Halloween may be over, but this town’s witchy legacy lives on
This Italian town has a long history of witches that lives on in the present day.
Welcome to Benevento, the town that has a legacy of witches...
Stepping off the train in the southern Italian location you might not immediately feel the eerie pull of a dark history. But beneath its ancient stone streets and Roman remains lies a rich tapestry of superstition and folklore that still resonates today.
The story of Benevento’s witchy reputation stretches back centuries, and hinges around the figure of the janara — a kind of witch-woman rooted in local myth. The earliest documented link appears in a 1428 witch-trial account, in which a woman confessed to flying on an ointment to the “walnut tree of Benevento,” over water and wind and bad weather.
From that moment on, Benevento began to be referenced by inquisitors across Italy as a gathering place for witches.
Giuseppe Pietro Bagetti - The Walnut Tree in Benevento (The Witches' Sabbath); c. 1822 pic.twitter.com/kNzXMlxKY3
— MΛЯIПΛ (@oscillate23) July 29, 2025
“If they went to Benevento, then that means they’re witches”
“From that moment on, the inquisitors try to make the witches confess that they went to Benevento, because it becomes a sort of indictment,” Paola Caruso, an author on the topic, told Smithsonian Mag. “If they went to Benevento, then that means they’re witches.”
Women who practiced herbal remedies and local folk medicine, seen by some as healers and by others as threat (think Outlander) found themselves especially vulnerable in this climate of suspicion.
In Benevento, those labelled janare weren’t always sinister figures: many were simply women with knowledge of plant lore and healing. Yet a powerful narrative emerged, transforming them into symbols of fear and fascination.
Fast-forward to the present day, and Benevento continues to embrace its witchy identity, only now with a twist of pride. The logo of the football team features a witch atop a flying broom, and the local museum is filled with stories and artefacts that tell the tale of the town.
𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕎𝕚𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝔹𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕠 🧙♀️🇮🇹
— FOOTBALL ITALIA (@FutbolShIrTALIA) October 31, 2022
The legend of the witches of Benevento dates back to the 13th century. The story is that the area was a gathering places for witches.
Over the centuries hundreds of ‘witches’ were tortured, burned and hung… #Halloween pic.twitter.com/rlCTnpzNKl
Related stories
Meanwhile, the town’s iconic yellow liqueur Strega (“witch” in Italian) was named in homage to that legacy. Born in 1860 in Benevento, its branding features dancing witches and the famous walnut tree.
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
Complete your personal details to comment