San Giovanni Lipioni
Welcome to San Giovanni Lipioni, a charming Abruzzo village
Welcome to San Giovanni Lipioni, a beautiful Italian municipality in the province of Chieti, Abruzzo. This small but enchanting village has only 138 inhabitants, but there is so much to discover! The territory extends on a hill to the north of the Trigno river and is characterized by a medium hill on which monuments and points of interest are located.
The history of San Giovanni Lipioni
The history of the village of San Giovanni Lipioni is uncertain, but the Italic presence has been attested by the discovery of a bronze head and a bronze statuette 14 cm tall. Furthermore, the Osco tablet of Agnone attests the presence of a pagan temple on site, which was later rebuilt as a church. According to some sources, this place could correspond to ''Terventum'', a Roman municipality built on the basis of a ''pagus''. Later, the village was called ''Sanctus Johannes a podio Bacco'' and then as San Giovanni Lupino, before changing its name to the current San Giovanni Lipioni in the 17th century.
Places of interest in San Giovanni Lipioni
If you are looking for places to visit, San Giovanni Lipioni has a lot to offer. One of the places of greatest interest is the fortified village, which probably dates back to the 13th-14th century. The village develops on a ridge with blocks arranged in a comb along a median axis that extends north-south where the main buildings are the parish church located to the north and the Lozzi-Grosso palace. The church was probably connected by a underpass (passing through the Porta da Capo) to the Marinelli baronial palace, which no longer exists today. Instead, in the Lozzi-Grosso palace (dating back to the 17th century-18th century), a underpass survives (passing through the Porta da piedi). The walls are remembered in the place names, including orto della corte sotto le mura and via sotto le mura. Almost all stretches of the wall-houses composed of masonry in slope (architecture) and support arches of the houses served by service roads passing through sub-ports, through steps, arched passageways and undergrounds can be seen.
Other places of interest are the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, located in Largo della Chiesa, and the Fonte Vecchia, located in Via Fontana Vecchia. The Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie dates back to the 16th century and has a single nave. The organ was unfortunately taken away along with the furniture in the post-war period. The facade is gabled divided into two levels by a marcapiano frame, vertically divided by pillars and pilaster. The exterior was plastered and furnished with stone fragments from the 14th century, including a capital, a rose window and a stylus lion. The door is made of limestone interspersed with brick. The Fonte Vecchia from 1808 has been restored several times and has a structure composed of a pillar, a round arch, masks and slabs with vegetable and animal figures, which perhaps come from a pre-existing fountain.
Finally, you can visit the House of the Lozzi Family, dating back to the 16th century, which is part of the urban circle of San Giovanni and repeats the settlement pattern of the ridge "with development at the bifrontal comb with blocks arranged perpendicular to a median axis" with a North-South axis.
Conclusions
San Giovanni Lipioni is a small but beautiful Abruzzo municipality with ancient history and enchanting architecture. If you have the opportunity to visit it, don't miss the chance to admire its places of interest and the beauty of its territory.
