Carsoli
Carsoli: a municipality full of history and culture
Physical geography
Carsoli is an Italian municipality located in the province of L'Aquila, in Abruzzo, which has a population of over 5,000 inhabitants. The municipality's territory is predominantly mountainous and covers approximately 50 square kilometers.
Territory
The territory of Carsoli is characterized by several mountains, including Monte Velino and Monte Calvo, which exceed 2,000 meters in altitude, and the Turano River, which crosses the municipality.
Monuments and places of interest
Carsoli is a municipality rich in monuments and places of interest, which testify to its long history.
Religious architecture
Among the most important religious monuments are the Church of Santa Maria in Cellis, a place of worship dating back to the 10th century, which preserves inside an image of Charles I of Anjou, and the Church of Sant'Antonio, dating back to the 16th century, which was used as a hospital and later as a nursery.
Other churches representing the cultural heritage of Carsoli are the Church of Santa Vittoria, the new Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Church of Santa Maria della Presentazione, also known as Santa Martellecchia, and the ruins of the Church of Sant'Angelo, near the Castle of Carsoli.
The surrounding territory of Carsoli also has several churches of historical and cultural interest, including the Church of San Vincenzo di Saragozza, dedicated to the Madonna delle Rose, the Churches of San Nicola, Sant'Antonio, San Berardo, Santa Maria della Speranza and San Rocco, and the Grotta Sant'Angelo in Colli di Monte Bove, the Churches of San Giovanni Battista and Sant'Atanasio in Montesabinese, the Parish Church and Madonna delle Grazie in Pietrasecca, the Convent of San Francesco in Carsoli, the Churches of Santa Maria Assunta, San Pietro, San Rocco and Madonna delle Grazie in Poggio Cinolfo, the Church of Santo Stefano in Tufo, the Churches of Madonna delle Grazie and San Giuseppe in Tufo Basso and Madonna del Carmine in Villetta, and finally the Churches of San Nicola, San Martino and San Rocco in Villa Romana.
Military architecture
The Castle of Carsoli is one of the most striking monuments of the municipality. It was built around the year one thousand by the Berardi family and passed under the dominion of the Orsini and then the Colonna family. Placed in a strategic position over the entire area of Piana del Cavaliere and Turano, it represents well the defensive system implemented in the area by the Angevins in the 13th century. The remains of the castle, in the heart of the Colle Sant'Angelo village, represent the oldest part of Carsoli.
Since 2013, the ownership of the castle has passed from the ancient De Leoni family to the municipal administration.
Archaeological sites
Carsoli is also famous for its archaeological site of Carsioli, the ancient city of Equi Carsioli (also called Carseoli). The site was located in 1645 in the locality of Civita (Oricola) by the famous cartographer Luca Olstenio. After a first survey carried out in 1901 by two archaeologists, the German George J. Pfeyffer and his British colleague Thomas Ashby, the remains of the city walls and a Roman aqueduct were found in the locality of Muro Pertuso.
Conclusions
Carsoli is an Italian municipality that still preserves its historical and cultural heritage today. Its churches, the Castle and the archaeological site of Carsioli represent a testimony to its long history and attract thousands of visitors every year. If you are a lover of history and culture, Carsoli is definitely a great choice.
