Pescocanale
Welcome to Pescocanale, the Abruzzo mountain village
Pescocanale is a beautiful hamlet of Capistrello, a municipality in L'Aquila, Abruzzo. It is located on a hill in the Roveto valley at about 700 meters above sea level and has around 320 inhabitants. The village is situated about two kilometers from the municipal capital and one kilometer from the center.
The geographical position of the village and the origin of its name
Pescocanale's geographical position inspired its name. The Latin term "Pescum" or "Pesculum" refers to the rocky base located on top of the hill where the village is located. Additionally, the Liri riverbed flows at the foot of the village's hill. The name of the village thus indicates a rock above the canal. Its inhabitants are called "Pescocanalesi" or, in the local dialect, "Pingàri". This latter name may derive from the presence of two dyeing mills located in the early 1900s along the Rianza stream.
The history of Pescocanale
During Roman times, the Rianza ditch, located northwest of the village, constituted the border between the municipalities of Antinum and Alba Fucens. In the Middle Ages, the village had a coat of arms and administrative autonomy thanks to its position as a crossing point between the areas of Marsica and the Duchy of Sora. It was a universitas for which two Massaio were elected. The name Pescocanale first appeared on one of the bronze doors of the Montecassino Abbey, made engraved in 1066. In the eleventh century, the church of Sant'Angelo was part of the ecclesiastical belongings of the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Luco dei Marsi. In 1115, in Pope Pasquale II's bull, the village appeared on the border between the Diocese of Sora-Cassino-Aquino-Pontecorvo and the Diocese of Avezzano. During the medieval period, the village was also called "Peschiocanale". It belonged to the county of Marsi and, following the arrival of the Normans, was one of the feuds of Ruggero di Andria, included in the county of Albe. Later, it passed under the control of the Orsini and, from the fifteenth century until the abolition of feudalism in 1806, under the Colonna. From 1807, Pescocanale was part of the reunited municipality of Civitella Roveto, which also included the centers of Meta, Canistro, Castellafiume and Pagliara dei Marsi. In 1829, the hamlet was included in the municipality of Capistrello.
During the Marsica earthquake of 1915 and the Allied bombings of the Second World War, the village suffered serious damages. However, it managed to rebuild itself and today is a small Abruzzo gem.
Conclusions
Pescocanale is a mountain village of great charm and with an ancient history. Its geographical position and proximity to the Liri river make it a unique village in Abruzzo. If you are in the area, do not forget to visit it. You will be enchanted by its cobbled streets, the beauty of the urban nucleus and the hospitality of its inhabitants, the "Pescocanalesi" or "Pingàri".
