Casanova: Pilgrimage Traditions, Cultural Heritage and Routes

For a stay in Casanova, you can focus on religious traditions, historic buildings or documented routes. Key highlights include the festival in honor of the Madonna Grande ed Eccelsa, the Franciscan monastery, a war memorial and several CAI routes.

Festivals and Religious Traditions

The festival in honor of the Madonna Grande ed Eccelsa takes place every year on the third Sunday in May. If you would like to plan your trip around it, this recurring date gives you a specific point of reference.

The Infiorata of Casanova is prepared on the night before the procession. In this tradition, the preparation time is part of the described events, alongside the procession itself. The annual celebration in May and the preparations for the Infiorata provide different timing cues for planning a stay.

Monastery, Church and War Memorial

The Franciscan monastery in Casanova dates back to the 13th century and has a cloister. The monastery complex also includes a grotto traditionally believed to be where Saint Francis lived. The monastery’s architectural history is thus linked to a religious tradition, which is explicitly passed down as such.

The statue of the Madonna Grande ed Eccelsa is made of wood. A church in Casanova was dedicated to the Apostles Peter and Paul in 1637. According to a historical tradition, there were four parishes in Casanova in the first centuries of Christianity. These details range from a specific material feature of the Madonna, to a dated church dedication, to an early account of the town’s religious history passed down through tradition.

The war memorial in Casanova is an obelisk in the town’s municipal gardens and commemorates those who fell in the two world wars. Its design includes a bas-relief of an eagle in a circular medallion, as well as a helmet motif. The dedication and imagery highlight different aspects of the monument: its commemoration of the fallen and its specific design.

Routes Around Casanova

Sentiero 710 is described as a circular route connecting Casanova, the Franciscan monastery, the Eremo di San Martino and the Madonna Grande ed Eccelsa sanctuary. A CAI route description dated June 2, 2019, also gives details of a route from Sessa Aurunca to Carinola via Casanova di Carinola: it is 15.25 kilometers long, takes four hours and has a difficulty rating of T. This provides two different bases for planning: a described loop connecting several named places, and a route with details on distance, duration and difficulty.

The route from Avezzano to the Madonna Grande ed Eccelsa sanctuary follows an old pilgrimage path and reaches an elevation of 418 meters, just below the summit of Monte Pecoraro. On another CAI route, after the turnoff for Casanova from the paved Cascano–Carinola road, the path continues parallel to the main road. Check local trail conditions before setting out.

Landscape and Travel Planning

Casanova lies near the western foothills of Monte Massico. The area is mostly made up of low hills, and vineyards and olive groves define the landscape. This information about the surrounding landscape complements the details about buildings, festivals and routes with another perspective to help you plan your trip.

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Go to the main travel overview: Caserta.