The territory

The territory of Abruzzo is, roughly, the shape of a semicircle with a diameter of about 150 kilometres. The coastline, 129 kilometres long, stretches from the river Tronto to the Trigno and constitutes the eastern boundary of the region, while the North borders with Marche, the South with Molise and the West with Lazio. The land boundaries of the region are 467 kilometres long altogether.
The regional territory covers 10,794 square kilometres, the majority of which (65.1%, 7,027 square kilometres) is mountainous. 34.9% is constituted by hills. The statistics do not mention the plains. Near the coast, in fact, there are no plains, whereas in the inland there are a few, in the river's valley bottoms and also at high altitudes. The largest plain, the Piana del Fucino, can be considered "artificial" because it was the result of the drying up of the lake Fucino in the last century. The territory of the four provinces of Abruzzo is divided in very different altimetric areas. The province of L'Aquila is totally characterized by mountains; in the Chieti area hills prevail, while in Pescara and Teramo the areas covered by mountains are more or less the same as those covered by hills.

The mountains

In the western half of the region there is a series of mountainous chains (Laga, Gran Sasso, Velino, Sirente, Simbruini, Ernici, Majella and Monti Marsicani), with the highest peaks of the Apennine (Gran Sasso's Corno Grande, Majella's Monte Amaro, Monte Velino). Some of these chains are closer to the sea (Majella and east side of the Gran Sasso); others, as the Monti Frentani, are even closer to the Adriatic sea.
The Gran Sasso is made of a long ridge mainly orientated towards north-west and south-east, leaning southward from the Monte Siella to Forca di Penne. The majestic massif, indented and with very steep sides, grey and off-white in colour, rises from the karst plateau of Campo Imperatore (1600 mts high and 150 square kms wide) in a Dolomitic scenery, with pointed peaks, crests and vertical sides almost reaching up to 3000 metres. Among these we can mention Corno Grande (2912 mts) where the only glacier of the Apennine survives and the most southern in Europe: the Calderone, the Corno Piccolo (2637 mts), the Monte Brancastello (2560 mts), the Monte Aquila (2495 mts). The Gran Sasso joins north-west with the massif of the Monti della Laga, and the Vomano valley lies between them. The Laga mountains are covered in woods and their peaks reach almost 2500 metres, as in the case of the Gorzano (2458 mts), the Pizzo di Sevo (2419 mts), or the Monte di Mezzo and the Monti della Laghetta (2369 mts), a real balcony over the Lake of Campotosto, the artificial basin at the service of the hydroelectrical plants of the Vomano valley and natural reserve, an oasis for many species of aquatic birds.

The Majella group is separated from the Gran Sasso by the Gole di Tremonti (or Gole di Popoli), carved by the Pescara river, and is situated close to the southern part of the coastline. The mountains of this group rise up directly from Chieti hills and from the valley of the Aventino river, the Pescara, of the Peligna plain (of Aterno-Pescara river) and of the maj or plateaus. They rise from the vast Peligna basin. The Monte Amàro (2793 mts), the second highest peak of the Apennine after the Corno Grande, dominates the karst plateau of the Femmina Morta, about 4 kms long and, southward, an enormous dome of calcarean rock, marked by deep channels terminating in naked walls on the high eastern hills. Between the plain of the Fucino and the valley of L'Aquila stand alligned the chain of Sirente and the massif of Velino, one next to the other; north of these there is a series of main plateaus of the Apennine: the Altopiano delle Rocche, the Altopiano di Campo Felice, the Prati del Sirente and the Piani di Pezza. Similar formations exist south-west of the Majella, the so-called major plateaus, one of which is the Piano delle Cinquemiglia.The plain of Fucino divides the chain of Velino-Sirente from a third one, which belongs only partially to Abruzzo, as it runs along the border of Lazio. It is formed by the extended group of the Monti Simbruini and Ernici, a little over 2000 mts in height. Beyond the wide Valle Roveto, the chain reaches the south-western border of the region, joining the Mountains of the National Park of Abruzzo.

