Between narrow and ancient streetsstones
Once upon a time, among ancient villages and traditions, there was a land of villages suspended in time, where history seems to pass more slowly and stories run through alleys and windows.
A walk to Qualto and Zaccanesca
What is the oldest village in the municipality of San Benedetto Val di Sambro and appears to us in all its exciting splendor as it reveals its origins as a fortified town with its centenary stones, walls, belvedere and doors of the houses that persistently resisted in centuries. Walking around Qualto is a real discovery. A labyrinth of stone walls, sandstone roofs, architraves, inscriptions, the fountain from which fresh water flows all year round: everything speaks of its history dating back to the early 1200s. A story that still invades the village with an unchanging charm . Here and there works "en plein air" painted on the facades of some houses show traces of modernity, still giving a very special charm to the village.
The church of San Gregorio Magno dominates the whole town and the square: built around 1300 it is also dedicated to the Beata Vergine del Carmine who in 1630 protected Qualto from the plague.
Zaccanesca, the hidden village
Hidden by its oak and chestnut forest, Zaccanesca is also one of the oldest villages in the municipality. In the center of the building known as early as 1200 with the name of Caccianesca, enclosed within the walls of the houses, stands the Church of Santa Maria, symbol of the entire history of this beautiful community. The village is invaded by a domestic, archaic air, and thanks to its few but indomitable inhabitants every year it seems to become more beautiful. Cesare, Domenico and Renzo known as Favilla are its guardians and witnesses of a fascinating history. Coming to Zaccanesca is like going to a party, every day. You will always find someone willing to offer you a drink, especially wine, have a chat and listen to the stories of their tradition.
Ancient traditions
We are in Qualto and here we also find the ancient drying room where every autumn chestnuts are placed to dry for 40 days and 40 nights. Throughout the period, the inhabitants gather to feed the hearth that allows the fruits to slowly heat up until they dry up. Then they will be cleaned and ground in the mill to obtain the flour. The sweet aroma that you breathe in those days in the village takes us back in time and gives that joy that in life can only be found in the simplest things
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