Lanciano. Seat of the Eucharistic Miracle
2022
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.
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2022
Civitella del Tronto. The Church of S. M. degli Angeli
Wedged between the alleys of the village, the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Civitella del Tronto is, according to some historical sources, the oldest church in the town.
2023
Barrea and its lake. Glimpses of autumn
Barrea (Varréa in Barreano dialect) is an Italian municipality of 705 inhabitants in the province of L'Aquila in Abruzzo. Located in Alto Sangro, it is a tourist resort thanks to the presence of the lake of the same name and the national park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise. Barrea is located in a mountain area belonging to the Alto Sangro basin and Lake Barrea. The inhabited center, located at an altitude of 1,060 m above sea level, occupies a protrusion at the eastern end of the lake enclosed by the steep sides of the Meta mountains to the south and Mount Greco to the north. The lake was created in 1951 by damming the Sangro river and is used for the production of electricity. The Barrea Lake Wetland, managed by the Abruzzo Lazio and Molise National Park Authority, has been on the list of areas covered by the Ramsar Convention since 1976.
2020
L'Aquila. Church of Santa Maria del Suffragio - 2019
Built starting in 1713 for the victims of the earthquake of 1703, it is the symbol of the eighteenth-century reconstruction of the city and represents the maximum expression of the religious architecture of L'Aquila in the eighteenth century.
2024
Celano. Church of San Michele Arcangelo
The construction of the Church of San Michele Arcangelo dates back to the 14th century. At the end of the 14th century the Counts of Celano donated it to the congregation of the Celestine monks
2024
Albe, Massa d’Albe, L’Aquila. Church of San Nicola
Built in 1602, the facade is made of stone blocks and features a Gothic-style rose window. The door is surmounted by a lunette with a painting of St. Nicholas and the Madonna with Child.
2024
Alfedena. The Castle
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.
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.
2024
Guardia V. di Notaresco. Abbey of S. Clemente al Vomano
The Abbey of San Clemente al Vomano is a Catholic place of worship in Abruzzo that stands on the top of a small hill, not far from Guardia Vomano di Notaresco, in the province of Teramo.
2018
Barrea and its lake (AQ)
Barrea is located in a mountainous area overlooking the Sangro Valley and the Barrea Lake. The inhabited center, located at an altitude of 1,060 m a.s.l., occupies a ledge at the eastern end of the lake enclosed by the steep sides of the Meta mountains to the south and Mount Greco to the north. Its territory is included in the national park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise. The lake was formed in 1951 by the damming of the Sangro river and is used for the production of electricity. The Wetland of Lake Barrea, managed by the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park Authority, has been on the list of areas provided for by the Ramsar Convention since 1976.
2025
Ortona. The Aragonese Castle
The Aragonese Castle is a fortification of Ortona, on the edge of the city and overlooking the sea. Famous residence of the protector of Ortona Ludovica Ianneys (1756-1812) from 1773 to 1812.