 |
|
 |
City
of Sulmona - Italy
Cultural
Itinerary 
Fiori
di Sulmona 
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
CITY
OF SULMONA ( City
of love)
Founded by the mythical Solimo, the town of Sulmona
is situated at the centre of the Peligna Valley.
In the Roman time it was municipium,
and in 43 b.C. it gave birth to the poet Ovidio.
During the Middle Ages it reached its utmost development
under Federic II's and the Angevins and stayed
for a long time a thriving cultural centre.
After the end of the Aragonese's control over
the town it was conquered by the Borghese and
the Bourbons families. Sulmona boasts monuments
of great artistic value enabling tourist to enjoy
a vast historical view ranging from prehistory
to |
|
nowadays. The town is also renowned for the
production of the "Confetti"
(sugar-coated almonds), an industry which has
been going on since the XV century.
... buy online
[confetti].
|
Italian
version about Sulmona
 |
|
- The Cathedral of St Panfilo
The wonderful Cathedral of St Panfilo,
the Patron Saint of Sulmona, is one of
the most beautiful churches in the city.
The former medieval building was built
and restored several times throughout
the ages: today it is a mixture of romanesque-gothic
and baroque art. The main portal, dating
back to the XIV century, is Gothic and
it shows in the lunetta a fresco by Leonardo
from Teramo.
Inside the Cathedral a romanesque double
colonnade stands as it was in the past;
in the right nave you can see a XIII-century
wooden Crucifix. In the XI-century crypt
visitors can admire a beautiful XII-century
basrelief (Madonna with Holy Child) and
a XV-century silver bust of St Panfilo.
|
|
 |
|
-
The Church of the Holy Annunziata
Together with the adjacent church, which
was completely rebuilt after an earthquake
in 1706, the huge complex is a synthesis
of four centuries of art from Sulmona, i.e.
a mixture of late Gothic, Renaissance and
Baroque styles.
The big soaring columns of the church's
facade, the wonderful mullioned window with
three lights, the flowered ornaments of
the first portal, the elegant mullioned
windows with two lights and the sculptures
in the central portal show a combination
of local and foreign - Lombard and Tuscan
- art tradition.
In the past the palace was a hospital and
the magistrate's house, today it is the
seat of the Town Museum. The bell-tower,
65,50 meters high, was built in the second
half of the XVI century.
|
|
 |
|
 |
(Publio Ovidio Nasone
(Latin Poet))
Sulmona, 400 mt |
 |
|
-
Publio Ovidio Nasone (Latin Poet)
In the middle of XX September Square you
can see a bronze statue of Ovidio, one of
the greatest Latin poets, born on 20 March
43 B.C. He had three wives. He was a highly
educated man, who wrote a lot of works.
They say "even his feet could read";
that's why Ovidio is portrayed with his
own feet on two books, i.e. to symbolize
his thorough knowledge of his time's culture.
At one corner of the same square where you
can see the statue of Ovidio it is located
the small palace of Giovanni dalle Palle,
a Venetian merchant; the palace dates back
to 1484. The building at the end of the
square, once a Jesuit monastery, is today
the seat of Liceo Classico (a secondary
school with an emphasis on humanities). |
|
 |
|
 |
(The Church of St Francesco
della Scarpa)
Sulmona, 400 mt |
 |
|
-
The Church of St Francesco della Scarpa
This church was named after the Francescani
monks who served it and who wore, unlike
the so-called "zoccolanti" (i.e.
monks who wore clogs), shoes. It was probably
built by Charles II D'Angiò in 1290
over a smaller church dedicated to Maddalena.
It was severely damaged by some earthquakes
in 1456 and in 1706 and after that it was
rebuilt. In the past the church had three
naves. Today it still has the Romanesque
ogival portal but part of the church's side
and of an apse (see image) are separated
from the church. |
|
 |
|
-
The Swabian Aqueduct
It was built in 1256 under Manfredi from
Swabia in order to provide Sulmona with
water; its 21 pointed stone arches are still
well-preserved. By looking at it from Garibaldi
Square you can see the Church of St Francesco
in the background: they form a really impressive
complex. The Aqueduct ends in the Old Man's
Fountain (fontana "Del
Vecchio"); it was named after
the De Vecchis family, who contributed to
its construction. |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
Beach
hotels |
the most beautiful beaches
of Italy in the best hotels |
|
|
|