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CASTEL DI SANGRO Town located between the mountains, 800 m on the sea level, with the remains of considerable evidence Samnite, Roman and medieval.
The town stands at the confluence of the rivers Sangro and Zittola, it was important as "Porta d'Abruzzo". In the 19th Century foreign travellers (English, French and German) went to Castel di Sangro, mandatory for those who had to cross the territories Abruzzo and Molise, from the Tyrrhenian, finding our areas of particular interest and leaving written records of life, customs and the products of our territory (Edgar Lear, Keppel Craven, Anne McDowell and the brilliant engraver Escher who has left mirable works about Abruzzo). Our town was crossed by "tratturo" Lucera-Castel di Sangro one of the oldest of Customs of Foggia and other tracks (Pescasseroli-Candela) and "tratturelli", for this reason a public Custom was established in Castel di Sangro at the Convent of La Maddalena, to control animals interested in transhumance and control of goods.
The current village was the site of Aufidena, Samnite then Roman stronghold, and the archaeological material brought to light in recent years (es.lapide Oscan, bull Samnite, plumbea urn, statues, plaques, etc.?) today is shown in the Museum Aufidenate established in 1898 at the Convent of Maddalena (1400) restored recently (in 1998) with a section of Paleontology. There is a project to develope a Museum of the War of 1943 with objects and written documents, because our town was the scene of clashes in war on the line "GUSTAV" and destroyed by the bombing.
On Colle S. Giovanni overlooking the village, are the walls Ciclopiche-Sannitiche, majestic and glaring, incorporated by fortifications and Roman ruins of the Castle of Sangro. After family Di Sangro it belonged to other feudal families such as D'Avalos, D'Aquino, D'Afflitto and Caracciolo. Castel di Sangro had by Charles III of Bourbon, in 1744, the title of "Città", for having hosted him with his army. In Civita (the old part of the town) Neviera is well preserved, which was used to collect the snow, to be used in summer to keep food, for the disease in hospitals and make ice cream (sorbets), this Neviera is the only existing Abruzzo while in other countries has remained only the name of the place.
Important churches are present in the City: the Church of St. Nicholas, who was commandership of the Knights of Malta, the Basilica of St. Mary Assunta, designed by Lombard F. Ferradini, dating back to 1695, with a wealth of valuable works of art that keeps colonnades and works of the former church of 1400. Along the plain of Sangro, there are industrial and commercial establishments with metal, timber industry, clothing and building materials.
The town hosts the Comunità Montana Alto Sangro - Piano delle Cinquemiglia, and is a reference for relations with the Municipalities in Alto Sangro and Molise, with commercial and tourist infrastructures, given the proximity to ski resorts and tourist areas of the Abruzzo National Park and Majella. The historical monuments, nature and climate are attractions for the tourism.
Center of summer and winter activities. The rivers of Sangro and Zittola are rich in fish (trout of the Sangro) and sports fishing competitions are held.
The city has financial public offices, Liceo Scientifico, Professional and Technical Institutes, a Municipal Library, cinema and theater, hospital, rehabilitation centre. It has accomodation facilities and important sports facilities for playing tennis, Sport Palace, volleyball and basketball and a stadium with 10,000 seats.
The famous painter Teofilo Patini (1840 - 1906) was born in Castel di Sangro, author of paintings such as "Vanga e Latte" and "Bestie da Soma". Palazzo De Petra hosts the painting museum dedicated to Patini. ROCCACINQUEMIGLIA
A charming village nearby Castel di Sangro perched on a rocky outcrop, with ancient origins: cyclopean walls are the remains of a fortification of a Samnite City. By the Sangro river, in an area of considerable archaeological interest, are the ruins of the famous monastery of St. Mary Cinquemiglia build in 703, on the ruins of a temple dedicated to Hercules.
Near the convent began the first settlements until the formation of a village with a castle surrounded by walls of defence. The country also had its autonomy and was indeed a municipality itself. After the decadence of the Convent in the fourteenth century, it belonged to many landowners before the arrival of the family Marchesani, that had it from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century.
Today Roccacinquemiglia have fewer than 200 inhabitants, its population has suffered the emigration of the fifties to the Americas and the European states.
Nowadays it is a tourist center near the winter sport facilities of our area.
Things to see: the ruins of the Church of St. Mary Cinquemiglia , the Church of St. Rocco, with the statue of the saint, who in 1838 made a miracle, saving the population from cholera.
By Maria Santucci
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