Castel del Monte

The village of Castel del Monte is located in the Gran Sasso National Park in Abruzzo. The earliest testimonies of its existence date back to the 11th century BC. in the nearby plain of San Marco, south of the village. Subsequently, the inhabitants moved to the fortified village that today is named Ricetto or the oldest part of Castel del Monte, near the castle. In the 12th century, Castel del Monte, one of the capitals of the Abruzzo transhumance, was one of the eight settlements that set up Terra or Baronia of Ofena. The first pontifical bubbles mention only the church of San Marco in Ofena (to be interpreted as S. Marco of Castel del Monte), while the name of Castellum de Monte appears for the first time in the papal bubble of 1223. In the fifteenth he was part of the marquisate (principality since 1584) of Capestrano along with Ofena and Villa Santa Lucia. The country followed the vicissitudes of the Earth of Ofena and passed to Acquaviva in 1283, to Todecchini Piccolomini in 1478, to Ottavio Cattaneo in 1569 and finally to the Medici in 1579. He died without heirs Anna Maria Luisa in 1743, Capestrano's principality passed as a state allodized, together with the baron of Carapelle, to the Bourbons of Naples. In 1861, finally, with the Unity of Italy acquired status as a common autonomy and was included in the province of Aquila degli Abruzzi (then L'Aquila).

The village is characterized by the beautifully preserved medieval nucleus. The architecture is dominated by the type of house-tower, with a structure similar to a masonry tower, with a very small base and remarkable height development (five or six floors). They certainly deserve a visit to the Church of St. Mark the Evangelist, the oldest in the hamlet. In Castel del Monte there is also a museum path dedicated to the history and tradition of the country.

Its proximity to the north, with the plain of Campo Imperatore, through the Cape of Serre passage has favored the sheepdog that for centuries has constituted the backbone of the country's economy. Castel del Monte is in fact one of the symbols of transhumance. Among the most traditional, widespread and renowned economic activities, there are handicrafts, such as weaving for carpets, tapestries and blankets, which are characterized by geometrical and plant themes. Also important is the production of rustic furniture.

BY CAR

• From the north, take the A14 motorway towards Ancona and exit at Teramo / Giulianova / Mosciano Sant 'Angelo. Continue on the A 24 towards L'Aquila and exit at L'Aquila Est. Take the SS 17 towards Pescara, at Castelnuovo take the branch for Castelvecchio Calvisio and continue on the SP8 to Castel del Monte.
• From the south, take the A14 highway and follow the indications for Pescara. Continue towards Rome, take the A 25 and exit at Bussi / Popoli. Follow the signs for L'Aquila, take the SS 153, at Capestrano take the exit for Ofena - Villa Santa Lucia, and continue until Castel del Monte.
• From L'Aquila, take the SS 17 towards Pescara, at Castelnuovo take the exit for Castelvecchio Calvisio and continue on the SP8 to Castel del Monte.

ON THE TRAIN

• Reach the L'Aquila railway station.

BY BUS

• Regional Public Buses of Abruzzo

BY PLANE

• Pescara airport
• Rome Ciampino Airport
• Rome Fiumicino Airport

BY SEA

• Tourist port of Pescara
• Tourist port of Rome