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 views of Lake Lesina, towering to the east, while to the west a wide view of lower Molise, particularly Termoli and its port, predominates.
In the background, towers the Maiella Mountains, and on haze-free days even the Gran Sasso massif is visible, giving evocative sunsets on summer afternoons. Closing the frame of the marvelous panorama is the presence of the Tremiti Islands, which face the shoreline of Marina di Chieuti in a crystal-clear sea that has repeatedly been awarded coveted accolades, such as the Blue Flag and the four Legambiente sails, and that stretches along a sandy shoreline with crystal-clear waters with the Tremiti Islands and the Gargano as the backdrop to a breathtaking landscape.
After being destroyed by the Goths in 495 A.D., an Albanian community settled permanently in the territory between 1460 and 1470, arriving in the wake 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 enhance this heritage through demonstrations and events, with songs in the language and typical clothing.
THE FEAST
Characteristic of Chieuti is undoubtedly the festivity in honor of the patron saint, St. George Martyr, with the Carrese of April 22, a singular race starring four wooden wagons, each pulled by a pair of oxen, which, with the help of horses, travel a route of about 4 kilometers that leads them from the countryside to the church located in the historic center of the town.
The prize for the winning wagon will be to carry the simulacrum of the saint on their shoulders during the procession on April 23, wearing a red headdress with the bow of the color of their contrada: on this occasion they also parade the Tarallo, a form of caviocavallo paste weighing about 80 kg, which after being blessed is divided and distributed to the entire population.
To visit:
the Museum of Arbereshe Culture and Identity, which is joined by the Museum of Chieutin Migration, and the St. George Martyr Catholic Church, built in the 17th century in honor of Skanderbeg.
To visit:
the Museum of Arbereshe Culture and Identity, joined by the Museum of Chieutin Migration, and the St. George Martyr Catholic Church, built in the 17th century in honor of Skanderbeg.
Inside the church is a canvas depicting St. George and the dragon, attributable to master Alessio D'Elia, dated around 1740. In the sacred building, a canvas depicting Our Lady of Mount Carmel giving the scapular to the souls in purgatory, also ascribable to the production of D'Elia, and an artifact depicting the Madonna and Child, ascribable to the works of Paolo Saverio di Zinno (1718-1781), a Molise sculptor very active in Capitanata, are pendants to the St. George and the Dragon.
Photo by: Gaetano Armenio and Pasquale Aurelio