The hydrography

The surface hydrography of Abruzzo is very complex, because of the diversity of mountain chains, some perpendicular, other parallel to the coast: the rivers Salinello, Vomano, Aterno-Pescara and Sangro have opened up passes through mountains, thus creating gorges of incomparable beauty (Salinello, S. Venanzio, Foce di Barrea, Gole di Tremonti).
All rivers flow into the Adriatic, apart from the Liri and the Turano which flow into the Tyrrhenian.
The main rivers originate from the mountainous chains and have considerable flows; the others, generally with a shorter course and scarce flow, originate from the eastern side of the mountain. Among the first ones we can mention the Vomano, the Aterno-Pescara, the Sangro; among the second the Vibrata, the Salinello, the Tordino, the Tavo and the Foro. Of these, only the Aterno-Pescara, the Sangro and the Trigno are over 100 kms long, and only the Aterno-Pescara (145 kms, the 2Oth Italian river) and the Sangro have a yearly average flow of over 10 cubic metres per second at their mouth.
As far as lakes are concerned, with the disappearing of the Fucino, the major one is now the lake of Scanno which, at 922 metres of altitude in the valley of Sagittario, between the Monte Genzana and the Montagna Grande extends for about one square kilometre. The other lakes of the region are all very small, mainly of glacial origin. Among them is the Pantaniello, at an altitude of 1818 mts., next to the Monte Greco and the numerous basins of the Gran Sasso. Among the artificial basins, finally, besides the already mentioned lake of Campotosto, are the lake of Barrea and Bomba, both along the river Sangro, Casoli and Penne.

The weather

We conclude with some information on the climate or, more likely, "climates", as Abruzzo has two climates: maritime and continental. The annual average temperature varies from 8°-12° in the mountainous area to 12°-16° in the maritime area; in both areas, though, the differences between maximum and minimum temperature can be considerable. The coldest month is January, when the average temperature on the coast is 8°, while in the interior it often drops below zero.
In the summer the average temperature of both areas are similar: 24° on the coast, 20° in the interior. The slight difference is due to the overheating of the rocky areas in the interior and the consequent letting out of the heat during the night, mitigating the lowest temperatures caused by the altitude. In the more internal areas, mainly in the most elevated basins, besides the annual thermal changes, there are also noticeable daily changes, that is a marked difference between the day and the night temperature.
Also the distribution of rainfall, mainly determined by the mountains and their location, varies according to the area. The rainfall reaches its maximum, in the whole region, in the month of November and the minimum in the summer. On the mountains the rainfall becomes snow lasting on the ground for different periods, according to different altitudes: an average of 38 days, in the area of L'Aquila, at an altitude of 55 to 1000 mts., 190 days at 2000 mts. and throughout the year on the peak of the Corno Grande.

Winter Tourism
The Abruzzo skiing resorts

During the winter, the Abruzzo mountains offer to the keen snow-lovers numerous possibilities for downhill, cross-country, and alpine sluing, and, the latest passion of the youngsters, the snowboard. Winter tourism has changed radically the life of the many towns that realised the need to change and have made "snow" their enterprise. The highest number of winter resorts can be found in the L'Aquila province, but the Teramo side of Gran Sasso and the Majella also offer a good level of facilities. There are 22 winter resorts and a few words on each one of these is necessary.

In Abruzzo nature goes to the sea

The coastline of Abruzzo is varied, where the low and sandy shores to the north contrast with the inclined shores to the south.
The sette sorelle (seven sisters), seven seaside resorts in the province of Teramo, from Martinsicuro to Silvi, the Pescara and the Francavilla al Mare beaches, offer high level accomodation, night-clubs, and in Pescara itself, even a modern marina. To the south the scenery changes radically: from Ortona to Vasto and as far as S. Salvo, sloping shores surrounded by the rich Mediterranean vegetation appear on the coastline. They too, are well equipped for a pleasant holiday. The nostalgic fishing past emerges between S. Vito and Fossacesia, where the travocchi, singular fishing huts built on piles, are still today used by the local fishermen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The National Park of Abruzzo
Organization

A short survey of the oldest Park in Italy its organization, fauna, flora and its natural environment.
Recommended itinerary description; suggestions and useful phone numbers for a visit to the Park.
The National Park of Abruzzo was established by the Royal decree n. 257 of January 2, 1923. Later, on July 12 of the same year, that decree was made law. Its present-day area of 44,000 hectares, which is the result of several enlargements, includes 22 towns in the provinces of L'Aquila, Frosinone and Isernia.
In 1980 the Autonomous Board "National Park of Abruzzo", in charge of the Park administration, has started a zonation project, which consists in dividing the whole territory in zones. This Board has set very severe restraints on full protection areas and it has established more flexible rules for tourism in the remaining ones. At present, the Park is divided into 4 zones: Full Reserve, General Reserve, Protection Zone and Development Zone. Almost every town has been provided with a Tour Information Centre and with Zone Offices. A Centre for the Apennine Ecological Studies has also been established in order to do research and publish data on the rarest animal species.

