S.STEFANO
DI SESSANIO
Sexantio
was the name of a Roman village that rose nearby the present
medieval village that is located inside of the National Park
Great Sasso-Monti della Laga.
During the Middle Ages Santo Stefano di Sessanio is under
the political and territorial dominion of the Carapelle's
Barons, that subsequently belonged also to two Tuscan families:
the Piccolomini before and the Medici
later. The Medici held it until 1743, a period of maximum
splendor thanks to the flourishing commerce of the “carfagna”
wool, produced here, worked in Tuscany and then sold all over
Europe.
With the term of the activity millenarian of the transumanza
(sheeps' migration) it began a period of decline of the village
with a strong reduction of the population due to the phenomenon
of the emigration.
Recently the village is having a rebirth, thanks to the tourism,
stimulated at the beginnig with the investments of a small
businessman of Swedish origins, who has acquired part of the
village to restored it for tourist use.
Santo Stefano di Sessanio keeps intact its
medieval appearance with walls and the sighting
tower, courts, patios, covered alleys and passages. In the
houses are present ulterior elements like arches, loggias,
portals and fireplaces in stone.
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