At the gates of the National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise, between the villages of Mennella, Collemacchia and Selvone di Filignano, there is a pristine territory where nature and man have lived in harmony for centuries. Here you will find ancient paths, narrow between suggestive stone walls, which lead to one of the most fascinating archaeological sites in the area: the Mennella Mure, testimony of a rich and stratified past.
The central element of the site is the so-called Mennella’s Tower, a quadrangular structure whose origins remain partly shrouded in mystery. Although the name does not appear in ancient documents, scholars link it to the medieval settlement known as “Le Mura”, abandoned when the modern village of Mennella was built, today a fraction of Filignano.
The documents of the Chronicon Vulturnense and other sources from the 10th century attest that these lands belonged to the monks of the abbey of San Vincenzo al Volturno. However, there was no lack of conflict with the Venafro accounts for control of the area. One of the most significant documents is dated 866 and describes extensive possessions donated to the abbey, including hills, churches, rivers, pastures and even servants and maids.
Another deed of 962, accompanied by a precious miniature, shows Ottone I in the act of confirming the goods to the monastery. This document refers to lands that include the area between Filignano and Mennella, including a church dedicated to Sant’Eleuterio.
Archaeological excavations conducted in 2002 revealed that the area was inhabited since the early Middle Ages, with a fortified settlement that included articulated buildings and a cistern. In the past, pre-Roman finds have also emerged, such as a bronze statuette of Hercules.
Particularly striking is the network of mule tracks that connects Mennella to nearby villages. These paths, less than a meter and half wide and lined with powerful drywall walls, tell of a disappeared agricultural landscape, now replaced by forests. The roads were not passable by wheeled vehicles, but they served the movements on mule back, still maintaining intact the charm of a remote time.
The site of Mennella deserves attention and protection, to avoid that episodic excavations compromise its memory. A systematic valorization project could restore to this place the place it deserves in the history and cultural tourism of the Volturno valley.