Itineraries
Recommended period: Spring - Autumn
(Sulmona - Cocullo - Pescasseroli - Opi - Villetta Barrea - Scanno - Sulmona)

The trip begins in Sulmona (403 mts above sea-level), a town situated in the heart of the Peligna valley. The town, which is well-known as the birthplace of Ovidio, the poet of love, is known nowadays as being the land of confetti (there is also a museum of confetti). Its many fine monuments date back, mostly, to the economic and cultural heyday of the town, during the XIV and XV centuries The Natural History Museum of the Mountain Community, with its entomological section containing almost 7,000 examples of local insects, is worth a visit.
The next stop is the town of the snake-catchers, Cocullo, whose residents have combined the millenary Marsican traditions with the Christian devotion to S. Domenico. From here the trip continues on the provincial road to Ortona dei Marsi, going through a karst depression area. Then it reaches Bisegna passing through the lovely Giovenco valley, and from here it ends up in the heart of the National-Park, i.e. the town of Pescasseroli. Still proceeding along the Sangro valley, the tour touches Opi and afterwards the town of Villetta Barrea, whose artificial lake hears the same name. The tour starts back from the lake of Barrea and, following the S.S. (State road) n. 479, it climbs the -mountains through the woods of Scalone up to the pass of Monte Godi and then it descends to the town and lake of Scanno.
Here it is worth making a stop and taking a walk in the narrow streets, many of which contain the typical fights of steps. In this way you can admire the characteristic women's clothes of oriental origin that some elcerly women still wear, especially of holiday. And you can also do some shopping in the goldsmith's shops. After leaving Scanno, the tazir goes through Villalago and, at the end of the Sagittario Valley, Anversa degli Abruzzi, the town where D'Annunzio's play "La fiaccola sotto il moggio" is set. After driving 20 more kilometres the trip ends back in Sulmona.

 

 

 

 

The National Park of Gran Sasso-Laga
Organization

Established in 1993, it spreads on 203.000 hectares on the territory of 57 communes divided among the provinces of L'Aquila, Teramo, Pescara, Ascoli Piceno and Rieti. Inside it the mountainous chains of Gran Sasso and of the Monti della Laga are completely included. The Group of the Gran Sasso is situated between the basin of the river Vomano in the north and the river Aterno-Pescara in the south
The main structure is constituted by a long ridge line stretching from the Passo delle Capannelle to Vado di Sole; in the western part, past Monte S. Franco, the chain parts in two sections which rejoin on Monte Aquila. The first stretches towards South and is constituted by the ranging Monte Ienca, Pizzo di Camarda, Cresta delle Malecoste, Pizzo Cefalone, Monte Portella; the other one extending eastward is constituted by the ranging Monte Corvo, Pizzo d'Intermesoli, Corno Piccolo and Corno Grande, which border the Karst plain of Campo Pericoli and the high grassland of Venacquaro. Moreover this ramification includes the peaks of the mounts Prena (2561 mts) and Camicia (2570 mts) -where there is the highest source of the Apennine, Fonte Grotta, with interesting concretions in the small pools of clear and icy water - and, under the northern side of the Corno Grande, the Calderone, the only glacier of the Apennine and the most southern of Europe. South of the massif spreads the endless plain of Campo Imperatore, at 1600 mts of height.
The chain of the Laga is North-South oriented and presents two sides, which differ for climate and structure. The eastern side, more humid and cold, goes down towards the river plains of the Vomano, Tordino, Salinello, Vibrata, the other side in the territory of L'Aquila, Rieti and Ascoli, throws itself on the Lake of Campotosto, on the valley of the Tronto and on the gorges hollowed out by the latter in the territory of Ascoli.
The main ridge, again above two thousand meters, is constituted by the peaks of the Monte della Laghetta (2369 mts), of the Monte Gorzano (2458 mts) and the Pizzo di Sevo (2421 mts).

