Discover Villanova Del Battista

Villanova del Battista offers several specific reasons to visit: sacred art, collections on local history, the Giglio tradition, and a rural setting. The Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta and the Museo comunale provide cultural highlights; the Tiro del Giglio is a fixed annual date on the calendar. The town’s position above the valley of the Fiumarella stream also shapes its character.

Church and sacred art

The Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta has three entrances and a single-nave interior. “Single-nave” describes a single main space rather than several side aisles. The church was completely rebuilt after the earthquakes of 1930 and 1980. Its history is linked to two 17th-century paintings from the school of Luca Giordano: “La caduta di Gesù” and “La Deposizione.” The titles refer to the fall of Jesus and the Deposition from the Cross. The rebuilding after the earthquakes and sacred paintings from a specific period thus stand side by side as distinct aspects of the church.

Collections at the Museo comunale

The Museo comunale di Villanova del Battista has sections on materials, antiques and everyday objects, rural life, and history and folklore. The antiques and everyday objects section brings together early computers, typewriters, older projectors, sewing machines, and telephones. It also includes a Lambretta from the early 20th century. The collection brings together different aspects of everyday life: communications and office equipment, household technology, and a historic vehicle.

History and folklore reveal another side of the museum. This section includes straw panels associated with the Giglio, the symbol of Villanova del Battista. The museum also contains a 19th-century bedroom and an art gallery. Alongside the section on rural life, these subjects sit alongside the technical and everyday objects: the museum thus spans local customs and rural life as well as devices and art.

The Giglio tradition and festival dates

The Tiro del Giglio takes place every year on August 27. The celebration officially begins with the Alzata on the Saturday before that date: this is when the Giglio, lying on the ground, is raised upright. These two dates are useful for planning a trip; if you would like to time your stay around the tradition, check the dates for the relevant year.

During the traditional Traslazione del Giglio, the Giglio is pulled through town in a procession. A tractor and the community help; people pull the structure by hand using 16 ropes. A folk group accompanies the procession to the rhythm of the brass band. The Alzata and the Traslazione show two different movements of the Giglio: raising it upright and pulling it along in the procession. The tradition is therefore described not only by a festival date, but also through its rituals and the community’s participation.

Landscape and local cuisine

Villanova del Battista is situated on a rise overlooking the valley of the Fiumarella stream. The area around the town includes 40 hectares of woodland and a rich variety of wildlife. The historic Regio Tratturo Pescasseroli–Candela, a transhumance route, also passes through the area. These landscape features add a rural focus to the cultural attractions and give the surrounding area a distinct place in choosing a destination.

Maccheroni al latte are also part of the local picture: this dish is considered typical of Villanova del Battista for the Feast of the Ascension. It offers another connection to local festival traditions, but for a different occasion from the Tiro del Giglio in August. Those interested in the town’s customs can therefore include both the cuisine associated with the Feast of the Ascension and the August tradition in their travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Grottaminarda, Bisaccia, Atripalda, Ariano Irpino, Santo Stefano del Sole, Nusco, Pietradefusi, San Sossio Baronia

For the broader travel guide: Avellino.