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PESCOCOSTANZO
Even if exist findings of
Roman age hermital and the churches of Sant'Antonio
and San Michele were erected on pagan places of cult, the
village of Pescocostanzo has medieval origins like reported
by a date (1066) recorded on a document of
the Montecassino's Abbey. In 1108 Pescocostanzo it was yielded
from the monks to the count Oddone Valva and subsequently,
under the Anjou, it passed to the Cantelmo
family.
In 1456 a strong earthquake hit entire Central Italy
causing the destruction of Pescocostanzo but the reconstruction
is facilitated from the crescent trading importance of the
“way of Abruzzi” (economic way
along the Appennine ridge) that passed here.
For the same reason the village knew an increasing demographic
and economic expansion and manifested a strong will of autonomy
culminated in the purchase of all the lands to its lord (1774).
The crisis of the transumanza brpught an economic
depression and the depopulation of the center.
In spite of the dimensions of the village, Pescocostanzo has
an elevated intensity of works of Renaissance and Baroque
art. Beginning from the church Colleggiata dell'Assunta,
nowadays basilica dedicated to S. Maria del Colle, with late-Romanesque
portal (1558) and staircase (1580). Destroyed during the earthquake
it was reconstructed in 1465. Among all the churches to visit
we cite that one of Jesus and Maria, with baroque interior,
the Francescani's Convent (1611) and Benedictine's
Monastery of Santa Scolastica (1624).
Innumerable examples of secular art through the noble palaces:
Palazzo Comunale and Palazzo Grilli
('500), Palazzo Mansi and Palazzo del Governatore and many
others.
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