San Severino, Centola

Frazione in Campania, Italy

San Severino

Frazione

Medieval village upon the hill.
In the background the railway bridge. 2012 photo

San Severino

Location of San Severino in Italy

Coordinates: 40°5′23.28″N 15°20′51″E﻿ / ﻿40.0898000°N 15.34750°E﻿ / 40.0898000; 15.34750
Country| Italy
Region|  Campania
Province| Salerno (SA)
Comune| Centola
Elevation

| 130 m (430 ft)
Population

(2011)[1]

• Total

| 435
Demonym| Sanseverinesi
Time zone| UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)| UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code|

84051

Dialing code| (+39) 0974
View of the medieval village in 2009.

San Severino is an Italian village and hamlet (frazione) of the municipality of Centola[2] in the Province of Salerno, Campania. As of 2011 its population was 435.[1]

## History

[edit]

The village was founded in the 10th-11th century. Until 1861, it was known as San Severino di Camerota. The original settlement is located upon a hill but was gradually abandoned during the end of the 19th century after the construction of a railway line. New houses were built in the valley, just below the hill but closer to the railway.[3] Nowadays, the ancient village is a ghost town and a preserved heritage, because of the conservation status of its medieval structure.[4][5]

## Geography

[edit]

Located in the valley of Mingardo river, close to the mount Bulgheria, San Severino is found along the provincial road SP 109, in southern Cilento. It is 4 km far from Foria and Poderia, 6 from Celle di Bulgheria, 8 from Centola, 10 from Palinuro (by the sea), 15 from Camerota and 16 from Marina di Camerota. The modern village is linked to the medieval one by a pedestrian trail.

## Transport

[edit]

In San Severino, there is a railway station of Centola which is part of the Salerno-Reggio Calabria line, linking the village to direct trains to Naples and Cosenza.

The village is also served by a highway (Salerno-Battipaglia-Paestum-Agropoli-Vallo della Lucania-Policastro-Sapri), at the exit of "Poderia-Palinuro", 2,5 km far.

## See also

[edit]

* Cilentan dialect
* Cilentan Coast
* Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b (in Italian) Infos at italia.indettaglio.it
2. ^ (in Italian) Municipal statute of Centola
3. ^ (in Italian) History of San Severino (cilentocultura.it) Archived 2009-07-09 at the Wayback Machine
4. ^ (in Italian) San Severino on paesifantasma.com Archived 2014-08-13 at the Wayback Machine
5. ^ "San Severino di Centola". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2020-05-11.

## External links

[edit]

* How to Keep a Medieval Ghost Town Ghostly, 2023 article on the abandoned village of San Severino di Centola at Atlas Obscura

Media related to San Severino at Wikimedia Commons