Abruzzo - About the City

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Info about the provinces, towns and place of interest:

Abbruzo region’s 4 provinces are L’Aquila, Pescara, Chieti and Tweramo. Most of the tows in the Abruzzo region build a tangible bridge between tradition and modern-day life. All the towns are a paradise for second homes and Abruzzo property seekers. There is no shortage of beautiful properties or houses for sale in Abruzzo. Waves of Artistic and architectural movements over centuries speak to all tastes from rustic to refined. Yet all the convenience associated with modern living are also present in the houses and villas in Abruzzo.

Whether you are interested in culture of just want to enjoy the shops and atmosphere, there’s something here for everyone. To purchase your Italian property in the four provinces, we use our time, energy and expertise. Whether your requirements are for relaxation, retirement or investment our unique property search consultancy allows you to relax, and us to take the strain out of the Italian property acquisition.

The towns do not have the same sprawling dimensions as other regions.

The large number of public squares are used as a meeting place for old and young – especially during the summer months – and form the human dimension of the town’s architecture.

Maintaining a cultural identity and a low population density (1.25 million residents in the entire region) have given the Abruzzo region Italy’s lowest crime rates. The Mafia has been unable to establish itself here. The standard of living is high. Foreign tourists are still a rarity in the towns. In contrast to the well known metropolises of the “Bel Paese”, in which the overriding languages are German, English and Japanese, the Abruzzo region is still a paradise for Italian authenticity.

L’Aquila is the main province, the capital of Abruzzo with its 70,000 residents and is situated on the southwest side of the Gran Sasso National Park at 721m above sea level. L’Aqula was founded in 1240 by the Stauferkaiser (emperor) Friedrich II. He wanted to secure the influence of the Kingdom of Napes in the north. A university town (founded in 1458), it is a lively and dynamic place with rich cultural life. It often plays host to jazz concerts and theatrical performances.

One of the most interesting medieval monuments is the “Fontana delle 99 cannelle”, built in 1272 to commemorate the founding of the city, it was for this purpose that 99 of the province’s districts were represented in the town. Ever since, the number 99 has always been of special importance for the people of L’Aquila. The town hall’s clock tower strikes 99 times and in the “Fontana delle 99 cannelle” (Fountain of the 99 Spouts) water flows from the same number of masks. Building of the Romanesque church of S. Maria di Collemaggio was started in 1287 on the orders of Pietro da Morrone, who would become Pope Celestine V in this very church in 1294. The interior of the church is now a shrine containing the Saint’s tomb. There are many other interesting churches, such as S. Giusta, S. Maria di Paganica, S. Maria di Roio, S. Marco di Pianola, S. Silvestro, S. Pietro di Coppito and S. Flaviano.

Among the various 16th century masterpieces in L’Aquila, the façade (1524-40) and the portal of the church of S. Bernardino stand out. The imposing Castle, started in 1529 on the orders of the Spanish viceroys and now housing the Museo Nazionale d”Abruzzo, is also worth seeing.

The town was conquered by Emperor Karl V. in 1528 for the Spanish crown. The people of the town rebelled against this foreign rule. In order to secure its hold and to protect themselves against the dissatisfied people of the town, the Spanish built a mighty castle.

Pescara was founded in 1926 when the old Pescara united with Castellammare Adriatico, the town has some interesting modern buildings. The famous Figlia di Lorio, painted by Francesco Paolo Michetti, is in Palazzo del Governo. On the seafront there is La Nave, sculpted by Pietro Cascella (1987). D’Annunzio’s family home is worth a visit. Linked to Pescara by a seafront road that runs along splendid beaches, Montesilvano Marina spreads south of the mouth of the Saline River and is one of the most popular beach resorts in Abruzzo because it is so easy to reach, it offers lively summer activities.

Pescara is an administrative and business centre and is the most densely populated city in Abruzzo; it is also an excellent seaside resort thanks to the wonderful sandy beach that runs for 10 km parallel to the city centre and the nearby pinewoods. The Riviera – stretching from the Santa Filomena pinewood (on the edge of Montesilvano) to the city as far as the roundabout in Piazza Primo Maggio, the merchant port, the harbour and the D’Annunzio pinewood – is a continuum of attractions in an oasis of light and sea. Visits to the major museums or to the musical and cultural theatre events that enliven the summer in Pescara are obvious complements to any stay. The most important events are the International Jazz Festival and the Flaiano Prize. Pescara sustains its vocation as a resort with a large selection of hotels and 80 bathing establishments, as well as 4 indoor swimming pools and the aforementioned harbour, Marina di Pescara.

