San Costantino Albanese

San Costantino Albanese (Arbëreshë Albanian: Shën Kostandinit i Arbëreshëvet) is an Arbëreshë[3] town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata.

San Costantino Albanese
Comune di San Costantino Albanese
Bashkia Shën Kostandinit i Arbëreshëvet
Church of San Costantino il Grande.
Church of San Costantino il Grande.
Location of San Costantino Albanese
Map
San Costantino Albanese is located in Italy
San Costantino Albanese
San Costantino Albanese
Location of San Costantino Albanese in Italy
San Costantino Albanese is located in Basilicata
San Costantino Albanese
San Costantino Albanese
San Costantino Albanese (Basilicata)
Coordinates: 40°2′N 16°18′E / 40.033°N 16.300°E / 40.033; 16.300
CountryItaly
RegionBasilicata
ProvincePotenza (PZ)
FrazioniConserva, Farneta, Martorino, Venticalia
Government
 • MayorRenato Iannibelli
Area
 • Total37 km2 (14 sq mi)
Elevation
650 m (2,130 ft)
Population
 (31 March 2015)[2]
 • Total738
 • Density20/km2 (52/sq mi)
DemonymSancostantinesi
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
85030
Dialing code0973
Patron saintSt. Constantine the Great
Saint day21 May

Geography edit

San Costantino Albanese sits on a hilltop overlooking the Sarmento Valley and is located across the valley from San Paolo Albanese. The Sarmento River is a dry rock-strewn riverbed during the summer but can be a torrent during the winter rains. The two towns are 3 kilometres (2 mi) apart but the path through the river valley by road is about 8 kilometres (5 mi).[4]

The village is bordered by the towns of Alessandria del Carretto, Cersosimo, Noepoli, San Paolo Albanese and Terranova di Pollino.

It is also adjacent to Pollino National Park.

History edit

San Costantino Albanese was founded in approximately 1534 by ethnic Albanians refugees or Arbëreshë, from Corone, Morea in Greece which was occupied by the Ottoman Turks. Surnames such as Scutari, reflect this connection with the Albanian heritage.

In the early 20th century, the town, like much of Southern Italy, saw a wave of emigration to the United States and South America. Immigrants initially clustered in the New York Metropolitan Area but later distributed throughout the USA.

Frazioni edit

Venticalia edit

Venticalia is a village located approximately 3.9 kilometres (2.4 mi) from San Costantino.

Since the end of the 17th century, it has been the feudal rustic retreat of the Pace family of St. Constantine Albanese. In the seventeenth century. the Pace family built a small votive chapel dedicated to the cult of Saint Helena mother of the Emperor Constantine, of which today only a few remnants remain visible.

Today the village is the site of a compressed wood pellet factory.

Martorino edit

Martorino is one of the concessions granted by the Pignatelli feudal family in the late 17th century to the Pace family.

Local businesses include agriculture and agritourism.

Notable people from San Costantino Albanese edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  2. ^ All demographics and other statistics from the Italian statistical institute (Istat)
  3. ^ P. Bruni, ed. (2004). Arbëreshë: cultura e civiltà di un popolo. p. 173. ISBN 9788824020091.
  4. ^ The Italo-Albanian Villages of Southern Italy, George Nicholas Nasse