Tufillo
Tufillo: a visit to the picturesque Abruzzese town
Tufillo, also known as Tufìlle or Tufùlle in Abruzzese dialect, is a town in Abruzzo with only 360 inhabitants. Despite its modest size, the town has an interesting history and a series of monuments that make it a picturesque place to visit.
History
According to legend, the inhabitants of Tufillo were forced to move from Monte Farano, where ants still live today, to a lower position. The town we know today developed from the 12th-13th century and still retains elements from that era. Archaeological discoveries on Monte Farano have shown ceramics dating back from the 7th century BC to the 2nd century BC and a couple of buildings in "opus signinum" style dating back to the 2nd century BC. A votive bronze key dating back to the 4th century BC with an Oscan language inscription dedicated to the goddess Venus was also found on Monte Farano and is preserved in the National Archaeological Museum of Abruzzo in Chieti.
Symbols
Monuments and places of interest
The fortified village is one of the main points of interest in the town, already present before the 15th century and extended towards the extra moenia church of San Vito in the 15th-16th century. The settlement on the ridge has a thin and elongated shape with comb-shaped buildings on an axis with a northwest/southeast orientation. The ancient market, the hospital with the annexed church of Sant'Antonio and the public fountain are located to the north. The city walls ended near a under-arcade identified as the Piedi Gate.
The Church of Santa Giusta is located in Piazza Marconi, built before the 16th century, with subsequent transformations in the 18th century. The church is located at the highest point of the village near the Capo Gate and the market square, also known as Largo fuori dalla porta. The façade consists of a curved pediment placed in the upper cornice. The central area is delimited by pilasters and two wings. A cornice divides the façade into two registers. The portal, completely restored by sculptor Felice Giuliante in the post-war period, is in carved stone in late Gothic style with Renaissance elements in the side pilasters. The interior has three naves, while the bell tower has a square plan with a pyramid-shaped spire. The church has been recognized as an Italian national monument.
The Church of San Vito is another religious building in Tufillo, located in the fortified village.
The archaeological exhibition titled "Herentas" was set up in 2006 and consists of relics found on Monte Farano, including a bronze key with an inscription in Oscan language dedicated to the goddess Herentas, an Italic deity that can be identified with Aphrodite. Other archaeological research has unearthed remains of huts from the beginning of the Iron Age and a center perhaps founded around a temple of Herentas that was inhabited from the 5th to the 2nd century BC.
Finally, the Fontana Grande was built between 1751 and 1761, then restored or rebuilt in 1816. The fountain is immersed in vegetation and mud due to water leaks from the fountain that make it difficult to approach, but the main facade is in stone blocks with arches placed on stone slabs.
In conclusion, the town of Tufillo is a place rich in history, art, and legends. Despite its small size, Tufillo remains a picturesque and charming place worth visiting.
