This small village, rising on a rock dominated by Mount Camicia between the rivers Rio and Leomogna, is a favourite destinations for tourists and art lovers. It hosts an Art Institute and a Ceramics Museum. For its position, it is the starting point for climbing the Eastern side of the Gran Sasso.
Known since pre-Roman times, in the XI century flourished under the influence of the Benedictine Abeey of San Salvatore, whose monks introduced the local population to ceramics. This art then achieved world stature from the XVI century onwards, with such masters as the Grue brothers and Gentili and Pompei families.
Noble families of the time like the Aragona, Orsini, Farnese and others of the day commissioned their everyday and most elegant dinner services from the Castelli ceramists. At least eleven families collaborated together. The richest and most important of these was the Pompei family, creators of the famous "Orsini-Colonna" collection commissioned to celebrate peace made between the two families. They also created part of the "Farnese tableware" with the famous "turchine" in gold. These families were authentic industries organized into sections from the search for clay, wood and other materials to the kneading, lathing and the first baking, finishing with the painting. Together with the production there was the commercial side which was controlled by different members of the family. They supervised all the operations necessary to participate in fairs and markets.
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Province of Teramo 