Picinisco
Welcome to Picinisco, a mountain municipality in the province of Frosinone
Hello everyone! Today we're talking about Picinisco, a municipality of 1,121 residents in the province of Frosinone, in the Lazio region. The town is located near the border with Abruzzo and Molise and stands out as one of the five Lazio municipalities that border more regions than their own.
A mountainous and diverse territory
Picinisco is located on a rocky hill at 725 meters above sea level, in the Comino Valley. The town covers an area of around 6,000 hectares, most of which are within the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park. The territory is predominantly mountainous and affects the western slope of Monte Meta (2,242 meters), which gives its name to the Meta mountains. The softer and hillier part is crossed by two rivers: the Mollarino and the Melfa. The Monte Meta mountain group extends from Sangro to Volturno and is characterized by peaks that exceed 2000 meters.
A mild climate
Picinisco is located in zone E, 2407 GR/G, and enjoys a temperate climate. There are no significant temperature fluctuations and it is rare for snow to remain on the roads for a long time. It is not very cold in winter, while the climate is mild in summer.
The origin of the name Picinisco
The origin of the name Picinisco is mysterious, but there are several hypotheses about it. According to some scholars, the name would derive from a Saracen captain named "Pecenesco", who would have founded the town. Others theorize that the name refers to the bird "Pica", consecrated to Mars, or to the "Pico" tree, similar to cypress and present in the area. The toponym has undergone several variations throughout history, but the current name was adopted after 1700.
An ancient history
Despite the uncertain origin of the toponym, the territory of Picinisco has been inhabited since ancient times. Inscriptions and stretches of polygonal walls testify that the area was inhabited by the Samnites and later conquered by the Romans. During the Middle Ages, the town was part of the political jurisdictions of Atina and Alvito.
The name Picinisco first appears in a document from 1017 when the brothers Pandolfo III and Pandolfo IV of Capua granted the church of San Valentino, located on the border of the Cominense County in the territory of Picinisco, to the Monastery of Montecassino.
Conclusion
Well, we've taken a brief tour of Picinisco. I hope this information has been useful to you and made you want to visit this mountain town. If you have any other information or curiosity to share, write to us in the comments!
