Till the 1970's the
historical centre was full of small work-shops.
There were a few bakeries
(one was owned by my family) and women used to cook the bread and the cakes.
Many peasant families had a
donkey and a she goat, and every day they used to go to their fields.
At sunset they came back
home with their poor earth products and with the wood for the fire.
Once a month there was a
fair
I, who was leaving in the
town, remember the small streets full of people, the chicks, the pigs.
Even nowadays it's possible
to smell the burnt wood and the music of the Old Municipal Clock, that every 15
minutes gives the right time.
On November 23, 1980, it was a
Sunday, at 07.34 p.m., without a visible forewarning, the heart was violently
shocked by a terrible earthquake: for 90 interminable seconds a tremendous
energy, as great as ten H Bombs, caused about 3000 dead people and hundred
thousands of broken houses in part of the Campania (Irpinia) and part of the
Basilicata.
Also Castelgrande paid its
tribute in that sad tragedy, having about 30 people dead for the earthquake.
Now the country
reconstruction has almost been completed.
About the climate, in
Castelgrande rainfall is abundant in autumn and spring, and winters are cold,
with snow in the higher altitude zones.
The best period for
visiting Castelgrande is summer. It is wonderful: fresh air, good food, swimming-pond, tennis and fabulous sleeping.
And beef and sausage cooked
on the coals.
Some of the inhabitants eke
out a meagre living as farmers (principal crops: wheat, grapes) and livestock
raisers (cows, sheep and goats).
If you want to know some
news about the History, Art, Cuisine, Folklore and Natural Environment of
Basilicata, click here.
If you want to know some
news about the social classes in Basilicata in the period between 18.th and
19.th century click here.
If you want to see a
wonderful panoramic picture (April 2002) of Castelgrande, click here
If you want to see the
panorama from my balcony, click here
If you want to see a
Castelgrande post card, year 1906, sent from Masi Agostino to Dr. Peter
DeSanctis (my grand-father's brother) in New York, click here. I got it by my cousin Peter Albert
DeSanctis, living in U.S.A., Wisconsin.
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