Lettopalena
The Story of Lettopalena
Lettopalena, also known as Lètte in the local language, is an Italian municipality located in the province of Chieti in Abruzzo. With a population of only 320 inhabitants, it is part of the union of mountain municipalities Maiella orientale-Verde Aventino. The history of Lettopalena is rich in events and moments that have shaped the lives of its inhabitants.
Origins and Middle Ages
The village has medieval origins dating back to the 11th century, but it may have been part of the Roman territory of Juvanum. Due to the lack of historical documents, we don't know the exact chronology of the village's first centuries of life. In the 15th century, the village was a fief of Antonio Caldora, then of the Di Capua, counts of Palena, and finally, in the 17th century, of the D'Aquino. Its importance was due to the presence of gypsum quarries and the presence of the Monastery of Monteplanizio, which owned it until the 13th century. The old town of Lettopalena consisted of a cardo and a decumanus, an ancient main road that ran along the slope that preceded the stone bridge ditch that connected it to the Maiella road. The houses were made of stone and lime, and the village had two entrances.
The Gustav Line and the Destruction of 1943
The most tragic event in the history of Lettopalena is undoubtedly the destruction of the village in November 1943. German troops adopted the tactic of "scorched earth" and barricaded themselves in the village as they traveled along the Gustav Line in retreat towards Cassino. Felice De Vitis's house was used as a headquarters, while the population was rounded up and taken to Palena. On November 20, the village, completely mined from its foundations, was blown up and definitively erased. Only the church of San Nicola remained standing, but with the ceiling shattered, while much of the Santa Maria di Monteplanizio monastery was destroyed. The access bridge was also intentionally blown up. Only in 1945, after the end of the war, was Lettopalena accessible again.
Post-war Reconstruction
The new village was rebuilt on top of Monteplanizio, a large hill in the Aventino river ditch, around the abbey, which has become a simple cemetery church. The new church of San Nicola was built in the 1950s in modern style, on the highest part of the hill. The ruin of the historic church was almost completely dismantled for the arrangement of the historical farmhouses outside the new nucleus. In 1992, Lettopalena was included in the municipalities of the Maiella National Park.
Monuments and Places of Interest
The destruction of Lettopalena erased much of its artistic and cultural heritage. Today, only part of the historic outskirts of the village, the Monteplanizio district with the abbey of the same name, remains standing. Here and there, one can see a few ruins of ancient dwellings, scattered in the lower part of the village, near the stone bridge that crosses the Aventino river.
The village and its history represent an example of resilience and a willingness to move forward despite difficulties. Lettopalena is an ideal destination for those who love tranquility and nature, with the possibility of hiking in the surroundings of the Maiella National Park.
