Pescosansonesco Nuovo: Churches, Village History and Special Places

Pescosansonesco Nuovo combines impressive religious buildings, a fascinating local history and unusual discoveries. Anyone planning a trip featuring culture, regional tradition and distinctive landscapes will find many different points of interest here. Medieval churches, an almost uninhabited village on a rocky spur and an annual pasta tradition give a stay here several different dimensions.

Churches, Art and Historical Traces

One of the prominent cultural sites is the Chiesa S. Maria in Blesiano, also known as the Chiesa della Madonna dell’Assunta. The Romanesque stone church was built in the 10th century and restored in 1935. Its crypt contains 13th-century frescoes as well as the tombs of the Counts of Sansoneschi. The building therefore offers not only a historic exterior, but also an insight into the religious and local history of the area.

The Chiesa di San Nicola is a small medieval church dating from the 12th century. It has a portal made of dressed stone with carved jambs and capitals and stands in isolation on a rocky slope among the remains of the old medieval village of Pescosansonesco. Pescosansonesco Vecchio itself is an almost uninhabited village on a rocky spur. Remains of the castle and parts of the historic village centre are still visible on this rocky spur. For families interested in history, this creates an excursion where buildings, ruins and landscape can be viewed together.

Another striking example of design from the past is the Fontana Romana. The fountain dates from the late 16th century and was built in the Mannerist style. Its U-shaped layout consists of one central basin and two side basins; nine anthropomorphic masks carved from stone define its appearance. The Pinacoteca di Arte Sacra “Vita del Beato Nunzio Sulprizio” also has its own particular focus. It displays works painted and donated to the parish by the painter and musician Mario Di Donato.

Sacred Places and Unusual Discoveries

The Santuario di San Nunzio Sulprizio was built in the 1990s and contains relics of the saint. It stands at the highest point of Pescosansonesco, is anchored in the rock and includes the miraculous spring of Riparossa, where the saint washed his wounds. La Bottega is also associated with the memory of his life: Blessed Nunzio Sulprizio worked in this workshop as a blacksmith together with his uncle.

The Convento di Santa Maria in Coll’Angeli was founded in the 15th century as a Franciscan monastery. The complex includes a single-nave Romanesque church, side chapels, numerous statues and polychrome stucco decorations. For travel planning, it is important to note that the monastery is closed and not open to the public. Information about the complex can therefore be considered primarily when placing the area in its historical context.

Tradition, Landscape and Special Moments

An established culinary tradition is the Sagra della Pasta alle Erbe Selvatiche. It takes place every year on 13 and 14 August. Those wishing to plan their stay around these dates can include regional cuisine and local life in their travel plans without limiting the visit to a single theme.

The stretch of road known as “Punto di gravità” before the entrance to the village provides a surprising sight. There, it appears that a stationary car is travelling uphill against the gradient. At Pizzo della Croce, there are also the remains of an Italic-Roman sanctuary that was very probably the site of the famous oath sworn by the Italic peoples against Rome during the Social War from 90 to 87 BC. A large part of the built-up area of Pescosansonesco lies within Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park.

Suitable Accommodation for Your Travel Plans

When looking for a holiday apartment in Pescosansonesco Nuovo, you can first consider which of these focuses should shape your trip: sacred art, medieval village history, an August tradition or unusual historic sites. Those travelling with several generations can make their days varied accordingly and combine cultural visits with their own interests. When choosing your accommodation, consider above all which excursions you would like to combine and which location suits your personal travel plans.

More Places to Search

If you would also like to compare other destinations, you can find more places here: Pietranico, Turrivalignani, Serramonacesca, Rosciano, Nocciano, Bolognano, Villareia and Caprara D'abruzzo.

To the higher-level travel overview: Pescara.