Longano, perched on a cliff at the foot of the Matese, stands on the right bank of the Lorda torrent, a tributary of the Volturno. The village retains its medieval layout, with houses built one on top of the other and the remains of a castle on the top of Monte Lungo. Traces of Samnite fortifications bear witness to an ancient past, while the first documented news of the municipality dates back to 1269.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, Longano was the scene of brigandage and peasant reaction to revolutionary movements. The town, annexed to Isernia in 1928, regained its autonomy in 1934.
The medieval castle, now in ruins, is of uncertain dating, with hypotheses that place it between the early Middle Ages and the Angevin period. Of great importance is the church of San Bartolomeo Apostolo, built in the 11th century and expanded between 1816 and 1893 with the addition of two naves. Nearby are a fountain and a medieval tower. The church of San Rocco, of ancient origins, has been renovated in neoclassical style and preserves a fourteenth-century stationary cross.
Places of interest include the Palazzo Veneziale, the chapel of Santa Barbara, the stationary cross, the fountain in Piazza Gabriele Veneziale and the gate of Corso Ferdinando Veneziale. Natural areas include the Torrente Lorda and the Acqua Bona picnic area.
A distinctive element of the local culture is the traditional female costume, an expression of the Longanese identity. The women of the village are recognizable by their richly decorated clothes with bobbin lace, San Leucio silks, velvets and Neapolitan muslins. Jewels, in particular the “Presentosa”, complete the clothing, symbolizing social status and the passage to married life.
Among the most heartfelt festivities are the feast of San Domenico Savio (10 May), Sant’Antonio da Padova (13 June), San Donato (7 August), San Rocco (16 August), San Pio (23 September) and the Longanese sausage festival (10-12 August). These events represent moments of aggregation and valorization of local traditions.