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2021
Panoramas of Abruzzo
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.
2023
Stiffe Caves, Abruzzo, Italy
The Stiffe caves are a complex of karst caves located near Stiffe, in the territory of the municipality of San Demetrio ne' Vestini (AQ), in Abruzzo, included within the Sirente-Velino regional natural park. Testimony of a unique active resurgence in Italy, made accessible to the public since 1991, today they constitute one of the main naturalistic sites of the L'Aquila area, recording over 40,000 visitors annually. The Stiffe caves represent one of the best-known karst phenomena in central Italy. The complex has been used since the Bronze Age even if archaeological remains have been found inside it dating back to the Neolithic and Eneolithic. The presence of an underground stream that gave rise to the complex led, in 1907 and on the initiative of the Marquis Alfonso Cappelli, to the construction of a hydroelectric plant of which some remains are still visible today near the entrance to the cavities. In 1956, when the plant was dismantled, the first speleological explorations began; after a first visit in 1957, the following year it was the Marche Speleological Group of Ancona that went beyond the first natural siphon. Subsequently, the Roman Speleological Group and, starting from the eighties, the Aquilano Speleological Group continued the first exploration attempts. The speleological excursions were then followed by a process of valorisation of the site which led to the opening of the complex to the public in 1991. In 1994 a mixed group of speleologists from L'Aquila and France managed to access for the first time the unexplored area after the first waterfall while in 1996 the speleology museum named after Vincenzo Rivera was opened. A second extension of the tourist route, up to the current length of about 700 m, was made in 2007 with the opening of the second waterfall to visitors, while the extension of the explored part of the cavity exceeds one kilometre. From 1996 to 2018 the site was managed by the public-private company Progetto Stiffe S.p.A. while it is currently managed directly by the Municipality of San Demetrio ne' Vestini. The 2009 earthquake led to a closure of the caves for safety reasons; the complex was only reopened to the public in 2011.
2022
Lanciano. Seat of the Eucharistic Miracle
The church of S. Francesco or sanctuary of the Eucharistic Miracle is annexed to the homonymous convent of the Friars Conventual. It contains the famous relics of the Eucharistic miracle of Lanciano.
2024
Santa Maria di Basciano. Church of S. M. in Porto Lungo
The Church of S. Maria a Porto Lungo is of notable artistic interest, dating back to the 14th century and, built on an ancient pagan temple, is in Romanesque style.
2024
Morro D’Oro. The church of S. Maria di Propezzano
The church of Santa Maria di Propezzano is a Romanesque-style Catholic place of worship in Abruzzo located in the Vomano valley, in the municipality of Morro d'Oro, in the province of Teramo.
2018
L'Aquila - Basilica of San Bernardino
The basilica of San Bernardino is a religious building in L'Aquila, located in the quarter of Santa Maria. It was built, with the adjacent convent, between 1454 and 1472 in honor of San Bernardino da Siena, whose remains are kept inside the mausoleum of the Saint built by Silvestro dell'Aquila. The façade, erected in the following century by Cola dell'Amatrice with Michelangelo's influences, is considered the highest expression of Renaissance architecture in Abruzzo. The interior, in Baroque style, is due to the reconstruction of the building following the earthquake of 1703 by several designers - including certainly Filippo Barigioni, Sebastiano Cipriani and Giovan Battista Contini - and preserves important works of art by Andrea della Robbia, Francesco Bedeschini, Pompeo Cesura, Rinaldo Fiammingo and Donato Teodoro, in addition to the aforementioned Silvestro dell'Aquila, also author of the mausoleum of Maria Pereyra Camponeschi. The carved wooden ceiling decorated with pure gold is the work of Ferdinando Mosca. It was included in the list of national monumental buildings in 1902 and elevated to the rank of minor basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1946. Due to the earthquake of 2009 which severely damaged the apse and the bell tower, the basilica was subjected to repair and consolidation works and was reopened in 2015.
2020
L'Aquila. Basilica of Santa M. di Collemaggio - 2019
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.
2024
Celano. The Piccolomini Castle
The Piccolomini Castle of Celano overlooks the Fucino plain, once occupied by the third largest lake in Italy, majestically and imposingly.
2021
Rio Verde
The Rio Verde was born in Quarto, between Abruzzo and Molise, and after a short path it joins the Sangro with a considerable difference in height (400 m) creating the spectacular waterfalls divided into three consecutive jumps of 200 meters.
2018
L'Aquila - Basilica of S. M. di Collemaggio
The basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio is a religious building in L'Aquila, located just outside the city walls, on the hill of the same name. Founded in 1288 at the behest of Pietro da Morrone - crowned pope here 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. Since 1327 houses the remains of the pontiff, currently preserved inside the mausoleum of Celestino V, built in 1517 by Girolamo da Vicenza, master of Andrea Palladio. It is the seat of an annual jubilee, the first in history, established with the Bull of Forgiveness of 29 September 1294 and known as Perdonanza Celestiniana; therefore, it is characterized by the presence of a Holy Door on the side facade. The church, which boasts the title of minor basilica together with the fellow citizens San Bernardino and San Giuseppe Artigiano, has been remodeled several times over the centuries mainly due to the damage caused by frequent earthquakes and presents a mixture of different architectural styles. Following the 2009 earthquake, it was subjected to consolidation and restoration works which ended in 2017.
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