In the heart of Cilento, in Vatolla, there is an architectural treasure full of history and imbued with intense cultural value, now open to visits by the public thanks to a recent restoration. This is Palazzo Vargas Machuca, a fortress that has become famous for two main reasons: the generous and very rich family library and the fact that it was the cradle of modern science, as a place of study favored by Giambattista Vico.
Below we will talk in depth about Palazzo Vargas and we will reveal why it is an unmissable destination on your tour of the Salerno area.
The cultural value of Palazzo Vargas: the Giambattista Vico Foundation
From a geographical point of view, Vatolla is not difficult to identify, since it stands on top of a low hill, enough to dominate the surrounding landscape, and from which a conspicuous stretch of coastline is clearly visible, which winds between the coastal Amalfi and Punta Licosa.
The suggestive panorama that can be enjoyed from up there only serves as a backdrop to the immense historical and cultural value that Palazzo Rocca, which later became Palazzo Vargas Machuca, has, having hosted Giambattista Vico, a famous philosopher, and later the family who renamed it, transforming it into a stately residence which today retains its splendor intact and makes it accessible to the public.
To enhance this place, over the years, numerous projects have been studied and implemented, including the establishment of the museum located inside it, with the aim of telling the thoughts of the scholar who gave life to Scienza Nuova, as well as the Giambattista Vico Foundation, which has been operating in this location for over twenty years. But the palace is also the context for countless institutional events, cultural events, which take place in numerous events that take place throughout the year to convey the thoughts of past and modern scholars who make their contribution at a humanistic level and become creators of quality dissemination.
The history of Palazzo Vargas
Sometimes, when referring to Palazzo Vargas Machuca, we also hear it referred to as a castle. This is due to the fact that the building was erected, in all likelihood, in the place where a castle had previously been located which, at the same time, also coincided with the seat of the Lombard representative of the Abbey of San Magno. This can also be seen from some architectural signs that have survived to the present day, such as the structure of the perimeter and the cylindrical configuration of the towers, typical of a fortress. Over the decades and centuries, however, this building changed hands to different owners and, in 1100, it was entrusted to the Sanseverinos, the then Barons of Cilento.
In 1487, the Griso family became the legitimate owners, and worked to implement the changes that would determine the definitive transformation of the castle into a noble residence. Finally, in 1660, the property passed to the Rocca family, i.e. the marquises who hosted Vico. Not many changes were made to the courtyard, floor plan, portals and interior furnishings, and the same was done by the Vargas Machuca family, to whom the complex was assigned in 1767, when Francesco was appointed Marquis of Vatolla.
Culture: between science and typical products
In addition to cultural events, Vatolla is also the setting for some festivals that have their roots in a tradition that clearly speaks of valorisation of the territory and its possibilities in agri-food terms: one of the products for which this location is renowned, in fact, is the onion, the local variant of which has the particularity of offering an extremely delicate flavor and not making your eyes water when it is cut.
In the period that coincides with its maturation (i.e. between the months of July and August), this vegetable is widely made the protagonist of events such as tastings and sales. On these occasions you have the opportunity to taste typical traditional dishes, such as soups, pancakes, omelettes with cacioricotta, Cilento pizza, parmigiana, or creams that serve as a delicious accompaniment to meat: all recipes in which the peculiar taste of the Vatolla onion is enhanced in its purity and simplicity. In conjunction with the Onion Festival, Palazzo Vargas becomes the scene of conferences, concerts and cultural debates, just as established by the Giambattista Vico Foundation, with a view to inducing visitors to appreciate the tranquility of the places so loved by the philosopher, in addition to the products of its generous land, characteristics which were, for Vico, a true source of inspiration and nourishment for his soul.
In this way, a true union is born between culture and culinary art which finds its maximum expression in Vatolla, with the precise objective of showcasing and giving the right value to the places that gave Gaimbattista Vico the opportunity to develop his thoughts up to give life to New Science. For us, today, this type of 360-degree immersive experience represents an evolved form of cultural tourism at the highest levels.
ONE OF OUR OLD AND UNINHIBITED VIDEO AT THE VATOLLA ONION FESTIVAL
