Trail info

Main info about the trail

How to get there

At the 10th kilometer of the road number 145, ascend towards Quisisana

Points of interest along the trail

SS145 Salita Quisisana (130), Sito Arrampicata “Sono al tuo fianco” (400), Acqua dei Porci (923), Cresta di M.Faito (1125), Incrocio 350a Cercasole (1200), Incrocio 350b Grotta S.Catello (1225), Incrocio 300 350 Acqua Santa (1235), M.S.Michele/Molare (1444)

Water points

Acqua dei Porci Sorgente Acqua Santa

Description

The trail begins from the district of “Quisisana” in “Castellammare di Stabia” and continues along the “Fontane del Re”, through the district of “Guglia Castellano” (along the ascending trail at the altitude of 410 mt), “Pizzo delle Monache” and “l’Acqua dei Porci” and ending on the top of “Mount Faito” at the altitude of 1110 mt. From here it develops below the Sanctuary of “St. Michele”. It descends until the “Castellone”, it intersects trail 300 at “Acqua Santa”. At the intersection with trail 300, between the “Molare” and “Conocchia”, this trail leaves the upper side and proceeds towards the base of “Mount St. Michele” (Molare), the highest peak of the chain of the “Monti Lattari”. A narrow and fast ascending track leads to the peak from “Pianoro” and the southern base of the “Molare” (beware of a dangerous step at the beginning of the track)

Enviroment

The most common botanic species of the area is the beech, also vessel of the area: “Faito” is infact a toponym, named after this beechwood. Along with the beeches, one can easily recognise alders, hornbeams and hollies.

Highlight the carnivorous plant pinguicola hirtiflora (Pinguicula hirtiflora Ten) also known as “oily amalfitan herb” (http://www.meditflora.com/flora/pinguicula_hirtiflora.htm)

Anche la fauna è molto ricca di specie: lepre, cinghiale, volpe, riccio, talpa, quercino, moscardino, biacco, saettone, vipera, cervone, biscia, donnola, faina e, sebbene molto raro, il tasso. Numerosi i rapaci tra cui il gheppio, la poiana ed il falco pellegrino

Numerosi gli anfibi presenti: il rospo comune (bufo bufo), la rana appenninica (Rana italica) e la salamandra pezzata (Salamandra salamandra). Di grande importanza è la presenza della salamandrina dagli occhiali (Salamandrina terdigitata), anfibio raro ed endemico italiano.

Historical info

History has it that the “Molare” and the Sanctuary of “Saint Michele” are linked to Saint Catello and Saint Antonino. Around the end of the 6th century, the latter fled the Abbey of Mount Cassino due to the Longobardic looting. He settled in Stabia where the local bishop Catello, a dear friend, decide to retire on “Mount Faito” (known in those days as “Aureo”) thus leaving the parish to Antonino; not long after the two swapped sides, and Antonino lived alone on the Mount feeding himself solely on herbs.

Not much later Catello returned to the Mount, partly due to his desire to return to a hermit lifestyle, partly to follow the parishioners who were forced to flee the town after the Longobard invasion. One night, Saint Micheal the Arcangel appeared in both the Saints dreams demanding them to build a chapel in his name: not much later a wooden shrine was built on the peak of Mount Saint Angel (also known as “Molare”) and shortly after, thanks to a contribution from the Vatican, a leaded roof was added. After being accused of sorcery and imprisoned in Rome, Catello returned to the mount to dedicate himself to the enlargement of the shrine, while Antonino became abbey of the Benedictine monastery of Sorrento; after some time, the temple became one of the most important in Europe, crowded by pilgrims who would attend the daily Holy Mass.

It was given the rank of Abbey in 1352. In 1558 a group of citizen from Sorrento, under the attack of the Turks, reached the abbey and asked the Saint to help them. The statue released a few drops of sweat (manna) and the following day the invasion was foiled. The miracle occurred several times during the following years and especially during the 17th and 18th century. It was also abundant on July 31st 1714; the local bishop Pio Tommaso Milante illustrates the miracle of 1750. In 1862, the massive flow of bandits interrupted all pilgrimage to the “Molare” and the temple fell to pieces. On December 20th the statue was vandalized and hit by a lightning bolt. It was recovered and stored in the Cathedral of Stabia where it stands today. Many attempts were made to rebuild the temple. The first by Girolamo Giusso in 1899 and then by the bishop Pasquale Ragosta on July 2nd 1935, abruptly abandoned after the beginning of the war of Ethiopia. The reconstruction ended in 1950 and it is now located on Mount Cerasolo. Wikipedia

From Instagram #caimontilattari350