Amatrice

The Village of Amatrice (Amatrici in sabino dialect) is located in the Lazio region and is the seat of the agri-food pole of the Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga. Amatrice is situated at the center of a green valley, nestled in turn in an area on the border of the well 4 regions: Lazio, Umbria, Marche and Abruzzo, in a strategic area of passage between the Adriatic and the Tyrrhenian. Rising from the valley toward the peaks, you leave the cultivated fields and woods mainly formed of Cerro, chestnut and poplar, and then enter in the characteristics of the beech woods of the mountain. The wood is thus pushes up to about 1800 meters of altitude, to then leave the space to the meadow of altitude which, at the beginning of the summer, undergoes the effect of the phenomenon of flowering.

Archaeological findings show that the conca d'Amatrice was inhabited by man since prehistoric times. The proximity to the route of the ancient via Salaria favored the development of settlements in the territory amatriciano already in the Roman era. In the Roman era date back the ruins of buildings and tombs discovered in several areas of the territory, well-known for its Roman writers as Summa Villarum, term with which he identified for extended throughout the area currently occupied by the town of Amatrice. In 568 the Longobards invaded Italy and became the Duchy of Spoleto, subdividing it in committees and Gastaldati and the territory of today's Amatrice passed under the Committee of Ascoli. In the Register of Farfa are remembered for the period that goes from the half of the VIII century to the beginning of the XII, the names of many places and villages of the current common and, among them, in 1012, also that of the matrix, recalled again in 1037 in diploma with which the Emperor Conrad II confirms to the Bishop of Ascoli all his possessions. In reality the name of matrix appears in age still front, during the middle of the X century in 940. Only around 1265, at the time of King Manfred of Sicily, Amatrice becomes part of the Kingdom of Sicily and later of the Kingdom of Naples. The city is not wanted to undergo the Angevin domination and even more times, rebelled openly, sucking to independence and parteggiando for part of Ascoli Piceno. In 1271 and in 1274 Charles I of Anjou sent armies to eradicate the resistance of amatriciani and reduce the city to obedience. At the same time we are witnessing the disappearance of the barons and training, with head Amatrice, of the Universitas, i.e. the municipality in the territory freely organized, relatively autonomous from the central power, which is governed by a parliament. Amatrice participated in the Crusades and from this source would be the cross that shines on the municipal coat of arms.

In the XIV and XV centuries Amatrice continues to fight with the city and surrounding castles, for border issues and prestige. Remained famous conflicts with Norcia, Arquata and L'Aquila. Traditional ally of Amatrice was the city of Ascoli. The Aragonese sovereign Ferdinand jaded, the revolt of the barons in 1485, in the following year rewarded Amatrice, by granting it the privilege of minting coins with the motto Fidelis Amatrix. Subsequently Amatrice, between 1582 and 1692, for marriage of Beatrice Calves grandson of Alessandro, lived under the dominion of the Orsini family of Mentana branch of Bracciano.

In 1639 Amatrice and villas summatine were seriously damaged by the terrible earthquake of days 7, 14 and 17 October. Fell a good part of the Orsini palace, as well as most of the houses and churches. It is estimated that died more than eight thousand people. Other earthquakes occurred in 1672, in 1703 and 1730. At the end of the XVIII century and throughout the next century, Amatriciano territory, as a good part of the Papal State and the Kingdom of Naples, was affected by the phenomenon of brigandage. The banditry became a political background and social and greatly expanded in the entire aquilano from 1861 when occurred the annexation of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies from part of the Kingdom of Sardinia with head Vittorio Emanuele II. In the Napoleonic era, with the proclamation of the Neapolitan Republic (23 January 1799), the general Championnet with a decree of 9 February 1799, divided the territory in 11 departments. Amatrice constituted one of the 16 cantons of the Department of Pescara, with capital L'Aquila. In recent decades that preceded the unity of Italy, many amatriciani took an active part in the various revolutionary movements (1814, 1820, 1831, 1848, 1860); between all it detaches the figure of the illustrious patriot Pier Silvestro Leopardi. With the unification of Italy Amatrice was inserted in the Abruzzo Aquilano, and only in 1927, with the creation of the province of Rieti, the city became part of Lazio.

