Ariano Irpino

Ariano Irpino is a hilltop municipality in the Province of Avellino, Campania, built across three ridges at roughly 800 meters elevation between two coastlines. The town consists of narrow lanes winding around squares, a cathedral, and several churches scattered across the slopes.

A fortress was raised here around the year 800 to counter attacks from the east, with its foundations now visible in a park on the edge of town. During the Middle Ages the settlement grew into a trading post linking the two coasts, expanding around the fortified walls.

Local pottery workshops display plates and tiles decorated with bright blues, yellows and greens that you can watch artisans paint by hand. Many families in the old quarter continue to shape clay on wheels set up near doorways, selling their work at markets and small shops along narrow lanes.

The railway station sits roughly 6 kilometers outside town and connects to Rome and Bari, with buses running regularly into the center. Plan extra time for the steep climbs through the old quarter, especially if you are walking.

The name Irpinia comes from the Oscan word for wolf, referring to the ancient tribes who lived in these mountains before Rome took control of the area. Today crests and street names recall this animal, which remains present in local storytelling.

Location: Province of Avellino

Capital city: Ariano

Elevation above the sea: 811 m

Shares border with: Castelfranco in Miscano, Flumeri, Grottaminarda, Montecalvo Irpino, Savignano Irpino, Zungoli, Apice, Greci, Melito Irpino, Monteleone di Puglia, Villanova del Battista

Website: http://comune.ariano-irpino.av.it

GPS coordinates: 41.15278,15.08889

Latest update: December 13, 2025 19:37