Chieti The province of Chieti is mostly a hilly and mountainous area between the Adriatic sea to the east and the Maiella chain to the north-west. It is extensively cultivated with olive trees and vineyards, and produces celebrated wines and extra virgin olive oil. The province of Chieti was called “Citeriore” since it was situated to the right of the Pescara river and was in Latin “citra” (this side) with reference to Napes, the capital of the Kingdom.

With the instruction of the Province of Pescara, in 1927, a number of communes previously belonging to the province of Chieti changed province.

The ruins of the Roman town of Teate can be seen in various parts of the city. The Roman theatre, the temple complex known as the Roman Tempietti and a cistern of the old baths are worth seeing. The Museo Archeologico Nazionale, owns the biggest archaeological collection in Abruzzo, including the Guerriero di Capestrano, the stelae of Penna Sant’Andrea and sarcophagi and sculputures from Alba Fucens.

The ancient Cathedral of S. Giustino dominates the landscape. The current building dates from the 14th century and was altered in the 18th century. It still has an elegant clock-tower built between 1335 and 1498 as well as some interesting frescos.

The 17th Century churches of S. Pietro and S. Giovanni dei Cappuccini are worth seeing. Inside the Villa Comunale, the neo-classical Villa Friger houses the Museo Archeologico Nazionale

Teramo The Province of Teramo is the northernmost province of Abruzzo. The territory has a great variety since in a space of hardly 40 km as the crow flys, it goes from the Adriatic beaches to the almost 3000 meters of the highest Appenine peaks. It is crossed by the seven valleys of the rivers Tronto, Vibrata, Salinello, Tordino, Vomano, Piomba and Pinto.

In the old centre of Interamnia Pretuzia, are some remarkable Roman theatre and amphitheatre ruins, together with several houses and the ruins of the baths.

The Cathedral of S. Berardo, started in 1158 and then modified in the 14th century, is definitely worth seeing. It contains a famous silver altar frontal by Nicola di Guardiagrele. The churches of S. Francesco, S Agostino and of Madonna delle Grazie are also worth a visit.

The museum to be seen in the area is Museo Archeologico where Roman findings are on display, also Pinacoteca Civica there is a collection of 17th and 18th century paintings.

Other towns and places of interest –

The towns of Peligna Valley

Corfinio

Corfinium” was one of the pre-Roman Abruzzo’s most important towns due to its fortunate strategic position between the Peligno basin and the Fucino plain. The remains of the old capital of the Peligni, whose origins date back to 5th century BC. In 91 BC, during the social war Corfinio became the capital of the Lega Italica (Italic League) state. The fearless people Samnites, Pecenes, Marrucini, Vestini, Marsi, Aequi, Paeligni and Frentani formed an alliance against the Urbe (Rome) and chose Corfinio as their capital. Corfinio coined its own money, with the new name of “Italia”, symbolised on the coins by a female head crowned with laurel and the word Italy was born as it was used in a political sense for the first time in history.

The alliance thus hampered Romes eastward expansion, but the force of Rome’s army soon succeeded in beating the resistance of rebels, and in 49 BC Corfinio surrendered.

The town was again on the stage of Roman history during the Republican period, when the civil war broke out between Caesar and Pompey, for this was where the latter gathered his troops under the command of the general Domitius Enobarbus. So Corfinio was besieged by Caesar, who in the long run decided against its destruction, as he himself related in the “De bello civili”.

Of its Roman past we find the ruins of a tower mausoleum along Via Valeria, known locally as “Morroni”, the remains of a wall of a circular mausoleum, a great square boundary in “Opus reticulatum”, belonging to a country villa of the Imperial age, behind the Cathedral of San Pelino.

