The origin of the village of Bonito dates back to the 9th century, during the Lombard domination, in which a military fortress was built (Castrum Boneti) and to which the buttresses still visible in Vico Elena seem to be connected. In the following 10th century (and even more in the 12th-13th centuries), the Normans strengthened the structure, which became a castle between the Duchy of Benevento and the County of Ariano. A notarial deed of 1141 confirms the Norman presence and indicates that the read more
The origin of the village of Bonito dates back to the 9th century, during the Lombard domination, in which a military fortress was built (Castrum Boneti) and to which the buttresses still visible in Vico Elena seem to be connected. In the following 10th century (and even more in the 12th-13th centuries), the Normans strengthened the structure, which became a castle between the Duchy of Benevento and the County of Ariano. A notarial deed of 1141 confirms the Norman presence and indicates that the Casale di Bonito was administered by Odo di Bonito. In 1300 King Charles II of Anjou appointed Odo's nephew, Odo II, feudal lord of Bonito. The Lordship of Bonito was subsequently quite tormented, slipping out of the hands of the old feudal lords and passing, among others, to Giordano Count of Ariano, Ruggiero di Mottafalcone, Michele da Cantone, the D'Acquaviva family, Gerolamo Pisanelli, until 1674, when Giulio Cesare Bonito bought back the fiefdom from the Bonito family (which counted among its members the Patron Saint Bonito). Giulio Cesare Bonito, Lord for over thirty years, made himself well-liked by the population, donated to the Franciscans the land on which they built the former Convent of S. Antonio, and had a small "hospitale" built in Borgo S. Pietro, with the church of S. Giuseppe attached. When he died, he was buried in the church of S. Maria della Valle, which no longer exists, near the Castle. The marble bust dedicated to the feudal lord was recently transferred to the church of S. Maria Assunta. In 1778, Giulio Cesare Bonito's sons, Domenico and Andrea, were succeeded as Lord of the fiefs of Bonito and Morrone Island by Duke Marcantonio Garofalo, who nevertheless used Romualdo Bonito to manage his business on site. Giorgio Garofalo, son of Marcantonio, was the last Duke of Bonito. During the Parthenopean Republic and upon the return of King Ferdinand IV, Bonito was the site of strong conflicts between the few important families. The most recent history of Bonito is linked to the various secret and carbonari societies that were founded in the nineteenth century. The history of Bonito is studded with unfortunate events, despite which it always managed to recover. We remember the devastating earthquakes of 1125, 1456, 1688 (the worst), 1930, 1962 and 1980, the plague of 1536, the destruction of 1648 by popular factions during the insurrection of Masaniello in Naples. Built around 1030 at the behest of Guglielmo Gesualdo, the Norman Castle of Bonito, with a quadrangular plan and a drawbridge positioned over a moat, was destroyed by an earthquake in 1125. The ancient features of the Norman Castle have been lost over time, due to various reconstructions (such as the one in the 15th century in which an expansion was also carried out) and various renovations made over the centuries, also based on the different intended use (towards the middle of the 16th century, for example, from a military structure it became the residence of feudal lords, such as the Orsini, D'Aquino and Garofalo families). The earthquake of 1702 first and that of 1980 later, moreover, caused considerable damage to the Castle; following these two events, some of its parts were even incorporated into those of other nearby buildings. Of the four original towers, only one remains visible today, the Norman Tower, recently purchased by the municipal administration: it stands as a representative element of the ancient Bonito Castle. This is located in the Town Hall square and along its circular walls and under its ceiling ancient paintings are still visible, probably dating back to the seventeenth century. The construction of the convent complex Church of Sant'Antonio began in 1712 and, originally, it consisted only of a dormitory and a small chapel to celebrate religious functions. Further improvement of the structure continued the following year, thanks to the contribution of the Franciscans and the faithful, and it was mainly used as an infirmary. The Convent was only completed towards the end of the eighteenth century and, from 1839 to 1849, the Church of Sant'Antonio assumed the role of cemetery. The entire structure has been considerably affected by several earthquakes over the centuries and the last of these, on 23 November 1980, particularly affected the Church, which was almost entirely destroyed and subsequently restored. Today, the Church and Convent form a single structure, although the former is administered by the ecclesiastical authority, while the latter has become, following some legislative provisions, property of the Municipality. The Church of Sant’Antonio has a single nave and, on the four sides, four ditches closed by large stones are visible which, a few centuries ago, were used for burials. Inside, it is possible to see works of a certain historical and religious interest, such as a Crucifix from 1799, statues of various saints and a pipe organ, built in 1828 by the Mastrilli brothers from Monteverde. read less
