Castelli (Italy) - Castelli (Italia)

Castles is a center ofAbruzzo.

To know

The town is part of the most beautiful villages in Italy and its territory falls within the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park[1].

Geographical notes

Located at the foot of the Gran Sasso d'Italia (Monte Shirt), the territory is one of the access points to Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park: going up to Rigopiano it is possible to reach the southern part of Campo Imperatore passing through Vado di Sole (1650 m a.s.l.) in about 20 km and with a difference in height of about 1200 m in a very suggestive nature trail. Impressive is also the view on the north-east face of Monte Shirt and the thick wooded area below.

Castelli is 11 km from Gran Sasso Island of Italy, 41 from Teramo, 51 from L'Aquila.

Background

The formation of the village is placed in the ninth, tenth century, when the local populations gave life to the progressive embedding, that is, to the construction of inhabited centers in elevated positions to allow a better defense from assaults and slashing. Increased in population, the town became a fief of the Counts of Pagliara and around the year 1000 the Benedictines built the abbey of San Salvatore, now disappeared, in the wooded area above the inhabited area.In 1117 the abbey hosted the Pope Pasquale II who escaped Emperor Arrigo V.

In the fourteenth century the town was given to the Orsini family; in 1526 it was given by Charles V to the House of the Mendoza y Alarçon, who kept the possession of the whole Sicilian Valley until the fall of feudalism.

In contemporary times the town suffered the destruction of part of the building, with the church of San Pietro, due to a landslide; in 1915 further damage was caused by the earthquake of Avezzano.

Ceramic production

The capital is famous for the production of ceramics, a tradition that dates back to the beginning of the Renaissance, even if it is presumed earlier, which has become famous in the world for the quality of the design, but above all for the refinement of the decoration. Among the main masters were Antonio Lollo, the Grue and the Gentili, in chronological order. The first is responsible for a valuable Judgment of Paris in manganese with yellow touches, while the style that made Castelli's majolica famous is attributed to Carlo Antonio Grue (1655-1723). His works mainly depicted mythological themes or groups of armed knights. Until the beginning of the nineteenth century, several generations of Grue followed one another, obtaining brilliant results.

How to orient yourself

Neighborhoods

The towns of Acquaviva-Bivio Villa Rossi, Casette, Colledoro, Loricco, Morricone, Palombara, San Donato, San Salvatore, Santa Maria della Neve, Villa Colli and Villa Rossi are part of its municipal territory.

How to get

By plane

• Pescara airport (Abruzzo International Airport), Via Tiburtina Km 229.100, ☎ 39 085 4324201. 

By car

• "San Gabriele - Colledara" motorway exit on the A24 Rome - L'Aquila - Teramo.

By bus

• Bus lines managed by ARPA - Abruzzesi regional public bus lines [2]

How to get around

What see

• 42.482113.71491 Church of San Donato. Originally born as cona, that is, a country church, stands on a slight hill just outside the Abruzzo village. The building was dedicated to the Madonna del Rosario in the fifteenth century, and was enlarged at the beginning of the seventeenth century to take its current form.

In 1963 this church was defined by the writer Carlo Levi the Sistine Chapel of the Majolica, due to the ceiling entirely made up of tiles decorated with majolica, 20x40 cm in size in about 1000 (currently 800) specimens, dating back to about 1615-1617. Unique work of its kind, it is partly exhibited at the Castelli Ceramics Museum which preserves broken or deteriorated tiles. The realization is attributed to the potters of the Pompeii family, even if the decoration of the church was a job that involved all the decorators of the town. The rehabilitation and restoration was carried out by the Antiche Fornaci Giorgi around 1972.

The themes depicted on the tiles are varied: heraldic symbols, apotropaic animals, religious writings and idioms, floral decorations, simple geometric designs. 

• 42.48967413.7117932 Church of San Giovanni Battista, piazza Roma. It is distinguished by the majestic staircase in white stone as well as by two side columns of equal importance. It is a construction from the end of the sixteenth century. Inside, majolica works stand out, as in the church of San Donato; for example a frame of 29 majolica tiles dated 1617 depicting Saints and Prophets in the altar dedicated to San Michele.

A beautifully made altarpiece in the altar of Santa Maria Maddalena depicts the Translation of the Holy House and is framed by majolica tiles by Ferdinando Grue from 1647.

The remains of a Romanesque pluteus that can be seen in the church come from the Badia di San Salvatore, an ancient parish church that collapsed in the nineteenth century. Finally, of great interest is a wooden group of Sant'Anna dating back to the twelfth century. 

• 42.48870713.7114343 Church of San Rocco (Cona Church), Marconi square. It was rebuilt in 1948 after the demolition of the old church, carried out to allow the opening of a road towards the mountain. It preserves a fresco depicting the Madonna, which popular tradition says was seen weeping, and a beautiful stone portal. Inside there is a fifteenth-century fresco by Andrea Delitio and the altarpieces by San Rocco and of Annunciation both in ceramic. 
• Ceramics Museum. 

Events and parties

What to do

Shopping

In one of the most well-known production centers of ceramics and majolica there are naturally shops that trade it.

How to have fun

Where to eat

Average prices

• 42.48744413.7118461 Pineta restaurant, Contrada Convent 1, ☎ 39 0861 979222. 
• 42.4894113.7117772 Grue restaurant, Piazza Roma, 9, ☎ 39 0861 970682. 

Where stay

• 42.48831813.7118031 Conti di Pagliara farmhouse, Colle Greco-Lago Pagliare road, ☎ 39 0861 975734. 

Safety

Pharmacy

• 42.48845713.7113681 Celli, via Rosa 6, ☎ 39 0861 979148. 

How to keep in touch

Post office

• 42.48889913.7114592 Italian post, Via Antoniano Silvio, 1. 39 0861 970710. 

Around

• Gran Sasso Island of Italy - At the foot of the Gran Sasso, it is a renowned holiday resort; its small historic center is characteristic. The nearby Sanctuary of San Gabriele del'Addolorata is a destination for pilgrimages.

Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Castelli (Italy)
• Commons contains images or other files on Castelli (Italy)

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