The National Park of Gran Sasso-Laga
Itineraries
(recommended period: from spring to autumn, in winter if you want to ski)

The excursion aims to the contact with the most spectacular section of the massif, the central one, which is the most suitable for a direct observation of a succession of layers of vegetation, cultivation and of settlings along a relatively short route. We start from Roseto degli Abruzzi to rise up the Valle del Vomano to the hydroelectric power plant of San Giacomo. From Roseto we take the state road which skirts the river Vomano and seems to point directly towards the hinterland, towards the peak of the Gran Sasso, which appears imposing at the horizon.
Along this road we meet valuable evidence of the Benedictine Monachism in Abruzzo, expressions of a Cistercian architectonic tradition developed according to peculiar characteristics: S. Maria di Propezzano, S. Maria di Ronzano, S. Clemente al Vomano, S. Giovanni al Mavone.
Along the route we can stop at Canzano (475 mts), a village which seems stuck to a hill dominating the valley, with a beautiful view roving from the sea to the Gran Sasso. Here it is possible to taste the real turkey "alla canzanese", a gastronomic speciality appreciated also abroad.
From the power plant of San Giacomo we drive along the valley of Rio Arno to reach the skiing resort of Prati di Tivo in the district of Pietracamela.
On the way back we go along the valley of Vomano and rise up the valley of its tributary stream, the Mavone, for a visit to Castelli. Coming back to the valley of Vomano, from Villa Vomano onward we can repeat the outward journey

 

 

The National Park of Majella-Morrone
Organization

Founded, together with the Gran Sasso-Laga in 1993, it extends for 86,000 hectares in the provinces of Pescara, Chieti, and L'Aquila involving 39 communes. The Majella mountain range is clearly connected with the Morrone mountain. The rounded massif of the Majella is very characteristic. Similar to a magnificent, elliptical dome, it dominates the Abruzzo countryside rising up between the sea and the Apennine range.
The western side, being without valleys, is furrowed by wide screes that push as far as the beechwoods that embellish that side, whereas the eastern side is more rounded.
Apart from the principal peak, Monte Amaro (2,795 mts), there are another thirty that go above the 2,000 mts. One of these is Monte Acquaviva (2,737 mts), and then Cima delle Murelle (2,596 mts) and Monte Focalone (2,676 mts) with almost dolomitic faces.
The charm of the Majella is increased by deep valleys, real and true "canyons" and by vast plateaus above 2,000 mts such as Valle di Femmina Morta. Most frequent is the phenomenon of karsification evidenced by the numerous grottoes one of which is Grotta del Cavallone that D'Annunzio chose as the setting for the second act of his Figlia di Iorio (Daughter of Iorio).

 The National Park of Majella-Morrone
Itineraries
(From the spring to the autumn, in the winter for skiers)

The itinerary moves from Fossacesia Marina on the Teatina coast, where it is possible to visit the Abbey of San Giovanni in Venere, towards Lanciano. From here, going along the .S.S.363 across land leaning slightly towards the coast and engraved by short water courses, with sides with steep cliffs you arrive at Guardiagrele.
It is a must to visit the thriving craftsmanship of wrought iron and copper, and the worthy works of ari that the town preserves, not to mention the wide, interesting panorama of the Majella. The contact with the Mother Majella becomes closer and fascinating as you follow on along the S.S.263 and 84. If the itinerary is being followed during the summer season, it is suggested that after a visit to the Balzolo of Pennapiedimonte and to the sources of the Verde near Fara San Martino, a short trip in the valley of Taranta to reach, using the chairlift, the Grotta del Cavallone. If the climatic conditions are not favourable, it is suggested as an alternative, a visit to the town of Palena.
From Palena you reach the Valico della Forchetta which brings you on to the Majour Plateaus. You are now in the province of L'Aquila. A few kilometres on are the most important skiing resorts of centre-south, Rivisondoli and Boccaraso and the Altopiano delle Cinque Miglia.
Visit the interesting, well-preserved historic centre of Pescocostanzo, where it is possible to buy valuable jeweller's art and works in wrought iron. Then cross through Bosco di S. Antonio which leads to Campo di Giove.

