Trasacco: Archaeology, Towers and Trails on Monte Alto

Trasacco combines impressive traces of the past with trails through forests and mountain landscapes. In the historic centre, on Monte Alto and at the Santuario della Madonna di Candelecchia, you will encounter different sides of the town. This allows you to shape your trip around archaeology, religious history, viewpoints and regional festival traditions.

Archaeology and architectural history in the town centre

In Trasacco’s historic centre, archaeological remains of the Italic-Roman Vicus Supinum can be found on Via della Torre. They include a cistern and other wall remains. The Roman settlement centre is documented from the 3rd century BC to late antiquity through inscriptions and grave goods. Those interested in early settlement history will find concrete evidence here of the town’s long development.

A prominent landmark is Torre Febonio. The tower is 27.50 metres high; around two thirds have a square floor plan, while the remaining section is cylindrical. It was certainly used as a lookout point over Lake Fucino. At the Basilica dei Santi Cesidio e Rufino, it is worth looking at the Portale degli Uomini, a Romanesque-Renaissance portal with twisted columns, carved pilasters and sculpted capitals. The marine-shell ornaments from the Grotta Continenza near Trasacco also testify to far-reaching connections: they suggest an exchange network in parts of central Italy and/or active movements by the populations living in the Fucino area.

Forest, high-altitude trails and Monte Alto

The Santuario della Madonna di Candelecchia lies in the Trasacco area, on the border with Luco dei Marsi, at an altitude of 891 metres and 300 metres inside a dense forest. A spring rises 100 metres below the sanctuary from solid rock. The paved road can be reached by all means of transport, runs level as far as the edge of the forest and then climbs in noticeably steeper sections. You should take these differences into account when planning your day.

Another historical route leads from the Castelluccio district of Trasacco through the first and second Vallone to the summit of Monte Alto. At an altitude of 1,084 metres are the remains of a fortified centre of the archaic Supinate community, the ocri Supinas. This allows you to combine an excursion into the landscape with an unusual archaeological destination.

Places of faith and festival traditions

The Chiesa del Soccorso also contains several historical layers. Its title is documented in an excerpt from the decrees of Bishop Muzio Colonna concerning his pastoral visit in July 1632. Previously, there had been plans to convert the chapel into a church. The chapel itself was built outside the town on the road to Avezzano to seek the Madonna’s protection from misfortune.

Local festival traditions include “Ruette in festa”, an event associated with August and held in the alleys of the historic centre, which are characterised by cellars and stalls. As part of the Sant’Antonio festival, the theatrical performance “Mascaritte” was also staged on 6 January in the streets of the historic centre. Such occasions complement the archaeological and religious discoveries with a cultural perspective.

Choose accommodation to suit your itinerary

When searching for a holiday apartment in Trasacco, you can consider which focus should define your trip. For days spent in the town centre, Vicus Supinum, Torre Febonio, the Basilica and the Chiesa del Soccorso take centre stage. If you plan to visit the Santuario della Madonna di Candelecchia or Monte Alto, forests, elevation and stretches of road with varying gradients will be relevant factors. This allows you to choose your accommodation based on your preferred daily itinerary, without reducing the different experiences to a single excursion destination.

For more travel ideas, you can also visit the pages on Bagno, Scanno, Paganica, Poggio Picenze, Celano, Cagnano Amiterno, Balsorano Nuovo and Pettorano Sul Gizio.

To the higher-level travel overview: L-Aquila.