Lombard Festival

A Lombard evening at the foot of the Tower

The Lombard Festival is an evening event that celebrates the early medieval roots of Montesarchio at the beginning of summer. The gathering is held at the Tower, the monument that best defines this town in the Caudina Valley, located in the province of Benevento, in the heart of inland Campania. The event is organized by the Sentinelle della Torre volunteer association, which has been responsible for the opening and preservation of the monument complex for years.

The event is part of the summer program promoted by the Municipality of Montesarchio in collaboration with local associations: a schedule that, from June to late September, features music, beer festivals, theater, literary meetings, religious celebrations, and heritage-focused initiatives. The Lombard Festival represents the historical and identity-driven side of this program, with the Tower serving as the natural backdrop for the evening.

The Lombard origins of Montesarchio

Montesarchio stands on the site of ancient Caudium, a center of the Caudine Samnites linked to the Battle of the Caudine Forks in 321 BC, and later a Roman municipality along the Appian Way. After the fall of Rome, the hill regained its status as a strategic lookout point: in the 7th century AD, the Lombards, who had made Benevento the capital of a duchy destined to last five centuries, built a watchtower on Ciaurno hill that still dominates the valley today, likely on pre-Roman foundations that served the same defensive purpose.

The medieval village developed around this fortification, while the Castle was remodeled over the centuries by the Normans, Angevins, and Aragonese. At the end of the 15th century, the latter commissioned the engineer Francesco di Giorgio Martini to transform the complex into a military outpost suitable for firearms and artillery. In the 19th century, under Ferdinand II of Bourbon, the structure became a political prison. It is this layering—Samnite, Roman, Lombard, Aragonese, and Bourbon—that the Lombard Festival invites visitors to rediscover, starting with its early medieval chapter.

The Sentinelle della Torre, guardians of the monument

The Tower of Montesarchio is open to visitors thanks to the dedication of the Sentinelle della Torre volunteers, who work in agreement with the Municipality and the Superintendency. The association manages weekend openings, maintenance of the area surrounding the monument, and welcomes groups and school trips by appointment. In addition to the Lombard Festival, the Sentinelle also organize the "Magic Evening" later in the summer season.

• Evening at the Tower starting at 9:00 PM
• Setting in the iconic monument of Montesarchio, on Ciaurno Hill
• Storytelling of the Lombard origins of the Caudine village
• Organized by the volunteers of the Sentinelle della Torre
• Part of the municipal summer program, held on the same evening as the Romantic Night in the Santo Spirito district

The village, the Castle, and the museum

Those arriving for the Lombard Festival can spend the day exploring the rest of the local heritage. Since 2007, the Castle of Montesarchio has housed the National Archaeological Museum of the Caudine Samnium, dedicated to the history of the Caudina Valley and artifacts from the ancient centers of Caudium (Montesarchio), Saticula (Sant'Agata de' Goti), and Telesia (San Salvatore Telesino), featuring a remarkable collection of Attic vases from the Caudine necropolises. The old town and the Santo Spirito district, with their stairways and cobbled alleys, complete the visit, while from the top of the hill, the view opens up over Mount Taburno and the entire valley.

When it takes place

The Lombard Festival is scheduled in June, marking the opening of the summer season in Montesarchio: in 2026, it was held on Saturday, June 20th from 9:00 PM, on the same evening that the Santo Spirito district hosted the Romantic Night. The schedule for individual events is released progressively by the Municipality and the organizing associations through social media channels; it is therefore advisable to check times and participation details in the days leading up to the event.