Overview
You cannot leave Abruzzo without visiting the castle of Roccascalegna, a manor of those narrated in fairy tales.
One legend tells that the name derives from 'Rocca scale di legno', referring to the ladder that led from the village to the tower of the fortress and that is also depicted in the municipality's coat of arms.
In reality, the toponym is of Lombard origin and seems to derive from a word whose meaning would be 'steep side of a mountain'. You are in fact on the side of Mount San Pancrazio, in the province of Chieti, from which the castle, located on a 'strategic' rocky spur, dominates the village, the Rio Secco valley and the wide Sangro valley like an ancient guardian, imposing and taciturn.
The earliest mention of the fortress dates back to the 12th century, but it was probably founded around the 9th century by the monks of the Abbey of San Pancrazio (of which only the church at the cemetery remains), to control the arrival of 'foreigners' from both the sea and the mountains.
What you can see is the result of a major conservative restoration, which has taken nothing away from its ancient beauty, certified by the Orange Flags of the Italian Touring Club.
Step through the gate and you will be immersed in the charm of the Middle Ages.
Get lost in the shapes and observe the vestibule with its herringbone brick floor and the sentinel tower; pass through some irregular rooms and reach the prison tower, the Angevin tower, the church, the watchtower, the external walkway.
Along the way you will find open-air venues, where you can cast your gaze, like a dart, over the magnificent surrounding panorama, and closed clubs where exhibitions and events are organised throughout the year.
An exciting visit for an intense experience, which also bewitched the director Matteo Garrone, who chose it as the location for the film 'Il racconto dei racconti' (The Tale of Tales).
The area is rich in small companies that enhance the products of the territory by producing liqueurs, oil, sliced meats and cheeses that are particularly appreciated outside the region. Among the typical dishes, at lunch, don't miss the 'Cannarozzetti allo Zafferano', a short homemade pasta seasoned with guanciale (lard), sheep's ricotta cheese, pepper and Abruzzo saffron, one of the best in Italy, or the 'Ndocca Ndocca', a very nutritious dish made with pork meat (particularly the less prized parts of the animal), cooked slowly for hours and flavoured with local spices: bay leaves, chilli pepper, rosemary and whole, lightly crushed cloves of garlic.
What else to see:
- The fortified village
- The church of San Pietro
- The church of San Cosmo and Damiano
- The church of San Pancrazio
