Door of the Cantons

The Norman Door “of the Cantons”, which you can watch here see, with the adjacent manor prisons and it giving access to the Norman neighboring quarter, to houses and streets, still retain its original features.

In 1500 it was forbidden to build houses near the city wall and only later it was given the permission.

In 1700 the Marquis Carafa, paid 100 gold coins to renovate the walls; the manufacturer had to be unique in order to guarantee the same aesthetic result in all parts of the city walls.

The Door “of the Canton” was transformed in 1700 into an access to the old prison, which is now the headquarters of the municipal hall.
In 1400, thieves were exposed in the space in front of the door, called “Ribellino” according to a law of the time, which required the public defamation.

Historical photo of the “Ribellino” – Year 1950

Before the unification of Italy, in the evening, the strategic entrance to the village of Tortorella was closed through monumental wooden doors, which have now been lost. This loss helped raise a very unusual phenomenon, still visible. In the afternoon, when the sun turns the corner of the Rebellino and the door “of the Canton” remains in shadow, an intense air flow is generated under the arc: until the last century, that flow was used by women for “Ventoliare” the grain for to separate the seed from the residue of bran. This practice has been painted in a picture of the Cilentano Biagio Mercadante, that illustrating with detailed realism the practice.

Extract from the painting by Biagio Mercadante – The Screeners

You might be interested in:

Accessibility Tools