Let's start with a few pictures of modern-day Contursi, where it all began:                                                             

                                                   A Brief History of Contursi

                           Probably inhabited from prehistoric times, the hill where Contursi Terme now rises saw the birth
                           of a genuine urban center after the fall of imperial Rome. In fact, the inhabitants of the hill known
                           as Saginara fled inland to avoid the destruction perpetrated by the barbarians and Saracens, and
                           to avoid disease.

                           Not until AD 840 is it recorded that a count Orso built a castle as a defense.. The castle, together
                           with all the other castles in the valley, was made a part of the principality of Salerno.In 1287 Carlo
                           divided the principality into two parts, and Contursi vecame part of Citerone (or Citra).

                           From 1291 until the first decade of the XVth century it was held by Sanseverino (Bisignano) and it
                           was under their dominion that it had to surrender, probably in 1348, to the destructive force of Lu-
                           dovico of Hungary, who descended on Italy to punish Queen Giovanna.In 1674 it was acquired by
                           the Parisano family of Tolentino, Marchesi of Caggiano, who held it until 1823

                                Note:  the above was translated from the Italian automatically by Google into
                                Googlese, and was converted roughly into English by Frank Scalpone.