Castel Sant'Angelo
Castel Sant'Angelo: the mountainous municipality of Lazio
Castel Sant'Angelo is a small Italian municipality in the province of Rieti, located in the Lazio region. With its 1200 inhabitants, it is a scattered municipality that was part of the province of L'Aquila until 1927. For over 600 years, from 1233 to 1861, it was part of the justice of Abruzzo in the province of Abruzzo Ulteriore Secondo, with its capital city being L'Aquila. In this article, you will discover more about the geography, history, and monuments of Castel Sant'Angelo.
Physical geography
Territory
Castel Sant'Angelo is located in a predominantly mountainous territory and is longitudinally crossed by the Velino river, as well as the Via Salaria. Given the presence of limestone rocks, the area is very rich in epigenic karst phenomena, such as karstic dolines, ''canetre'' or ''canetroni'', ''basins'', ''wells or puzzacchie'' in the local dialect. The municipality is also characterized by a large presence of water, with numerous surface springs and the presence of the Velino River with its countless tributaries. Moreover, there are many artificial karstic lakes, such as Lake dei Cigni, Lake di Paterno, Pozzo di Mezzo, and Pozzo Burino.
Climate
Castel Sant'Angelo has a climate classified as zone E.
History
The center of Castel Sant'Angelo dates back to Roman times, as evidenced by the Vespasian's baths, dating back to the 1st century AD. In the 9th century, the village was created with fortification by the Lombards, being close to Via Salaria. In the 13th century, Castel Sant'Angelo entered the Kingdom of Naples, dependent on the newborn L'Aquila d'Abruzzo. In the 16th century, Charles V of Spain gave the Aquila feud to Margherita of Austria, who built mills and administered the territory well. Passed to the Farnese family, the municipality was again annexed to the Kingdom of Naples in the 17th century. Castel Sant'Angelo did not suffer particular damage from the great earthquake of L'Aquila in 1703. In 1927, Benito Mussolini abolished the Circondario of Cittaducale and created the province of Rieti, including Castel Sant'Angelo.
Symbols
The coat of arms and flag of the municipality were granted by the decree of the President of the Republic on May 17, 1986. The flag is a split drapery of red and blue.
Monuments and places of interest
Military architecture
Castel Sant'Angelo boasts the ancient Cassero with the high square-shaped watchtower, the remains of an important fortress in the Middle Ages.
Religious architecture
The Church of Santa Maria della Porta is an ancient parish located in the heart of the medieval village. The building is located near the ancient main gate, where the castle's armory was once located. The interior structure is divided into three aisles with vaulted arches frescoed with a starry sky, and four altars are arranged on the side walls.
Castel Sant'Angelo is a municipality of great historical and cultural value. With its monuments and places of interest, it offers many opportunities for cultural and tourist visits.
