The Gateway to Apulia

Situated on a lush hillside, about 8 km from the sea, Chieuti is considered the 'Gateway to Apulia' and is surrounded by breathtaking views: the Gargano promontory, with a view of Lake Lesina, dominates the view to the east, while to the west there is a wide view of lower Molise, in particular Termoli and its port.

In the background, the Maiella mountain range looms overhead, and on mist-free days even the Gran Sasso massif is visible, providing evocative sunsets on summer afternoons. Closing the frame of the marvellous panorama is the presence of the Tremiti Islands, which face the coastline of Marina di Chieuti in a crystal-clear sea that has repeatedly been awarded coveted accolades, such as the Bandiera Blu (Blue Flag) and the four Legambiente sails, and that stretches along a sandy coastline with crystal-clear waters, with the Tremiti Islands and the Gargano forming the backdrop to a breathtaking landscape.

After being destroyed by the Goths in 495 A.D., between 1460 and 1470 an Albanian community settled permanently in the territory, having arrived in the retinue of the leader Giorgio Castriota Skanderbeg.

Of these origins, Chieuti still preserves evidence today thanks to the presence of the Arbereshe language, still spoken among the population. In recent years, the community has been working to safeguard and valorise this heritage, through demonstrations and events, with songs in the language and typical clothing.

THE FEAST

Characteristic of Chieuti is undoubtedly the festivity in honour of its patron saint, San Giorgio Martire, with the Carrese of 22 April, a singular race with four wooden carts, each pulled by a pair of oxen, which, with the help of horses, cover a distance of around 4 km that leads them from the countryside to the church located in the town centre.

The prize for the winning wagon will be to carry the simulacrum of the saint on its shoulders during the procession on 23 April, wearing a red headdress with a bow in the colour of its district. On this occasion, the Tarallo, a form of cabbage paste weighing around 80 kg, is also paraded, which after being blessed is divided and distributed to the entire population. 

To visit: the Museum of Arbereshe Culture and Identity, plus the Museum of Chieutin Migration, and the Catholic Church of St George Martyr, built in the 17th century in honour of Skanderbeg. The church houses a canvas depicting St George and the dragon, attributable to master Alessio D'Elia, dated around 1740. In the sacred building, the St. George and the Dragon is accompanied by a canvas depicting Our Lady of Mount Carmel giving the scapular to the souls in purgatory, also attributable to the work of D'Elia, and an artefact depicting the Madonna and Child, attributable to the work of Paolo Saverio di Zinno (1718-1781), a Molise sculptor very active in Capitanata.

Photos by: Gaetano Armenio and Pasquale Aurelio