Borrello (CH)

Scanno (Scannë in Abruzzo) is an Italian town of 1 883 inhabitants located in the province of L'Aquila, in Abruzzo. The municipal territory, surrounded by the Marsicani Mountains, is partly included within the borders of the National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise and is in turn part of the Peligna mountain community. It is an important winter and summer resort and is part of the club The most beautiful villages in Italy. In the surroundings there are the homonymous lake, which however belongs for three quarters to the municipality of Villalago, the ski resorts of Passo Godi and Monte Rotondo, the plateaus of Monte Greco and Lake Pantaniello, as well as the natural reserve of the Sagittario Gorges. Scanno is also known as the City of Photographers; a place much appreciated by many Italian and foreign authors. Throughout the twentieth century, its unmistakable views and its people were the subjects of many famous shots taken by Hilde Lotz-Bauer, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Mario Giacomelli, Renzo Tortelli, Gianni Berengo Gardin, Ferdinando Scianna, Mario Cresci and many others . In 1964 it was a photograph taken in Scanno by Mario Giacomelli that became part of the prestigious collection of photographic works of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. This image is known as The Scanno Boy, or Scanno Boy.

The Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio is a religious building in L'Aquila, located just outside the city walls, on the homonymous hill. Founded in 1288 at the behest of Pietro da Morrone - here crowned pope with the name of Celestino V on 29 August 1294 - it is considered the highest expression of Abruzzo architecture as well as the symbol of the city and was declared a national monument in 1902. It is the seat of an annual jubilee, the first in history, established with the Bull of Forgiveness of September 29, 1294 and known as the Celestinian forgiveness. Inside there are the mortal remains of the Holy Pontiff Celestine V.

The National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise is a national park including for the most part (about 3/4) in the province of L'Aquila in Abruzzo and for the remainder in that of Frosinone in Lazio and in that of Isernia in Molise. It was inaugurated on 9 September 1922 in Pescasseroli, the current headquarters and central management of the park, while the body of the same name had already been established on 25 November 1921 with a provisional directorate. Its establishment took place officially with the Royal decree-law of 11 January 1923.

The national park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise is one of the oldest national parks in Italy, officially established on 11 January 1923 by Royal decree-law including for the most part in the province of L'Aquila and the remainder in that of Frosinone and in that of Isernia.

Abruzzo is an Italian region located east of Rome, between the Adriatic and the Apennines. The hinterland consists largely of national parks and nature reserves. The region also includes medieval and Renaissance villages perched on the hills. The regional capital, L'Aquila, is a walled city, damaged by the earthquake of 2009. The Costa dei Trabocchi, with its sandy coves, takes its name from the traditional fishing piers.

Near Rocca Calascio, on the path that leads to Santo Stefano di Sessanio, is the church of Santa Maria della Pietà, a small temple built in 1596 on the place where, according to legend, the local population had the best of a band of brigands . The church, probably founded on a pre-existing Renaissance aedicule, has an octagonal external structure with an environment used as a sacristy leaning against one of the facades and a dome with eight segments. The interior, articulated on a system of Tuscan pilasters, presents a painting depicting the Miraculous Virgin and a sculpture of San Michele armed. The church, now used as a simple oratory, is a destination for faithful and devotees.

The church of San Giovanni ad Insulam, also known as the church of San Giovanni al Mavone, stands isolated on a small hill that flanks the Mavone river in the valley of the same name.

The castle is composed of four corner towers that enclose as many buildings. It is surrounded by a perimeter of walls that also enclose a garden.

Alfedena Castle is the ruin of a castle dating back to the 10th-11th century in the Italian municipality of the same name of which an octagonal tower and parts of the walls remain. The ruins are located in a dominant position over the town, along Via Luigi De Amicis. The wall rests its foundations directly on the rocky thickness of the mountain hill overlooking Alfedena, has an irregular circular appearance, with multiple layers of walls, and double curtain walls with fornix-shaped entrances are preserved. The tower, although cut off at the top, is the best preserved element. The castle was founded around the 10th century by the Frankish lords, who divided the county of Marsi between them. In fact, Alfedena was among these possessions and, on top of the castle hill, a fortified tower was built, which communicated with those of the other villages, such as Scontrone, Castel di Sangro and Barrea. The tower with an irregular plan was rebuilt in the 13th century, as demonstrated by the octagonal structure, perhaps before it had a cylindrical base, the fact is that it testifies to the ancient function of the castle, which was that of lookout, guarding the town below, developed from the 14th century onwards, and together with the fortified enclosure, it also served as a shelter for citizens during periods of emergency, such as sieges. In the 14th century it was a fiefdom of Simone Di Sangro, the rich family from the Peligna valley, who had various fiefdoms, only to then pass to Giacomo Caldora in 1422. In 1456 a serious earthquake damaged the castle, which slowly lost the ancient central function of Alfedena, given that the main political and economic activities developed further and further downstream, along the Pescasseroli-Candela sheep track. The castle was enfeoffed during the Spanish viceroyalty to various lords, but it never returned to its ancient functions, it was damaged again by the Maiella earthquake of 1706, then by the earthquakes of 1915 (Marsica earthquake) and 1984, being restored only in the first years 2000, to be visited as a panoramic location, together with the octagonal tower.