Bonefro is a ''

comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...

'' (municipality) in the

Province of Campobasso The province of Campobasso (; ) is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Molise region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Campobasso. It covers an area of and has a total population of 223,871 (2017). There are 84 ''comuni'' (: ''comune'') in ...

in the Italian region

Molise Molise ( , ; ; , ) is a Regions of Italy, region in Southern Italy. Until 1963, it formed part of the region of Abruzzi e Molise together with Abruzzo. The split, which did not become effective until 1970, makes Molise the newest region in Ital ...

, located about northeast of Campobasso. Bonefro borders the following municipalities: Casacalenda, Montelongo, Montorio nei Frentani, Ripabottoni, San Giuliano di Puglia, Sant'Elia a Pianisi, Santa Croce di Magliano. In 2002, the town was in the epicenter for some of the tremors during the Molise earthquake.

History

The first inhabitants of Bonefro, date back to the Lombard period (late 9th - early 10th century) even if remains belonging to previous eras have been found. However, the first definitive evidence for its existence was found in a document written in 1049, with the name ''Binifri'' (from the

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

''Vinifer'') or land where

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...

is produced. Local tradition associates the birth of the village with pilgrims heading to

Apulia Apulia ( ), also known by its Italian language, Italian name Puglia (), is a Regions of Italy, region of Italy, located in the Southern Italy, southern peninsular section of the country, bordering the Adriatic Sea to the east, the Strait of Ot ...

and leaving from

Venafro Venafro (Latin: ''Venafrum''; Greek: ) is a ''comune'' in the province of Isernia, region of Molise, Italy. It has a population of 11,079, having expanded quickly in the post-war period. Geography Situated at the foot of Mount Santa Croce, elevat ...

, who having just arrived in the land of modern day Bonefro, were attacked by bandits and the men turned into stones and the women doves.

Symbols

The coat of arms depicts

Saint Nicholas Saint Nicholas of Myra (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greeks, Greek descent from the maritime city of Patara (Lycia), Patara in Anatolia (in modern-day Antalya ...

, patron saint of the commune. The gonfalon is a blue cloth.

Main sights

* Lombard Castle, built around the middle of the tenth century AD *Santa Maria delle Rose, in

Romanesque style Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of medieval Europe that was predominant in the 11th and 12th centuries. The style eventually developed into the Gothic style with the shape of the arches providing a simple distinction: the Ro ...

(12th-13th century) *Porta Molino, Porta Pie la Terra, Fountain Gate and Porta Nuova, gates dating back to the Lombard period. *Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie (1716)

Culture

Bonefro hosts the annual Adriatic Chamber Music Festival (Festival di Adriatico da Musica da Camera) in July.

Economy

The economy of the town is mostly agricultural however, the town has a small industrial area.

References

External links

Official website

Adriatic Chamber Music Festival website
{{authority control Cities and towns in Molise