Overview
It must be the pure air that one breathes in Torricella Peligna, in the province of Chieti, almost a thousand metres above sea level, that has fomented the artistic vein, imprinted in the DNA of many of its inhabitants.
You are in fact in the village that gave birth to Vincenzo Bellini Senior, the grandfather of the world-famous Catanese musician of the same name, to Silvio D'Amico, founder of the Academy of Dramatic Art in Rome, and to Nick Fante, father of the famous Italian-American writer John Fante, according to Bukowski the cursed novelist of America, to whom the Literary Festival 'My Father's God' is dedicated every year.
If you want to learn more about his literary production, visit the municipal media library named after him: a multifunctional structure open to the public where you can consult everything about John Fante's novels and short stories, in the original language, Italian and other languages, as well as films from his screenplays and the critical texts dedicated to him.
A separate room houses the small civic museum, with an interesting collection of archaeological relics found in the municipal territory close to the area of Juvanum, an ancient city of Frentani that was important since the Samnite wars including, in an air-conditioned glass case, an eighteenth-century mummy that came to light during the restoration work of the parish church.
The vestiges you are looking at are the evidence that the area was frequented as early as the protohistoric period, and if you want to know more, plan a visit to the Archaeological Museum in Chieti about 20 kilometres away, where the Italic burial of a warrior with his grave goods, found near the village, is exposed.
Visit its historic centre (first mentioned in the 12th century) with the Church of San Giacomo Apostolo, which dates back to the 11th century. Inside you will find a painting depicting San Giacomo Apostolo, a statue of the Madonna Del Rosario carved in polychrome gilded wood, from the Neapolitan school dating back to the 18th century, gold and silver chalices and monstrances, also from the eighteenth century.
The sanctuary of the Madonna del Roseto stands out over a view that embraces the Maiella, the sea and the mountains of Molise. Dating back probably to 1552, it is very simple, with a single nave and a presbytery raised by three steps and houses the statues of San Biagio and San Domenico and, on the altar, the statue of the Madonna and Child, the work of a local workshop.
If you have more days at your disposal, you can explore the area of the Maiella National Park and the localities of the Altipiani Maggiori, with exciting and valuable excursions in terms of landscape and nature.
And, last but not least, nourish yourself with good traditional dishes, such as "maccheroni alla chitarra" seasoned with mixed beef, pork or lamb ragù, in the company of friends or with a timeless book by the good "old" John Fante.
What else to see:
- The hermitage of San Rinaldo
- The Castle of Fallascoso
- The Juvanum archaeological park