The archaeological excavations, which have been going on for years, have brought to light remains of the Peligno necropolis, an ancient urban centre. “

With the theatre and amphitheatre it is only possible to discern the basic layout, due to the superimposition of modern housing, the remains of the ancient sacred area are in a better state of conservation, situated just outside the centre, along the so-called Via di Pratola.

Of great interest are the finds made over the course of the past few years: in Piano San Giacomo the remains of a Roman villa with a splendid mosaic floor, and at Fonte Sant’Ippolito, a few kilometres from the village, well conserved are two buildings with a rectangular plan, of which the biggest is dedicated to Hercules: the upper one houses a little temple that leans against a long wall made from large blocks; the lower one has a monumental fountain.

Famous for the two massive Roman sepulchres near the basilica of S. Pelino, ancient Corfinium still has many features from the ancient town, such as the theatre, the amphitheatre and the baths.

The impressive Basilica Valvense dates from the early Middle Ages and was rebuilt in the 12th century. It still has a fantastic ambon and wonderful frescoes.

Sulmona

The tradition is that it was founded 1000 years BC by Solimo, a friend of Aeneas, fleeing from the city of Troy. The town was called Sulmo in Roman times and is mentioned by historians on many occasions, as when in 211 BC it was sacked by Hannibal. Situated in the heart of the Pelignia Valley, Sulmona lies impressively surrounded by a mountain landscape which sets off its beautiful old town centre buildings. It is the biggest and most important town of this valley and its most flourishing phase dates back to Roman times when it was a Pelignian municipium along with Corfinium and Superaequum, and to the Renaissance, a time of thriving trade and high quality craft production. A determining factor was its geographical position, at a junction of the Via Claudia Valeria and the Celano-Foggia “tratturo” (a regulated system of wide grassy thoroughfares) connected with important communication routes between Marsian territory in one direction and the Naples area in the other; the Via degli Abruzzi, the commercial and cultural thoroughfare between Florence and Naples, passed through Sulmona. It was the early shepherd communities, who had settled in pre-Roman times on the surrounding hills, who were initially responsible for the development of the town; there are remains of fortified walls on Colle Mitra. The great latin poet Publius Ovedius Naso was a citizen of Sulmona where he was born in 43 BC.

Around Sulmona at the foot of Mt Morrone are the sizeable terraces of the sanctuary of Ercole Curino, the most impressive Italic place of worship in the entire region. There are remains from the 1st century BC, but the sanctuary is probably much older. Some Roman ruins are visible below the Annunziata complex.

The Cathedral was founded prior to 1000 AD and restored between 1078 and 1119, then again in both 1238 and 1461. The 14th-century Porta Napoli, the aaqueduct (1256) and the (substantially changed) churches of S. Maria della Tomba and S. Francesco della Scarpa along with the Cathedral, all retain a medieval appearance. The imposing Badia Morronese (abbey), from the 13th century, was used as a dungeon for a long time. A path leads up to the hermitage of S. Onofrio, where St. Peter Celestine spent some time. It conserves some frescoes painted in the 13th and 14th centuries.

The façade of the magnificent complex of buildings including the church and the Palazzo dell’Annunziata is one of the finest examples of the Renaissance in Abruzzo. Today the town is an important agricultural and commercial centre and is deservedly famous in the world over for its confetti (sugar almond candies) and for its goldsmiths.

The Towns of the Sagittario Valley

Bugnara

Bugnara is situated in the Sulmona bowl at 580m above sea level.

An abundance of antiquities have emerged in its territory: Cyclopean ruins and necropolises. In Roman times it appears to have been called Scorpione and was an “oppido” of the town of Corfinio, but other historical sources say that it is more likely to have been founded after the destruction of Corfinio. One inscription brought to light is thought to belong to a temple dedicated to Ceres.

The town was the feud of various families and is even mentioned in Muratori’s “Annali d’Italia” as being the possession of a princely family of the 9th century. In 1495 it fell to Charles VIII, but was swiftly re-conquered by the Aragonese.

South of town, ascending, there are the ruins of a great medieval fortress of a residential nature, with additions made in the Renaissance period.

