Montenerodomo
Montenerodomo: a town between history and destruction
Montenerodomo is an Italian municipality with a rich and ancient history. Located in the province of Chieti in Abruzzo, it is a municipality belonging to the union of mountain municipalities of Sangro and has a population of about 603 inhabitants.
History
Ancient period
Montenerodomo was once a Frentanian-Carecina city that, around the 4th-3rd century, was moved downstream and became a Roman municipality. Megalithic walls still exist today that testify to its antiquity. Juvanum, a Roman city at the foot of the municipality, is one of the most important testimonies of the ancient period.
Medieval period
With the decline of Roman cities, new fortified centers were built on rocky hills, as well as for Montenerodomo. The city was built on the mountain crest above the Juvanum plain and was reused in the X century for the construction of the Abbey of Santa Maria in Palazzo. In 1065, the Counts of Sangro donated the feud and the entire monastery, including a rich library, to the Teatine bishop Attone. The municipality of Montenerodomo is mentioned for the first time in a document from the 12th century.
In the 15th and 17th centuries, it was the feud of various families, including the Caldora, the Di Capua, and the D'Aquino. The village consisted of a castle, now the remaining part of the 18th-century Palazzo De Thomasis, and three churches: San Martino, Santa Giusta, and San Vito. It was also equipped with a defensive tower system. The abbey had already declined by the 15th century and two centuries later disappeared altogether, except for the planimetric plant.
The 20th century and the Second World War
Montenerodomo suffered serious damage during the Majella earthquake in 1933. The parish church was damaged and, during the reconstruction, Roman columns from Juvanum were used.
During the Second World War, Montenerodomo was attacked in December 1943 by the German Gustav Line, which destroyed half of the town. The upper part of the Croce Palace and the bell tower of the church of San Martino were damaged. The municipality was subsequently rebuilt with great effort, due to the harsh living conditions on the rocky hill where it is located.
Conclusions
Despite the destruction suffered during the Second World War, Montenerodomo has remained a lively and flourishing municipality, very much loved by its inhabitants for the beauty of the surrounding landscape and its rich and ancient history. Its position on the surrounding hills makes it an ideal place for nature lovers and tranquility. The municipality of Montenerodomo represents one of the most beautiful treasures of Abruzzo, a place where history and life meet and merge in a unique and unforgettable harmony.
