Benevento
A town in southern Italy where legend placed the meetings of witches under a walnut tree, giving the Strega liqueur its name.
Practised and told of here
Best time: Late summer, when town festivals take place.
Benevento was an important Lombard duchy and a papal enclave. From the Middle Ages a story spread that witches met at night under a walnut tree by the Sabato river to dance and feast, with the devil or with the goat. The tale is told in the town today with a wink.
The legend
The walnut tree story is first recorded in writings of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and scholars connect it with older stories of night gatherings of women. No document shows that such gatherings took place, and the stories grew up in a period of witch fear, not from evidence. People accused of witchcraft in southern Italy faced inquisition, but the number of executions was far lower than in northern Europe.
Janare
In local folk belief the janare were women who could fly at night and enter houses. Households protected themselves with a broom or a sack of salt left at the door, the belief being that a janara had to count every straw or grain before she could pass.
Strega today
The Strega liqueur, made in the town since 1860, takes its name from the legend. The town hosts events and a museum devoted to the theme.
A respectful visit to Benevento
Living communities are not a show. Ask before photographing a person or a ceremony, and follow local rules.
- Town centre Walk the old streets and read about the legend at the cathedral square.
- The Sabato river Look at the river where the walnut was said to stand.
- Museum of the Sannio See the local history of the area, including the Lombard past.
Written by the EveryJaadu desk with AI assistance. Background: "Benevento" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets and ceremonies change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.
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