In Molise there is a treasure of the Cenozoic period. We are talking about the Morges, rocky sedimentary formations that preserve marine fossils. These are huge boulders, in fact the name literally means “big stones”.
They were used as residences during the Middle Ages and later transformed into shelters by passing brigands.
Currently constitute a park that includes 11 municipalities between the valleys of Biferno and Trigno: Bagnoli del Trigno, Pietracupa, Salcito, Trivento, Limolisano, Sant’Angelo Lomolisano, San Biase, Montefalcone del Sannio, Roccavivara, Duronia, Oratino and Castropignano.
The Morge Park is a project of the Cultural Association Centro Studi V. Fusco of Campobasso, which is also joined by the University of Molise and in 2020 comes to life an operational project related to experiential tourism thanks to the cooperation between the Park and Azienda Terra Madre.
Inside the Park it is possible to carry out many activities: sport climbing, mountain biking, paragliding and several educational workshops such as the archeolab aimed at children and school children.
The ideal time of visit is spring.
Pamela Bernardo
The most spectacular Morges
What we see today of the Morges is the result of the morphoselection phenomenon. It is a process that allows the separation of the clay component from the rocks by selective erosion, an example is the Morgia di Pietracupa.
Other important formations are: the Morgia of Limosano, on which stands the current town; the Morgia Pietra Fenda (Trivento) characterized by the union of three boulders; the Morgia of Oratino that is characterized by the presence of a medieval tower on top and the city walls of the Samnite era.
In particular, the Morge di Salcito draw attention for their historical and strategic importance.
Pamela Bernardo
The first is the Morgia di Pietravalle, called “dei Briganti”, because it served as a refuge for the same. Over time, as attested by written sources, a settlement arose in the medieval period, given the discovery of a pottery table and numerous holes for the insertion of wooden beams on the west wall. Afterwards the shepherds used the cavities as shelters for transhumance. There are 10 cavities distributed on 2 levels and 15 on the south-western side.
A very similar story belongs to the Morgia di Pietra Martino a Salcito. Thanks to its strategic position along the Celano-Foggia sheep track, it too hosted the shepherds and offered shelter during the Second World War. Once known as Pietra Gianizzera, the ancient settlement has developed on the southern side and the rooms are bordered by a masonry fence and located at different heights.
Pamela Bernardo
Salcito
As mentioned, two of the park’s morges are located in the municipality of Salcito, about 30 km from the capital Campobasso. The name derives from the hydrogeological nature of the land of the country, given the wealth of springs. Some say that it comes from “room”, that is an environment of the Lombard houses and the rest always in the Lombard period was called “Salectu”. The Swabians called it “Salictum”, in the fifteenth century there is talk of the “Castrum Saliciti” and in the following years the settlement is called “Saleceto”.
Pamela Bernardo
The first settlement group dates back even befo
re the year 1000 and was part of a set of fiefs that stretched between the Trigno Valley and Biferno.
The places of interest in Salcito are: the Baronial Palace, the Church of San Basilio Magno dating back to 1500, the “New Church”, the Chapel of the Carmine and the Madonna of Constantinople of 1653. There are also archaeological remains of Roman and medieval times.
From Salcito you can visit the neighboring municipalities of Molise: Fossalto, Pietracupa, San Biase and Sant’Angelo Limosano in the Province of Campobasso; Bagnoli del Trigno, Civitanova del Sannio and Poggio Sannita in the Province of Isernia.
Copertina: molisetoursnc