Roccamontepiano
Roccamontepiano is a municipality with 1784 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012) in the province of Chieti in the Italian region of Abruzzo.
Geography
Roccamontepiano is about 25 km south of Chieti on the border with the province of Pescara, to which the municipality is not among the northeast of the Majella and the Majella National Park. Roccamontepiano consists of several settlements on the wooded flanks of a high level ( Monte Piano ) travertine rock. The landscape is crossed by numerous rock faces ( calanchi ) and has many sources. The river Alento crosses just behind its source the municipality.
The districts ( frazioni ) are the main town and administrative center of San Rocco and Molino, Pomaro, Reginaldo, Francione, Sant'Angelo and Terra Nova. Roccamontepiano belongs to the Comunità montana della Maielletta management community. The neighboring municipalities are Bucchianico, Casalincontrada, Fara Filiorum Petri, Pretoro and Serramonacesca (PE).
History
In the Lombard period on the slopes of Monte Piano was a fortress. This is attested from the second half of the 9th century. Between the 10th and 11th centuries built Benedictine monks from the nearby Abbey of San Liberatore a Maiella a named after Saint Peter's Monastery. From 1294 the monastery (San Pietro Celestino ) belonged to the Celestine Order. In the following centuries, the area came as a fief of the Orsini family (15th century), the Condottiere Bartolomeo d' Alviano ( 1507), and in the 18th century to the Roman Colonna family.
The old village was destroyed on June 24, 1765 by a landslide. Today's Roccamontepiano emerged in the 19th century under the old settlement. The community lives mainly from agriculture (including olive groves and vineyards ), small industry, crafts (ceramics, weaving, Travertinbearbeitung ) and tourism.
Culture and sights
- Ruins of the Benedictine monastery of San Pietro Celestino - The building was built in the 12th century in Romanesque style from the local travertine.
- Chiesa di San Francesco Caracciolo - The church with an attached monastery near San Rocco was built in the 18th century and belonged to the Order of the Minor Clerks Regular ( Caracciolini ).
Regular events
- Festa di San Giuseppe - Festival on May 1, in the district of Reginaldo.
- Palio dei fuochi di San Giovanni - Festival on June 25
- Festa di San Rocco - folk festival in honor of the Patron Saint Roch (16th August). The festival attracts many pilgrims, as the water of the grotto and the source of San Rocco is considered curative.
- Festa di San Carlo - Festival in honor of the patron saint of the municipality on November 4, in the district of Terra Nova.
- Festa della Madonna delle Grazie - Festival on September 8, in the district of Madonna delle Grazie.
Specialty
In the surroundings of the village vines of Montepulciano for the DOC - cultivated wine Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.