Faieto
Discovering Faieto, a hamlet of Cortino
Hello everyone! Today I'll talk to you about Faieto, a charming hamlet of the municipality of Cortino, in the province of Teramo. This picturesque village is located at an altitude of 630 meters above sea level and is surrounded by beautiful beech forests.
The history of Faieto
Faieto takes its name from the dense presence of these forests, which were widely used by the inhabitants of the area to escape the raids of the barbarians. Not much is known about its ancient history, but the first mention of the hamlet dates back to 1134, when it was donated to the diocese of Teramo. Later on, the church of S. Bartolomeo, located in Fagetum (the old name of Faieto), depended on the abbey of S. Giovanni in Pergulis.
Apparently, the village was originally on the left side of the Fiumicello stream. However, due to a landslide in the eighteenth century, all the houses were destroyed and the village was moved to the right side of the stream. It is said that the landslide took place in conjunction with the earthquake of L'Aquila in 1703.
After the unification of Italy, the citizens of Faieto asked to modify the borders of the municipality of Valle San Giovanni. The request was granted and in 1868 the municipality of Valle San Giovanni was abolished. Faieto and Casanova were assigned to the municipality of Cortino.
Religious architecture
Above the village is the locality of Piano delle Macchie, which once housed a hospice for the Franciscans of the Sanctuary of Madonna delle Grazie in Teramo. The parish church of Sant'Andrea in Faieto was built around 1640, when it was separated from the church of Casanova. The church was decorated with the assets of the Franciscan hospice.
The church was expanded in 1880, when the presbytery was added. Until then, the only existing altar was the lateral one. The entrance was in front, while the current portal was a simple ornament on the facade facing the village.
In the church there is a painting of the Holy Family, by an unknown author. In 1930 new restorations were carried out inside the church, while the frescoes on the ceiling were painted in 1937.
The main altar and the balustrade were made of granite with considerable difficulty in transporting the material by mule from Valle San Giovanni, when there was still no carriage road.
Conclusions
And so I concluded this brief tour of Faieto. I hope I provided you with the information you were looking for on the origins of this charming village and its main points of reference. If you are in Teramo, do not hesitate to visit this beautiful hamlet!
