Vittorito
Discovering the Municipality of Vittorito: History, Geography, and Monuments
Hello everyone! Today I am taking you on a journey to discover Vittorito, a municipality in the province of L'Aquila in Abruzzo, with a population of approximately 823 people. Vittorito is part of the "Terre dei Peligni" union of municipalities and is located in the northern part of the Peligna Valley, at the foot of Mount Castellano.
Physical Geography
If you love nature, then Vittorito is the perfect place for you! It is part of the "Peligna Mountain Community" and is surrounded by a mountainous territory with oak, beech, and fir forests. One of the most famous mountains in the area is Mount Castellano, which dominates the village.
History
Like many cities and towns in Italy, Vittorito also has an ancient and interesting history. Its foundation dates back to the 9th century, as a stronghold of Castelvecchio Subequo, rebuilt on the ruins of Roman temples. Evidence of these origins is the church of San Michele Arcangelo, founded by the Lombards.
In 1076, the period of "incastellamento" began in Abruzzo, and according to the "Chronicon Casauriense," Vittorito had a fortress on the rocky spur overlooking the village, along with a pointed tower.
Before the Maiella earthquake of 1706, Vittorito was divided into the Upper and Lower Village, of Renaissance origin, except for San Michele.
Symbols
The coat of arms and the banner were granted by the decree of the President of the Republic on October 6, 2003. The banner is a white cloth with a red border.
Monuments and Places of Interest
Romanesque Church of San Michele Arcangelo
One of the main attractions of Vittorito is the church of San Michele Arcangelo, the oldest in the village. It was founded in the 8th century by the Lombards who fortified the fief, building the tower still present on the little hill overlooking the village. The church was expanded in the Gothic era (14th century), or later, since many of the monuments in the Peligna area were rebuilt after the earthquake of 1456.
While doing some excavation work in 1970, the Superintendency uncovered the foundations of a Roman temple from the 2nd century. It is the "cella" that housed the cult statue, in rectangular shape, and is in "opus reticulatum."
The current church is an eighteenth-century reconstruction of the original, which must have been larger, and certainly with a longitudinal plan, and not a square plan with a late eighteenth-century exterior style, different from the bell tower with the Gothic base. The church has no protruding apse, divided into three naves supported by elegant bare pillars with regular stone courses.
The parameter of the oriented facade is formed by well-connected courses, at the bottom, two little stone windows open, finished below, on the sill, with blocks from the crowning of the podium of the Roman temple and an eighteenth-century portal.
Conclusions
Here is a brief tour of Vittorito, a small municipality immersed in the mountains of Abruzzo. If you are looking for an unspoiled place to relax and enjoy nature, then Vittorito could be just the place for you. The church of San Michele Arcangelo, with its ancient history and the findings that have been discovered over the years, makes this place even more fascinating. I hope you enjoyed this brief tour!
