Battipaglia

History

The area was given its modern name in 1080, when Robert Guiscard confirmed the possession of lands between the Sele river and Tusciano river to the Church of Salerno. Mentioned in the document, the Castelluccio was then owned by the Church of Salerno, and its subsequent owners would be Count Marcoaldo, the Teutonic Order, the Church of Salerno again, the Doria family, and Marquis Giulio Pignatelli. Battipaglia was officially created by Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies as an agricultural colony in 1858, being defined as an independent municipality by a Royal Decree on 28 March 1929. The Bourbon authorities chose Battipaglia as the site of an agricultural colony, where families who had survived the 1857 Basilicata earthquake could be rehoused.

During the Second World War, markedly in 1943, the town was bombed several times by American aviators. In 1953 the town was involved in a disappearance which has since remained shrouded in mystery, involving socialist mayor Lorenzo Rago. In the years following the end of World War II, Battipaglia undertook a great industrial growth, also witnessing a big increase in population - mostly people moving from neighboring towns. In 1969, due to the concrete possibility that two large plants of sugar and tobacco, both employing a significant number of inhabitants, would close, about half of the city gave life to a popular uprising, which would be calmed down few days later following the Italian government's commitment not to close them. The few but intense days of social unrest eventually resulted in 2 victims. Since late 20th and early 21st century, the town has managed to combine the agricultural sector (French company Bonduelle established one of its two plants in Italy here) with the technological one.

Geography

The municipality borders with Bellizzi, Eboli, Montecorvino Rovella, Olevano sul Tusciano and Pontecagnano Faiano. Its hamlets (frazioni) are Aversana, Santa Lucia Inferiore, Spineta, Belvedere, Taverna delle Rose, Serroni (Alto e Basso) and Rione Sant'Anna.

Population

The ethnic origins of the inhabitants are extremely varied. The first migration wave, beginning in the nineteenth century, led many people to move there from Melfi and neighboring municipalities. In the 1960s, the local population soared due to the influx of immigrants from bordering areas (including the towns of the Monti Picentini, Campagna, the valley of the river Sele and Cilento), mainly because of the job opportunities in the town's industry and the economic boom experienced by Italy in that historical period.

Over the last two decades, many agricultural laborers from North Africa as well as Slavs (mainly southern and eastern) have moved to Battipaglia, making up about 3% of the resident population.

Economy

Most of the town's wealth is due to the industrial, craft, and agricultural sectors. Among the most significant companies are: Bonduelle (food), Prysmian (telecommunications cables), Sivam (animal husbandry), Metzeler (auto parts), Alcatel-Lucent (research center), Telerobot (electronic equipment), Nexans (electric cables), Crown (packaging in metal closures), Paif, Jcoplastic, and Deriblok (plastic). Several local dairy companies produce the well-known local buffalo mozzarella (Mozzarella di bufala campana DOP), a famous form of which is called 'zizzona di Battipaglia' because of its similarity to a female breast.

Culture

Every first Sunday of July the town's center is decked to the nines for three days on the occasion of the celebrating of Our Lady of Hope (Festa della Speranza). The big town market, whose atmosphere recalls an amusement park where traders can display their wares, lasts from Saturday to Monday, usually ending with a music exhibition in the central Piazza Amendola.

Media

Demographics

As for population, Battipaglia is the third municipality of its province, after Salerno and Cava de' Tirreni.

Literature