The SS Rosario church is particularly important, built in the early 16th century. It boasts stuccoes and frescoes, but even more noteworthy is the Madonna deglie Angeli church, where we will encounter the triptych of a Madonna and Child flanked by two angles, dated 16th century. The Madonna della Neve church, on the other hand, is curious as it was built over the ruins of a pagan temple and there are still traces of a Roman floor as well as a stele dedicated to a priestess of Ceres, whose name was Elvia. The same church was for years the home of two 15th century wooden statues and the 1262 Madonna della Concanella (now in a museum in L’Aquila). There is also a 16th century painting of the Holy Trinity.

Pacentro

Pacentro was strategic centre strategic centre during the hegemony of the Longoboards, Franks and Normans. It played an important historic role at the time of the Svevians and the Angevins, especially since the greatness of the Cantelmo family represented a stronghold for resistance against the Aragonese.

Today Pacentro still displays an ancient style of urban layout. An artistic fountain of the 1600s with a square sculpted bowl, once used as a burial urn, dominates Piazza del Popolo.

The town offers an overall panorama endowed with nobility by the impressive Cantelmo-Caldora castle, dated about 14th century.

The square-plan building has three defence towers, also square, that spring right into sight because of their elongated mole. This splendid vista is crowned by the fortified boundary of the medieval village.

Near the castle, opposite the fountain, stands the parish church of Santa Maria Maggiore or della Misericordia, dated late 1500s. It has a robust stone façade, split in three by low pilasters within which open three portals. The centre portal is decorated with carved doors.

Inside we find a precious wooden pulpit dated 1603. Nor should we overlook the other churches, including the Immacolata, in the convent of the Minor Observants (1589), where we may admire several frescoes, and the church of San Marcello. Founded in 1047, the place of worship was restored in 1166 and the layout we now see dates back to that period. Last, but not least, Pacentro is famous for the traditional “Corsa degli Zingari”, a barefoot race held on the first Sunday each September.

Pettorano Sul Gizio

Pettorano Sul Gizio is situated at about 656 metres on Mount Guardiola, a hill at the foot of Mount Genzana (2180 metres), the southern boundary of the Peligno valley, between the rivers Gizio and Riaccio.

The village belongs to the Mount Genzana-Alto Gizio regional nature reserve, a true cross-section of Abruzzese flora. The surrounding area has an irregular morphology, with vast stretches of the Peligno valley and landscapes more typical of the reserve’s mountain territory.

The origins of the town date back to the Middle Ages, but the surrounding territory was inhabited by humans as early as the Palaeolithic. A Greek epigraph proves that Pettorano was in contact with distant countries, to which it sold precarious marble and exotic animals. In the Middle Ages the River Gizio brought prosperity, favouring copper processing and spinner, weaving, water mills and olive presses. Today the town abounds with historic and artistic testimonies. The mother church, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and St Dionysius, was built in 1400, and is crowned by the churches of Santa Margherita, San Nicola, San Sebastiano, San Rocco, Sant’Antonio and Madonna della Libera. The town gates are no less interesting: Porta del Mulino, Porta Cencio, Porta San Marco, Porta della Calervia and Porta San Nicola. In Piazza Zannelli, also known as the “Cortile Ducale”, the Ducal Courtyard, we may admire superb Palazzo Cantelmo and a 15th century fountain. The castle and keep date back to the time of Frederic II, while the aristocratic Castaldina (or Palazzo Gasbarri) is 17th century. Pettorano’s natural and architectonic beauty is flanked by a series of fascinating and attractive events: for instance, what could be better than starting a new year with a charming “Serenata di Capodanno”, a New Year’s serenade of propitiatory music.

Pratola Peligna

Pratola Peligna stands on the left bank of the River Sagittario, one of the River Aterno’s chief tributaries, in an ample dip in the Peligno bowl: with 8000 inhabitants it is, after Sulmona, the most densely populated town in the valley.

The history of the little town – which acquired the term “Peligno” in 1863 by royal decree – has extremely ancient roots. The earliest documents in which Pratola is mentioned are acts dating back to the 10th century AD (“Libellum di Valva in loco Pratulae”)

In reality, through, the origins go much further back. The archaeological remains are important and of considerable interest, brought to light on the site of the actual town and in surrounding areas; furthermore, on Pratola territory significant remains have been discovered of “elephas antiquus”, a mommoth similar to that kept in the museum of L’Aquila.

