Triora Where Witches Danced with the Devil
The Italian Salem
Liguria (Italy) is rich in beautiful villages, and one of these is Triora, a small town just a few kilometers from Imperia.
Its history is very fascinating and mysterious, and what today appears as a charming village once concealed stories, legends, and episodes that were far from serene.
In the summer of 1587, the town of Triora was struck by a severe famine and harsh weather conditions.
These unfortunate events convinced the inhabitants that the blame for these calamities lay with the witches, who were said to be hiding in the village.
Thus began the largest witch hunt that Italy can remember.
As in the famous American town of Salem, the people of Triora pointed the finger at those female figures who lived in unconventional ways.
These were women knowledgeable in natural remedies and medicinal herbs or simply those who practiced rituals far removed from the dominant doctrine.
The Inquisition
The Church, with the Tribunal of the Inquisition, was called upon to investigate the suspicions of the people of Triora regarding the presence of evil witches.
The Inquisition was ready to act with its most macabre means.
And so, 20 women accused of witchcraft were identified.
Then the number grew more and more in a climate of paranoia and confessions obtained under torture.
Thirteen women were captured and imprisoned, subjected to the most abominable tortures mentioned in the “Malleus Maleficarum.”
The wheel, the rack, and many other torments were employed to extract confessions.
The alleged witches were tried, many of them took their own lives or lost them due to the bloody tortures; what is certain is that at least four witches were burned at the Stake Mountain.
The emblematic case, however, was that of Franchetta Borelli.
Franchetta Borelli
The death of the woman accused of witchcraft and diabolical pacts occurred under mysterious circumstances.
It is said that after 48 hours of torment and torture, without having confessed any guilt, Borelli, in a state of delirium, began to speak of the wind blowing outside the window and the harm it would do to the not-yet-ripe chestnuts.
At that moment, with a sudden move, she is said to have thrown herself out of that open window.
The body of Franchetta, who had by then been labeled as the “Witch” and ostracized by the community, much like in the novel “The Scarlet Letter,” was never found, and popular belief held that the devil had taken her away in flight.
Forever.
In this place, the occult became at home, so much so that the symbol of the city is still Cerberus: the legendary three-headed dog guarding the Underworld.
The Cabotina
In Triora, there was a place called the Cabotina, where it was believed that witches would make their deadly pacts with the devil, and a sign reads: the place where witches danced with the devil….
And you, dark souls, wouldn’t you dance with the devil?
We recommend some Locations directly in the village of Triora to savor its atmosphere.
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