Avellino

Avellino is a town in the Campania region of southern Italy, located 42 km northeast of Naples. The town was acquired by Riccardo dell'Aquila during the Norman rule in 1100. Later, it was assigned to the Montfort family by King Charles I of Anjou. In 1581, the feudal rights to Avellino were purchased by Don Marino I Caracciolo, the duke of Atripalda. Until the mid-1970s, agriculture used to be the pulse of Avellino’s economy, but many people have now moved away from this occupation because of lower wages. However, viticulture, tobacco, and hazelnuts remain the key crops for the local economy.
The town of Avellino includes a number of sights. Some ruins of the ancient town of Abellinum can be seen near the modern village of Atripalda. The remains of the Lombard castle in Piazza Castellos can also be visited by tourists. This unique castle is at the base of a small valley, and hence its construction and utility continue to puzzle modern day historians. It is one of the biggest castles in southern Italy. The 17th-century Fountain of Bellerophon is another interesting site to visit. Avellino also has some notable museums, including the Museum of Art, Provincial Archaeological Museum, Provincial Art Gallery and Zoological Museum of invertebrates. Avellino can be reached by air, with the nearest airports being those of Salerno-Pontecagnano and Napoli-Capodichino. By bus, it can be reached via the Autoservizi Irpini public transport service.