 

 

Reserves and natural oasis
Organization

The Sirente-Velino Park was created by the Region of Abruzzo in 1989. Its territory borders on Lazio to the west, on the Plain of Fucino to the south and on the river Aterno to the north. It includes Monte Velino, whose 2,468 metres make it the Apennines third highest peak, and the massif of Sirente, which is formed by a single almost straight ridge of about 20 kms and whose topmost peak, called Monte Sirente, is 2,348 mts high.
Though the Velino and Sirente are divided by the fault bounding the Altopiano delle Rocche, they show the same geological and tectonic structure. According to Dionysius of Halicarnassous, the name "Velino" comes from the Greek word Hetos, which means "swamp". Though its present barren aspect makes it impossible to believe , at the beginning of the Quaternary period the massif contained a series of high altitude lakes, whose traces give the landscape an enchanting look. The karst phenomena are especially noticeable here. They produced the Grotte di Stiffe, in the district of S. Demetrio ne' Vestini. An underground river, lei by the sink-holes water of the karst plateau of the Rocche, runs across the caves. Inside you can admire several small lakes and falls up to 20 metres high. In the various sections of the caves, besides the stalactites and stalagmites, you can enjoy the marvellous visual and sound-effects produced by the water. Outside you can admire the falls created by the water flowing out from the caves. Guided tours to the Grotte di Stiffe, by the L'Aquila Spelaeological Group, are available every day in July and August, but only on Saturday and Sunday in the rest of the year.

Reserves and natural oasis
Itineraries
Recommended period: every time of the year. Skiers may prefer winter
FROM CELANO TO THE GROTTE OF STIFFE TO L'AQUILA

From the exit "Celano" on the highway A25 Torano-Pescara you take the S.S. (State Road) 5-bis towards the historical centre. Here it is a must to visit the elegant and completely restored fifteenth-century Castle which overlooks the underlying Piana del Fucino. This castle is used as a summer centre for several activities. From this point the road goes on uphill to Ovindoli (1379 mts), where the Monte Magnola Skiing resort is. Then it goes through the Altopiano delle Rocche, which divides Monte Velino from Monte Sirente, towards L'Aquila.

Reserves and natural oasis
The WWF oasis

In Abruzzo, along with some State and Regional Reserves there are also some WWF-Italy oasis. Three of them (Lago di Penne, Majella Orientale and Serranella) coincide with the territory protected by the Region. The other three oasis are located on very interesting areas from a naturalistical point of view; they are directly run on the basis of rental agreements with public and private owners.

The old villages

Almost all the mountain centres of Abruzzo, sitting tight and protected on the peaks, were wise in their geographical setting and their own morphology for two reasons: the extreme danger of the Middle Ages, a period in which the majority of these villages arose, and the business (but it could be said mono-culture) of sheep farming, that has its kingdom in the mountains.
Built entirely out of live stone and mud, with a total, phobic absence of wood, all the old villages of the Abruzzo mountains express the obsessive attachment to stone, which is typical of the Mediterranean civilization. These houses of bare stone, built dose, one to another, to form a compact, protective mass in guise of a wall (therefore called "case-mura", wall-houses), are communicating their never-ending, anguishing need of defence in a world of extended, feudal anarchy, of the critical evasion of the central powers and therefore, the lack of organized systems of defence. The outside perimeter of the houses enclosed the village in a civilian (none the less effective), defensive circle.
On the outside there are few windows, almost as narrow as slits, placed in the upper floors. A direct consequence of the dangerous times, the so called "defence barriers" represented the only solid system of self-defence for the local population. Real, fortified villages more than just castles, these allowed a prolonged, defensive retreat for the people, if necessary.

