking painted worlds can be found in the Grotta dei Santi and the Grotta delle Formelle. The Grotta dei Santi is a cave carved into the tuff containing around 30 wall frescoes from the 10th and 11th centuries. The Grotta delle Formelle, also carved into the tuff, contains frescoes from the same period. For families with children of different ages, this combination of ruins, architecture and wall paintings provides plenty to talk about, without making every day of the trip look the same.

A Virtual Addition at Mu.Vi.Ca.

Mu.Vi.Ca. expands the exploration of Cales with digital elements. Using Oculus headsets, you can virtually walk among the ruins of the Roman theatre of Cales, presented as a 3D reconstruction. An interactive QR code tour provides dynamic background information during the visit. This allows the historical remains to be combined with an additional, vivid perspective.

Calvi Risorta as a Cultural Travel Destination

The journey there is also part of the site's history: the Autostrada del Sole crosses the area of the ancient city of Cales. When planning your trip, you can deliberately combine the different highlights – the extensive archaeological site, the baths, the cathedral and the caves. The wines of Cales were highly regarded by the Romans and add a culinary connection to the historical profile.

If you would like to compare additional places for your travel planning, you can also find Sessa Aurunca, Riardo, Carinola, Maddaloni, Alvignano, Caiazzo, San Tammaro and Camigliano. This allows you to decide which cultural focus best suits your planned accommodation and travel pace.

For the overarching travel overview: Caserta.