Piazzolla di Nola: Winds knock down the centuries-old plane tree at Villa Albertini.

Nola – Just over ten minutes of strong winds were enough to erase nearly two and a half centuries of history. Late yesterday afternoon, around 6:30 PM, the strong gusts that swept across the Nola area—already predicted in the weather alert issued by the Campania Civil Protection Department—toppled the majestic plane tree on Via Villa Albertini, in Piazzolla di Nola.

The tree, known by all as “'a quercia 'ngopp 'o palazzo”, represented an authentic point of reference for the community and guarded the historical memory of the populous hamlet.

A monumental tree with over two centuries of history

The plane tree was planted in 1779 by the architect Francesco Collecino, a student of Luigi Vanvitelli, in front of the entrance to Palazzo Albertini, a building that belonged to Ferdinand IV of Bourbon during the period of renovations of the Royal Palace of Portici.
For over 240 years it dominated the square, becoming an integral part of the urban landscape and identity of Piazzolla di Nola.

The collapse on the balcony of the building

Violent gusts coming from Mount Somma uprooted the gigantic tree, which fell onto the central balcony of the historic building.
Only chance prevented far more serious consequences: the house on which the tree fell was uninhabited at the time and no injuries were reported.
Carabinieri from the Nola Company and the Piazzolla Station responded to the scene, along with the Fire Brigade from the Naples Provincial Command, who operated with special equipment to secure the area and remove the heavy barrel.

The controversy: "The roots had been out of the ground for years."

The video of the collapse, posted on social media, quickly went viral, drawing hundreds of comments.
Bitterness, but also anger, prevails among residents. Many claim that the plane tree's roots had long since emerged from the ground, distorting the road surface and showing clear signs of distress.

According to numerous testimonies, no adequate maintenance or monitoring has been carried out over the years, a circumstance that is now fueling the debate on the protection of the historic tree heritage and risk prevention.