A typical Apennine stone village, Pennapiedimonte is nestled in the slopes of the Maiella Massif, a mountain on the southeast side of Mount Maielletta. The peaks of the Blockhaus, Cavallo, Martellese, Ugni, Amaro, and Murelle mountains are all visible from some parts of the village
The southern part of the town is bordered by the scenic Selvaromana Valley and overlooks the Avello Creek. In the foothills of the mountain to the north, the municipal territory borders that of Guardiagrele.
With the landscape of the mountains and valleys of the Maiella being admired from many points in the town, Guardiagrele was nicknamed la terrazza d’Abruzzo or “Abruzzo’s terrace”. Pennapiedimonte overlooks the valley with a spectacular panorama. Several cities and towns can be observed: Chieti, Ortona, Lanciano, and Vasto, up to the Molise and Gargano mountains to the south, Mount Pallano, as well as the Tremiti Islands and, in certain climatic conditions, the Croatian coasts. Pennapiedimonte extends for 47.2 square kilometers, from a minimum altitude of 250 meters with the Laio locality to a maximum of 2,676 meters with the Focalone Mountain.
The village is located at an altitude of 669 m a.s.l. The town borders Fara San Martino, Palombaro, Casoli, Guardiagrele, Rapino, Pretoro (province of Chieti), Roccamorice, and Caramanico (province of Pescara). The town has about 450 inhabitants, between the center and the various districts: Valleriana, Colle, Vicende, Pissavini, San Giovanni, Defenza, Colli, Coste dei Colli, Laio, Spinaro, Cerregna, Capolegrotti, Mulino, Ponte Avello, Raiese, Feudo, and Grotte.
The place is characterized by houses built in Magellan stone or “white stone” and carved into the rock.
The houses are arranged in tiers, along narrow streets, some of which can only be traveled on foot, and feature stylistic elements such as cornices, capitals, portals, balconies, and sculptures.
The built environment showcases an architectural heritage of great value, a sign of an ancient stonemason’s activity. Since 1992, Pennapiedimonte has been one of the villages on the eastern side of the Maiella National Park. Its territory is one of the largest in the park and is home to the Feudo d’Ugni Reserve. The Pennapiedimonte area played a decisive role in ensuring that the park obtained the definition of ‘World Geopark’ by UNESCO in 2021. Pennapiedimonte is a stop on the “Way of San Francesco Caracciolo”, which starts from Loreto in the Marche Region and ends in Naples.
The region is beautiful, charming, and secluded and will deliver an authentic Italian experience!
Massimiliano PENNELLI
