Senarica
Discover Senarica, an enchanting village in Abruzzo
If you're looking for a quiet place to spend your holidays, Senarica might be the ideal choice. This hamlet of the municipality of Crognaleto, in the province of Teramo, will give you an unforgettable experience among history, culture and nature.
The history of Senarica
The inhabited settlement of Senarica dates back to the pre-Romanesque period. The village, located on a spur overlooking the gorges of the Vomano river, has a strategic defensive position. Over the centuries it has undergone various dominations and, following the East-West Schism, it embraced the Greek Orthodox religion.
Monuments and places of interest
Senarica preserves its charm with an urban fabric characterized by picturesque alleys and dignified small buildings. Visit the church of San Proto and Giacinto, with valuable wooden statues, or admire the buildings that preserve valuable gray sandstone portals, where it is possible to read the inscription "casa franca" or "R. di Senarica" with the emblem of the rampant lion. The best-known example of this last inscription is found on the 1565 house, at n. 12 of Via Piave, on whose lintel four symbols remain.
Languages and dialects
In the locals' phrasebook, singular resemblances with the Venetian language are still found. When you hear the word "fondaco" to indicate a warehouse of goods, food and tools, or "arca" for a chest, don't be surprised. The local typical dish, "scurppelle", also recalls the Venetian "scrippelle."
The culture of Senarica
The notoriety of this village is also linked to the work of the Chieti-born writer Giuseppe Mezzanotte, who dedicated the "Tragedy of Senarica" to it, published in Naples in 1887. The beauty of Senarica has also inspired many artists who have represented it in their works.
The folklore of Senarica
The local tradition, founded on rare documents but worth investigating, claims that the Republic of Senarica existed from 1356 to 1797 in a small mountainous territory that included the eponymous village. However, according to some documents, there is no concrete evidence to support the legend. The villagers still boast the title of "barons" granted by the Republic of Venice to the "Most Serene Sister" on the occasion of an alleged alliance for which Senarica sent two militiamen every year and twenty Ducato (currency) to ensure its protection.
The beauty of Senarica
The village of Senarica is an enchanting place to discover by pedaling through the surrounding green hills with a bicycle or walking along the streets of the historic center. Come and discover the beauty of this Abruzzese village!