For a very long space of time, going from the XI century to the French revolution, this type of urban plan formed a typical model of a civilized settlement in the Abruzzo mountains. Nevertheless it is difficult to understand the sense of these human settlements, often pushed to the limits of habitability without putting them back in their place in that system of economic production that organizes, in its entirety, all life in the mountains: sheep farming.
In actual fact, as an economic activity predominant in Abruzzo for almost three millenniums, therefore the origin of a particular condition of life, the sheep farming has made an impression on the territory not just limited to prints left in the pastures and sheep tracks. The great majority of the sheep, the huge flocks that periodically moved from the upper pastures in the mountains to the coastal plains of the Peninsula, are completely unconnected with the inhabited centre: the transhumant sheep always live out in the open. They represented, however, a sort of additional capital that never became directly part of the life or urban plan of the mountain villages. The actual style of each single house reflects this economy tied to a type of breeding which is based on large herds of small animals. The impossibility of moving this patrimony to the centre of the village, the need of defence which tended to limit the extension of the centre to be protected, and the steepness of the slopes, made a particular housing structure necessary in the shape of buildings with three, four, or even five or six rooms, one on top of the other.

The Castelli majolica
An historycal and artistic synthesis

Castellian  ceramic art, which became famous in the sixteenth century, appears to have extremely antique origins. It was probably the Benedictine monks, before the Valle Siciliana feudatories, who first introduced glazed ceramics around the 12th century.
However, the present centre of Castelli has only developed as a town, and thus economically, since the fifteenth century. The early production of "engobed and engraved" ceramic and the archeological digs carried out in the drains of the antique kilns confirm the growth of an industrial-type system which was already widespread in the first half of the 15th century.
The engobing technique, which consisted of a coating of ceramic bisque using an earthy liquid dough which was then coloured and "graffito" (engraved), was soon followed by the majolic production. This differed from the first in that an expensive glaze was applied to the bisque thus appealing more to wealthy clients. Right from the start, the production methods, which combined economy and quality with innovative techniques, made Castelli one of the most renowned and esteemed centres of the Renaissance. The use of engobing, for example, under the enamel meant the majolica was much whiter and consequently less enamel was needed. The particular technique of the "breathing" oven, recently studied by researchers at the C.N.R. (National Research Council), led to a marked reduction in the use of wood because the fumes given off were used again in the combustion process. The simple but genial solution of painting only the outward-face of pharmacy pots or others used for show whilst leaving the backs quickly but effectively decorated halved the time it took to produce them. Finally, the plentiful supply of wood, clay and water necessary to mill the stanniferous powder for the enamel were all characteristic of the economy of a place which, today, would seem too far from the markets, cut off from present means of communication and incredibly isolated amongst the mountains. Nevertheless, already at the beginning of the 16th century, Castelli had overcome its phase of imitating Umbrian products and was creating its own iconographic and morphological collection directed at high level buyers in a European market.

The spread of Castelli's great fame in the 16th century is attested to by Antonio Bueter, who, in his book, Cronica generale di Spagna (General Chronicle of Spain), when talking about some famous Moorish majolica production, wrote: "According to Pliny, Corebo, the inventor of working clay, whilst in Athens, did not make them any better neither were they any more valuable than those of Corinth or Pisa, nor those of Castelli of the Valle Siciliana d'Abruzzo or anywhere else, neither were they more beautiful or better crafted".
That must have been the case if the Aragona, Orsini, Farnese and other noble families of the day commissioned their everyday and most elegant dinner services from the Castelli ceramists. At least eleven families collaborated together with numerous workers at Castelli. The richest and most important of these was the Pompei family, creators of the famous "Orsini-Colonna" collection commissioned to celebrate peace made between the two farmilies. They also created part of the "Farnese tableware" with the famous "turchine" in gold. One should not, however, imagine, as romantics would, dark workshops with a solitary figure, the master craftsmen, intent on his masterpiece. On the contrary, these were authentic industries organized into sections and outbuildings from the search for clay, wood and other materials to the kneading, lathing and the first baking, finishing with the painting, which was only started off by the master craftsman to then be reproduced by his helpers. The final baking then established the colours and lastly carne the glaze. It was, therefore, a whole series of craftsmanship which required quite different but highly specialised skilled workers supervised by the master craftsman himself. Together with the production there was the commercial side which was controlled by different members of the family. They supervised all the operations necessary to participate in fairs and markets, both nearby and far away, organizing the loads, hampers and mules used for transportationIn the 18th century the economy flourished again and Castellian production revived although it had to compete against porcelain now being produced in Europe. This was another occasion where strategic choices, which today would be called "marketing", were able to bring the Castelli majolica to the attention of the European market. It was particularly the comeback of the "historiated" style (from "historia"), and landscapes, inspired by an almost canvas like concept of the object, as though it were a background to be painted on, which put the product high above any technological competition from porcelain, which concentrated on imitating oriental models and decorations.
Thus majolica established itself in a new way on the market. Together with the historiated ceramics, a more modest production was set up which -imitated the porcelain themes. This was designed mostly for local buyers and especially the new bourgeois class which was arising at that time. During the next century, thanks to the technical introduction of new colours, red amongst them, this production underwent a stylistic evolution with the typical "floracci" (big flowers). As had happened in the 16th century with the Pompei family, 17th century and especially 15th century Castelli production was characterized by the works of art of another great family of majolic producers: the Grue family. Landscapes, sea-scapes, hunting scenes and animals, battles, Biblical and mythological scenes would appear, one after the other, alternating the classical colours of yellow, green, sky-blue and orange. Whilst everywhere else art was in decline already, here it was reaching its peak; in the middle of the l8th century there were 35 factories and 5000 hampers of majolica were sent to the fair of Senigallia which, together with those sent to the fairs of Fermo and Loreto, earned more than 30.000 scudos.

