Villa Sant'Angelo
Castel Sant'Angelo: a mountainous and history-rich municipality in Lazio
Castel Sant'Angelo is an Italian municipality with around 1200 inhabitants and is located in the province of Rieti, in Lazio. This territory was part of Abruzzo until 1927 and has been affected by important historical events over the centuries. In this account, we will explore the physical geography of the territory, its climate and history, as well as the main monuments and sites of interest.
Physical geography
Territory
The municipality of Castel Sant'Angelo is largely mountainous and is longitudinally crossed by the Velino River and the Via Salaria. The area is characterized by the presence of limestone rocks, which has led to a strong presence of karst phenomena with karst sinks, "canetre" or "canetroni", "pools," "wells or puzzacchie" in the local dialect.
The territory is also rich in water thanks to the numerous surface springs and the presence of the Velino River with its tributaries. Some of the most important lakes in the municipality are Lake dei Cigni in the Canetra fraction, the three lakes of the Vasche fraction, and a small sulfurous water lake in the Terme di Cotilia fraction.
Climate
Castel Sant'Angelo belongs to zone E of the climate classification.
History
The village of Castel Sant'Angelo was already frequented in Roman times, as demonstrated by the thermal baths of Vespasiano. In the ninth century, the Lombards built a fortification near the Via Salaria, thus giving rise to the village. In the thirteenth century, Castel Sant'Angelo entered the Kingdom of Naples and became part of the Abruzzo justicars and the Abruzzo Ulteriore Secondo province in the district of Cittaducale, with L'Aquila as its capital.
In the sixteenth century, Charles V of Spain gave the Aquila fiefdom to Margherita of Austria, who managed the territory with great attention. Castel Sant'Angelo then passed to the Farnese family before returning to the Kingdom of Naples in the seventeenth century. Fortunately, the territory did not suffer particular damage from the great earthquake of L'Aquila in 1703. In 1927, Benito Mussolini abolished the District of Cittaducale and created the province of Rieti, including Castel Sant'Angelo.
Symbols
The coat of arms and the gonfalon were granted by decree of the President of the Republic on May 17, 1986. The gonfalon is a split flag of red and blue.
Monuments and places of interest
Military architectures
The remains of the Cassero di Castel Sant'Angelo represent one of the main tourist attractions of the municipality. This fortified building includes a square-shaped observation tower that stands imposing on the surrounding landscape.
Religious architectures
The Church of Santa Maria della Porta is an ancient religious building located in the heart of the medieval village. The church stands next to the ancient main gate and has typical medieval architecture. The interior of the building is divided into three naves and features beautiful arches with frescoed vaults with a starry sky. On the side walls, there are four altars that contribute to creating an atmosphere of great charm.
Ultimately, Castel Sant'Angelo is an ideal tourist destination for those who wish to immerse themselves in the history and nature of Lazio. The municipality's territory offers numerous sites of interest such as the Cassero and the Church of Santa Maria della Porta, as well as natural parks and lakes of great beauty. A visit to Castel Sant'Angelo is the perfect opportunity to discover up close the cultural and environmental richness of this suggestive Italian locality.