On 24 August 2016 Amatrice was seriously damaged by an earthquake with its epicenter in nearby Accumoli; its Amatrice has paid the greatest tribute of human lives at the event.

In the urban fabric stand out the slender civic tower dating back to the XIII century and the strict bell towers of the church of Sant'Agostino, characterized by a beautiful late Gothic portal and by the presence of valuable frescoes such as the Annunciation and the Madonna with Child and Angels, and the church of Sant'Emidio, dating back to the fifteenth century. Worthy of note are also the church of San Francesco in the second half of the fourteenth century characterised by a gothic portal of marble and containing in the apse frescoes of the XV century, and that of Santa Maria di Porta Ferrata. Amatrice is present also the Miniature Park in a garden of knowledge, where are reproduced to scale the monuments, the animals and the entire territory of the Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga.

BY CAR

• From the North: take the A1 Firenze - Roma highway and exit at Fiano Romano, follow towards Roma, take the SS 4, exit towards Rieti, cross Borgo Santa Maria and continue following indications for Amatrice.
• From the South: take the A1 Napoli - Roma highway and exit at Cassino, in Avezzano follow the direction for Rome, continue on the A 24 towards Rieti, exit towards L'Aquila Ovest, cross L'Aquila, Antrodoco, take the SS 4 and continue following indications for Amatrice.
• From Rome: from the ring road, take the A1 highway and exit towards Fiano Romano, continue on the SS 4 Salaria towards Rieti, follow it until the junction for Amatrice.
• From Rieti: take the SS 4 state road, cross Antrodoco and continue following indications for Amatrice.

ON THE TRAIN

• L'Aquila station
• Ascoli Piceno station
• Rieti station

BY PLANE

• Pescara airport
• Rome Ciampino Airport
• Ancona airport
• Rome Fiumicino Airport

Amatrice is famous for the Amatriciana Sauce, which made improperly the famous Roman Cuisine in the world and with which they are dressed spaghetti, vermicelli or bucatini. Originally the sauce was prepared by the pastors with the ingredients at their disposal on the mountains when followed grazing their flocks. The ingredients were: bacon into cubes or very thin slices, pecorino and spaghetti, dish that was traditionally called "anointed and cacio". Subsequently in the XVIII century the recipe was adorned with the addition of tomato and very little olive oil. The spread on a national scale was had in the nineteenth century when many amatriciani emigrated to Rome because of the crisis of pastoralism and found employment in the field of food & beverage making known the typical dish of their ancestors: the amatriciana.

The first historical amatriciano restaurant was opened in Rome in 1860 by Luigi Sagnotti with the name de Il Passetto, così called since through the restaurant you could pass from vicolo del passetto to piazza Navona. Getting to knowledge on a national scale the recipe of the "Amatriciana" even the actor Aldo Fabrizi gave his contribute that often spoke about it during its radio and television broadcasts. Still today in menù restaurants are located the two recipes: the traditional said commonly gricia also and the one with the tomato sauce. In many restaurants is located a wrong recipe that makes use of Bacon (instead of the bacon), onion and olive oil.

Amatrice however owes its gastronomic glory on an ancient tradition; So profound was this tradition, which Amatrice became the city of the cooks of the Popes. The foundational element of his school were and are the quality of primary ingredients: the meat of the highest level, thanks to the abundant pasture dei Monti della Laga, cheeses and consequent water, referred è rich territory amatriciano. The historic Hotel Rome of Amatrice, considered the "temple" of the authentic amatriciana, was one of the symbols of the town but it was destroyed by the earthquake of 2016.

The Gnocchi Ricci are another specialty typical of Amatrice, but much less known than the amatriciana. Are gnocchi made with water and flour and eggs, which is given the characteristic riccio crushing them with your fingers. Typical of the town and little known in the villages have been handed down from generation to generation and are considered to be the dish more ancient gastronomy amatriciana.

• St Mary of the Thread: patronal feast of Amatrice, celebrated on the Sunday after the ascension.

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• March - Donkeys' Palio and Donkeys' Stroke. Each donkey takes the name of a mayor, according to a tradition that refers to the popular culture; at the last ass that arrives is assigned the cowbell of the Palio. It also assists the parade of 500 people in costume and with the election of the "Dama delle Dame".