So, even before man appeared on the scene, the area must have been rich in life forms. The favourable exposition and lands, which even then must have been particularly fertile, encouraged highly civilised populations who lived by shepherding and farming to settle their a long time later. In the centuries that followed, the history of this area was closely tied to that of the Celestine brothers of Badia Morronese. The monks received it as a feud from Charles II in 1294, following the papal coronation of Celestine V, and the jurisdiction of the Sulmonese abbey lasted until 1807, the year Napoleon I decreed its suppression. Later Pratola was the theatre of proud uprisings of country folk, first in 1848 against Ferdinand II and, in 1934 against the Fascist regime. The town’s religious life was conditioned by the plague that began to rage down in the early 16th century in this area: in fact, after one miraculous event the first church of Madonna della Libera was built. Later, in the centuries that followed, it became a place of worship not only for the people of Pratola, but also for pilgrims who came from many other regions of Italy. Legend has it that during the epidemic, one of the sick, desiring to die in a consecrated place, took refuge in a ruined chapel that had been destroyed in the earthquake of 1456. Having fallen asleep the sick man dreamed that a most lovely woman with a sweet expression appeared to him and said “Wake up. Rejoice! The disease has gone and the town is safe. I am the Celestial Mother, your Liberator” The man awoke and immediately saw amongst the ruins a painting of the Madonna and from that moment the epidemic ceased.

To commemorate the miracle a chapel was built in 1540 to house the painting of the Madonna, but soon it became too small to embrace the large number of pilgrims.

In 1587 a bigger church was constructed, and in 1851 the first stone of today’s sanctuary was laid. From that year building work continued until 1863. The church was designed by Pratola’s Eusebio Tedeschi, but he died in 1848 and consequently never saw the start of building. Today the façade is an elegant neo-classical, with two bell towers and four aedicules with the statues of saints Peter, Paul, Thomas and John, dominating the Madonna delloa Libera church square.

The interior is a Baroqiue-style Latin cross with precious altars, sculptures, stuccoes and paintings. In the small Madonna della Libera square there is a 19th century fountain in metal alloy and stone, set here to commemorate the opening of the town’s aqueduct.

Camp Di Giove

Camp di Giove hugs a karstic shelf on the eastern slope of Mount Maiella, at 100 metres above sea level, in the centre of a vastly wooded area that stretches as far as Sulmons.

Human presence appears to go back to most ancient times as stone artefacts of the Palaeolithic era have been found here. So we are in the presence of prehistoric settlements on this territory, as well as ancient Roman sites. Here, at 7km from Sulmona on Via Numicia, there appears to be a temple of Jove and this would explain, according to some sources, the modern name of the town.

A mansion indicated with the name of Jove appears at that point on Theodosian tables. Remains of an ancient pagan temple have come to light beneath the parish church. The town is mentioned for the first time in a document of the early 12th century and from this moment onwards we know that it became the feud of various families. It belonged to Nicola da Procida who sold it to Ferdinand I of Aragon for 1500 ducants.

The village originated in the 15th century. Amongst the antiquities, the parish church of San’Eustachio and that of San Paolo. In the former, a nave and two aisles, we admire valuable carved wooden choir stall with thirteen benches, dated 16th or 17th century, and the pulpit. The church of San Paolo, founded in the 12th century, but completely rebuilt in the 16th century, has a noteworthy silver crucifix of the 1400’s and a wooden statue of a Madonna and Child of the 1300’s. Palazzo Nanni, renovated in the 1700’s is particularly interesting. Campo di Giove depends on its tourism for survival – both winter and summer. It is easy to reach from Naples and Rome, and over the years has demonstrated that it can exploit its splendid natural resources. It is equipped with ski lifts and other ski structures. It is also possible to go on horseback and mountain bike excursions, on itineraries that reveal unspoilt spots and lovely mountain tracks such as the ascent of Mount Amaro, the highest peak of the Maiella range.

Cansano

Cansano stands at 835m above sea level on the western slope of Mount Morrone. The original name was Canzano, but as it shared the name with another town in Abruzzo the “z” was softened to an “s” to distinguish the two.

