PACENTRO
The Castle of the Cantelmo
characterizes the town planning of this small medieval village
of the National Park of the Majella that
takes the name by Pacinus, trojan hero friend
of Enea, who arrived to the feet of Monte Morrone founded
Pacentro. Beyond the legend that often accompanies
the foundation of the cities in Abruzzi (Vasto,
Sulmona, Chieti)
the village rises on an ancient center of the Peligni
people.
The first archaeological rests of the present Pacentro date
back to the VII cent. and it's in the X and XI cent. the construction
of the castle to defend Pacentro from Saracene incursions.
In 1170 it was an act that sanctions the gift of the church
of Saint Panfilo to the Sulmona's bishop.
Annexed to the Reign of Naples and managed by the Caldora
family, it was the center of the Angioin power against the
Aragoneses supported from the city of Sulmona.
The victory of the Aragoneses sees in 1483
the passage to the Orsini family which will
exercise the power for more than a century. In 1613 it passes
to captain De Sanctis until 1624, year in which goes to the
Colonna and subsequently to the Barberini
family and later to marquises Recupito who held it until the
moment of the unification of Italy.
Main goal of the visit of Pacentro is sure the Castle
of the Caldora, that with those of Introdacqua,
Pettorano, Roccacasale,
Anversa, Bugnara and Popoli
constituted the feudal defensive system of the Peligna valley.
The church of San Marcello, founded in 1047,
is the most ancient of the village and keeps frescoes and
a wooden carved portal (1697). Other religious building is
the Church Madre ('500) with a beautiful bell tower.
Of sure architectonic interest also the noble palaces:
Palazzo Tonno ('600), Palace Massa, Palazzo Avolio and Palazzo
la Rocca.
Curiosity of the village is the Preta tonna, used
for the measure of the grain and the public laughing stock
of insolvent debtors forced to seat naked in front of passing
people.
Little outside from the village is advisable to visit the
Grotta di Colle Nusca that keeps rocky
paintings with hunting scenes, painted thousand of
years ago.
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