 as well as the equipment needed for the journey

This production continued to the beginning of the 19th century with Gesualdo Fuina who specialized in decorations which were very like miniatures. Today, in the most important museums in the world, it is possible to admire the works of art made for European noble families in four centuries of Castellian history: from the hermitage in St. Petersburg to the Louvre in Paris and from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London to the Metropolitan Museum in New York.
Or, one can visit the Castelli ceramic museum situated in the cloisters of an ancient convent just outside the town where display boards show the working methods and fragments discovered during archeological research. One kilometre from the town stands the ancient icona (as small churches were once called), of San Donato whose modest appearance is deceptive as, on entering the church, one cannot help admiring the trussed ceiling entirely decorated with sixteenth century polychrome bricks with coats-of-arms, arabesques, human figures and animals painted on ceramic. For enthusiasts there is a splendid book available and the catalogue of an international exhibition held a few years ago which summarize the studies and multi-disciplinary research which has been carried out for years on the Renaissance production of this centre. Furthermore, soon the famous Acerbo Collection will also be at the Castelli museum. This Collection, based at Loreto Aprutino, is one of the largest private collections of majolica and will, at last, be open to the public-again.

At 17 kms from the S. Gabriele exit on the Teramo - L'Aquila motorway, Castelli has easy access to the coast (45 minutes by car), and to Rome (a drive of about two hours on the motorway). Its position, at an altitude of 500 metres, under the picturesque barrier of the Monte Camicia, makes it a good starting point to cross over and ascend the woodland-covered eastern face of the Gran Sasso group of mountains in the new National Park.
The mother church must be visited, where a 13th century wooden polychrome, the majolic altar-piece by Francesco Grue (1647), and a medieval silver cross of the Sulmona school have been preserved. In August, a large market exhibition of current ceramic production is set up but it is possible to wander around the streets of the town anytime of the year and come across numerous craft shops and stores. Prices vary greatly depending on the type and decoration, the choice ranging from simple rustic-like crockery with the typical "floracci", to the most refined imitations of antique collections maybe even decorated in pure gold. Monogrammed dinner-services can also be ordered or particular objects commissioned and decorated to one's own personal taste, thus making the most of the workmanship of the craftsman. Among the road out of the town and down into the valley one comes across the factories which produce mainly for markets abroad.
The "Istituto Statale d'Arte Ceramica" (the State Institute for Ceramic Art), is based in Castelli This school specializes in this art and its production techniques (tel.: 0861/979126-979221). For more detailed information on ceramic production one can contact the "Consorzio del Centre Ceramico Castellano" (the Consortium for the Castelli Ceramic Centre) to which all the ceramists of the area belong (tel.: 0861/979121). For information on guided excursions and trekking on the east face of the Gran Sasso one should contact the Bar "Grue" where members of the local C.A.I. (Italian Alpine Club), meet (tel.: 0861/979111). Guided tours of the Ceramics Museum can be made by phoning the Museum directly on 0861/979398 or the Town Hall on 0861/979142-979225 where further general information can be obtained.