The town retains the ruins of a fortified village of medieval origin, especially in the old inhabited nucleus, in whose higher part we find the remains of the ancient castle. It was the feud of a number of families.

In the parish church we find a 15th century thurible made by local artists.

One of the most charming walks that can be undertaken from Cansano is definitely to the Sant’Antonio woods at a quota of 1300-1400m, which can also be reached from Pescocostanzo.

This is a centuries-old beech wood that was, amongst other things, the first regional nature reserve set up in Abruzzo. Excursions and cross-country skiing are possible here, and nearby Campo di Giove offers further ski opportunities.

One of the most entrancing places is the grotto called that of the “flying horses”. The area, made even more curious by the series of legends that surrounds it, has still not been totally explored, as it is quite difficult to enter

The Towns of Subequana and Altopiano delle Rocche Valley

Castel di Ieri

Castel di Ieri rises on a hill that overlooks the Tiburtina Valeria or trunk road no. 5. At the top of the village there is a medieval tower.

Originally a “pagus” of the Peligno tribe and then a Roman town, it now retains a vast archaeological patrimony: recent excavations brought to light the remains of fortified centres (6th – 5th century BC), a mosaic floor and a temple, in the Piedi Franci district. The temple has Ionic-style capitals, large blocks of carved stone and columns. This place of worship is dedicated to a female divinity, possibly Minerva, and to the male divinity, Heracles – Dionysius, and the discovery of a stature of a lion points to the worship of Cibele, and dates the complex at about 2nd century BC.

Castle di Ieri has retained its medieval layout virtually intact: entry to the fortified village is through the Gothic gateway called Porta dell’Arco, with the arms of the Colonna family and the citation of a magistrate of L’Aquila. A valuable example of a medieval home is Palazzo Simonetto, commissioned by the princes Sciarpa-Colonna, feudal lords of the place. The façade has a 15th century double lancet window with small tortile column, two ogee portals with archivolts and a third portal, typical of the workship-cum-home. The church of Santa Croce has two 17th century stone altars, several statues and a Renaissance holy water font. The square-plan medieval tower has a scarp base and raised entry. The parish church is dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta and was damaged by bombing during the last war, although it has now been partially rebuilt. It has a nave and two-aisle layout with central apse and dome.

The interior preserves a precious intarsia marble high altar, which contains the body of St Donato, broughtr here from the catacombs of San Porziano, in Rome, during Easter 753. The legend tells that during the transportation of the relic, the horses drawing the wagon reared to a stop near the sanctuary and it was impossible to make them go any further.

There are also two rural churches: Madonna del Soccorso, with a 16th century high altar, and Madonna di Pietrabona, said to have been built over a pagan sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Bona. Another legent tells of a believer swept away by a flood and saved by Our Lady who appeared to him on a rock, hence the name Pietrabona – the good stone.

On Easter Tuesday, after the procession that sets off from the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta, it is tradition to pick ivy leaves in the churchyard and offer them to young people to wish them prosperity. The crowning glory of the holiday is the typical fare prepared using local produce such as honey; saffron and truffles, best of all the “amaretti” biscuits of Castel di Ieri.

The Towns of Tirino Valley

Capestrano

The village of Capestrano is an old fortified village, with its interesting overlap of Renaissance and medieval architecture, and its several buildings of fine workmanship, it is the imposing Piccolomini (or Medici) Castle.

Something much earlier and indicative of a much longer history is the statue of the Italic warrior found in the vicinity of the nearby source of the River Tirino and now preserved in the National Archaeological Museum of Chieti. The statue is the symbol of a powerful class of shepherd-warriors who came to the fore in Abruzzo during the Iron Age, the period when the seasonal migration routes between the Apennine and Tavoliere grazing grounds became settled.

The Church os San Pietro ad Oratorium is situated in the lush countryside around the River Tirino; the original 8th century building was transformed in 1100 in the style of the abbey of San Liberatore a Majella. Certainly connected with the sheep rearing community and the tradition of seasonal migration which continued for centuries along the nearby L’Aquila-Foggia tratturo, the church is known for its interior decoration – there is an interesting 13th century stone altar-canopy and some fine 12th century frescoes in the apse – as well as for a mysterious inscription on a slab outside to the left of the doorway.

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