The village of Valle in Olevano sul Tusciano is the birthplace of Carlo Carucci, a historian of southern Italy and author of works such as the Codice Diplomatico Salernitano and the diary The Battle of Salerno Seen from the Village of Valle, in which he described the landing on the Salerno coast and the three weeks of intense battle that followed, as observed from his terrace.The village offers a captivating panoramic view of the entire area affected by what was the largest amphibious operation in the Mediterranean Sea.
The Village of Valle represents a small world rich in history and meaning. During World War II, it served as a meeting point between different cultures and nations.
The presence of various armies—from German troops to Anglo-American forces—shaped the village’s social and cultural dynamics. Interactions first with the occupiers and later with the liberators fostered a new form of collective identity, embedding the territory with a shared memory of struggle and freedom.
The women of the village, many without the support of husbands at the front, became protagonists of a narrative of resilience, taking the community’s fate into their own hands. One particularly courageous and significant act of rebellion was when they threw quicklime at the Fascist emblem on the village fountain, a gesture asserting their freedom.
This connection to the past extends beyond wartime events to encompass a broader European cultural context. With its “Terrace Over the Gulf,” the Village of Valle offers a fuller narrative of the “Battle of Salerno,” where the history of a small village intertwines with that of an entire continent.
The Village of Valle in Olevano sul Tusciano reached its peak splendor starting in the second half of the 19th century, when it experienced a demographic boom. The narrow path winding up the promontory bustled with commercial and productive activities, mostly revolving around the olive mills. Located at the foot of Mount Castello, the village formed the first urban settlement near the Dominican convent of Santa Maria di Costantinopoli, which was closed in 1810 during the reign of Joachim Murat, King of Naples.
The village’s decline began after World War II and continued due to a steady wave of emigration. However, its residents, despite being shaken by the war, managed to foster processes of peace by engaging in dialogue with both the German and Anglo-American troops.