Alanno

province of Pescara, Abruzzo, Italy

history | sights | where to stay | events | news & links

The place

This medieval village rises among the hills between the Cigno stream and the left bank of the Aterno-Pescara river. The town plan is in the form of a fish spine, and most houses are in 2-3 storeys, without inner courtyards, according to the scheme of the fortified borough with high bastions in red bricks. In the early 20th century the populous little town had over 4300 inhabitants. The town has an ancient Istituto Agrario, which has a model farm near the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. La pianta è a lisca di pesce; le costruzioni sono a blocco chiuso con edifici a due o tre piani; si nota l'assenza di cortili interni. Il centro segue il modello del borgo fortificato caratterizzato dalla presenza di bastionature in cotto.

Information:

Altitude: 302 m a.s.l -- Distance from Pescara: 36 km -- Population: ca. 3800 inhabitants
Zip code: 65020 -- Phone Area Code: 085 -- How to reach it: motorway: A25, exit Alanno-Scafa

History:

The first mention of the name of the town is in an Act of 879 A.D.from the Chronicon Casauriense, where some lands "in casale qui dicitur Alanne" are sold to the abbot of San Clemente. Probably founded in the VI century and belonging to the monastery of St. Clemente a Casauria, had a number of different lords in the course of time. It received many privileges by Ferdinand of Aragona, but then in 1638 Philip IV sold the town to Bartolomeo d'Aquino for 9600 ducati. Then it was sold again to Massimo Caracciolo, the Duke of Castel di Sangro, and finally given as a feudal possession to Baron Marco Antonio Leognani Fieramosca, who claimed he was a descendant of Ettore Fieramosca. It suffered extensive damage in the awesome 1915 earthquake.

Sights & Excursions

Church of St. Francesco and Ludovico, with XVIII-century paintings by Paolo de Majo and Nicola Ranieri
Madonna della Grazie Oratorium, 2 km outside the town, with a XV-century tryptich. The large portal has marble low-relief, and the apse has a fine floor in multi-colored tiles.

Events & Festivities

6 August feast of St. Donato

Second weekend in September village fair and lentils festival

Hotels, Lodging, Restaurants

Hotel Ristorante Villa Alessandra
Ristorante La Locanda del Cacciatore - 44 v.Santa Maria del Carmine - 65020 Alanno (PE) - tel. +39 085-8541280
Ristorante Coccialonga - 45, v. s.cassiano - 65020 Alanno (PE) - tel. +39 085-8542130

Genealogy, News & Links

Municipio - p.Trieste - 65020 Alanno (PE) - tel. +39 085-8573101
Parrocchia Cristo Re - 199 v. s.emidio - ALANNO 085-8542131 Alanno (PE) - tel. (+39)
Surnames presently recorded in Alanno

People researching in Alanno

Newspaper articles on Alanno