The History of the Olevano Sul Tusciano

The three boroughs, the river Tusciano flowing downstream, but above all the San Michele's Cave, are the characteristics of this small town near Battipaglia. The frescoes of the main chapel of San Michele's Cave go back to the IX - X century and were made by Greek -Italian monks who took refuge in the cave because of the religious conflict at the time.
The first evidence of human presence is dated back to the Paleolithic. The name "Olibanon" which literally means "Oil of Lebanon", was introduced by the Greeks who drive away the Etruscans who had colonized the area before them: Olevano marks the high point of their expansion to the South. In 1862 was added to the name "Sul Tusciano" which recalls the Etruscans. From the borough Salitto,which is the highest in the village, it's possible to see the plain that stretches between Salerno and Paestum, the delta of the river Sele, Punta Licosa and the heights of the Amalfi coast to Capri. In the middle of 1800 it hosted an important paper industry, founded by Francesco Campione, who exploited a hydraulic system. Today the hydroelectric industry is one of the most important in southern Italy and it is still working exploiting the water power of the Tusciano.

A Salitto, also, are still evident the walls built to defend the house of the feudal lord and a palace in Vanvitelli style.

The legend

It is said that at the time of the rebellion of some angels against God the heights of Olevano, Monte Castello and Monte Aureo, have been the theatres of the final phase of the battle which marked the defeat of the rebel angels led by Lucifer. The Archangel Michael lived in a small and narrow cleft, similar to a cave, on Monte Castello. Lucifer, however, found shelter in the beautiful cave of Monte Aureo. One day Lucifer went to visit the Archangel Michael and started to make a jokes of the place where Micheal was living, asking him to visit his own beautiful cave with stalactites and stalagmites, and from which it was possible to admire a beautiful landscape.
The Archangel accepted the invitation to visit the cave of Lucifer. Here, recognized the beauty of the place, Michael asked to sit on Lucifer's throne. The devil agreed. But, once seated, Michael said that he would never have raised again from the throne, provoking the wrath of Lucifer. They challenge each other to a duel, and Lucifer tasted the defeat. He rolled on a boulder, placed lower. Here, conscious of being a victim of its own game, out of anger Lucifer kicked a stone on which remained the mark of its hoof. For this reason the place is called "Devil's hoof." The paw made Lucifer fall still further, until the Tusciano river. A strip line without any vegetation, leads from the cave to the river, and it's called "The Devil's slide."

The visitors of the cave, traditionally, leave three stones in a pit, in order to not run in the ire of the devil.