Discover Bellona: Churches, Archaeology and History

Bellona brings together archaeological sites, religious history and memorials in a landscape on the edge of the Volturno Plain. This gives you a range of historical perspectives to explore as you plan your trip: from visible fortification remains to churches and chapels, as well as recurring festivals. Each site tells a different part of the town’s history.

Landscape and archaeological sites

Bellona lies on the northeastern edge of the Volturno Plain, along the first foothills of the Monte Maggiore massif. Monte Grande rises north of the town. Remains of a polygonal fortification dating from the 4th to 3rd century BC are visible there. It has a perimeter of about 400 metres. At Camarelle delle Fate, at the foot of S. Croce hill northeast of Bellona, lie the remains of a large rural villa from the 2nd century BC. It was built on three levels. The fortification and the villa offer different archaeological perspectives: one is a structure on a hilltop, the other a multi-storey rural building.

The Volturno is another historical landmark. Fragments of the ancient Ponte Annibale lie in the riverbed near the present-day bridge, in a small protected archaeological area. 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. The Ponte Rotto is a different bridge: it connected old Capua with the Via Latina and was rebuilt around 560 AD by Emperor Justinian.

Churches and religious history

The Chiesa Arcipretale di San Secondino Vescovo e Confessore is Bellona’s most important Catholic church. 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 present appearance in 1821. Notable features include a 15th-century octagonal dome measuring about 15 metres in diameter, which the municipality had restored in 1830. The church houses around twenty statues, most of them dating from the 18th to 20th centuries.

An important religious tradition is associated with Maria SS. di Gerusalemme. The statue was first made in 1806 and brought to Bellona permanently in 1810. The cult originally centred on a chapel on Monte Rageto. There was a fresco of the Madonna and Child there, commissioned in 1419 by Priamo Marra of Bellona. The chapel of Sancta Jerusalem on Monte Rageto was built by Riccardo II, Prince of Capua, at the end of the crusade to recapture Jerusalem.

The Cappellina Santella is another religious memorial site. It opened for worship in 1870 and is dedicated to the Madonna delle Grazie. The chapel houses an old painting of the Madonna delle Grazie. In Triflisco, a district of Bellona, stands the Chiesa del Santissimo Salvatore. The present building was built in 1960 and is furnished with items from Capua dating from the 18th century.

Memorial sites and planning your visit

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. Steps in the ossuary lead down into the former quarry; marble plaques bear the names of the fallen. The Cappella di San Michele Arcangelo is also associated with the massacre of 54 residents of Bellona. It has no architectural barriers. If practical accessibility is important for your visit, it is advisable to check in advance.

Two different periods are relevant if you plan to visit for a festival. The annual festival of Maria SS. delle Grazie takes place from 29 June to 2 July; the exact programme may change. The celebrations for Maria SS. di Gerusalemme take place during Easter, with Martedì in Albis as the central day. Since this day depends on the date of Easter, it does not fall on the same calendar date every year. If you are planning your trip around a celebration, check the current dates and programme.

Triflisco adds the history of its springs to these historical themes. Under Fulvius Flaccus, they were developed into Roman baths; because the water was considered beneficial, the Romans built several villas there on the hill. In Lombard times, a castle and its associated settlement of Sicopoli stood on Palombara hill. Together with the archaeological sites, churches and memorials, these places offer different perspectives on Bellona’s history.

Discover more destinations: Triflisco, Caiazzo, Sant'Angelo d'Alife, San Clemente, Marcianise, Casanova, San Castrese, Arienzo.

For the wider travel overview: Caserta.