Agnone
A mountain town with the world's oldest bell foundry and a fiery Christmas fire festival.
About Agnone
Agnone sits at 830 metres in the high Molisan mountains, a town that punches far above its weight culturally. The Pontificia Fonderia Marinelli has been casting bells since the year 1000—it's the oldest bell foundry in the world, still producing bells for churches and cathedrals globally. The old town preserves elegant palazzi and workshops of the once-thriving gold and coppersmith trade. But Agnone is most famous for the 'Ndocciata, held on Christmas Eve: enormous fan-shaped torches made of bound wood are lit and carried through the streets in a spectacular fire procession that's been performed for over a thousand years. The surrounding mountains produce excellent caciocavallo cheese and honey.
Best Time to Visit
May to September for mountain weather. December 24 for the spectacular 'Ndocciata fire procession. Autumn for mushroom and truffle season in the surrounding forests.
Local Tips
- Visit the world's oldest bell foundry.
The Marinelli Foundry has been casting bells for over 1,000 years. A local can arrange a tour where you see bells being cast using techniques unchanged since the Middle Ages—a truly unique experience.
- See the 'Ndocciata fire festival.
On Christmas Eve, enormous wooden torches are carried through the dark mountain streets. A local will position you along the route and explain the ancient pagan origins of this breathtaking fire procession.
- Taste mountain cheese.
The high pastures around Agnone produce exceptional caciocavallo and pecorino. A local can arrange a visit to a shepherd's hut where cheese is still made over open fires the way it has been for centuries.