Home » Highlights » Itineraries in L'Aquila » From the Peligna Valley to the Cinque Miglia Plateau: Inspiration for TV and Film
A trip from the Peligna Valley to the Cinque Miglia Plateau, which has inspired Italian TV and film in illustrating the Italy of yesterday and today.
Author: Accademia dell'Immagine - Abruzzo Film Commission
Sulmona, the main city in the Peligna Valley, in the province of L'Aquila, is also known for being the homeland of Ovid and for its production of confetti (sugared almonds), earning it the nickname of “land of confetti”.
This historical city has valuable buildings from various periods – starting with the ruins of a Romanesque aqueduct, and moving through time to the medieval village, on to the churches and buildings from the 16th century, Baroque era, and finally the 19th century.
Its unique, small-town atmosphere, nestled in the mountains, provided director Mario Monicelli with inspiration for the setting of "Parenti serpenti" (1992), starring Alessandro Haber, Tommaso Bianco, Cinzia Leone, Marina Gonfalone, and Paolo Panelli as the grandfather.
In the first part of the film, an elderly couple asks their children to take care of them in exchange for their inheritance. The director illustrates the plot using the typical style of a realistic moral comedy, which then evolves into harsh cynicism at the end of the film when, after having fought an all-out sibling war, the children decide to murder their parents using a faulty gas heater.
The plot includes various glimpses at the culture and tradition of Abruzzo – the city’s typical Christmas traditions and some phrases in dialect (such as the classic expletive exclaimed by Grandma Trieste "Che sci 'ccise la còcce!").
From Sulmona you can take state highway 17 up through the characteristic Abruzzo mountain landscape, which is rugged but inviting at the same time, until you reach the Cinque Miglia Plateau and Pescocostanzo, one of the most treasured spots in the rich heritage of L’Aquila and its province.
This beautiful, fascinating village has been used as a backdrop for films and TV, starting with Dino Risi who chose this area in 1968 for some of the scenes in "Straziami, ma di baci saziami", a film starring Nino Manfredi, Ugo Tognazzi, and Pamela Tiffin, the title of which came to be used as an expression (“torment me, but make up for it with kisses”) in common speech.
More recently, this town was chosen for the set of "Raccontami, Chapter II," a TV series directed by Riccardo Donna, which was broadcasted by Rai 1 in Autumn 2008. Actors included Massimo Ghini and Lunetta Savino and the series was a big hit. Aside from the centre of Pescocostanzo, another location appearing on TV is the picturesque Sanctuary of the Madonna del Casale, on the Cinque Miglia Plateau, which was chosen as the setting for the school of historical figure Don Milani, the main character in the TV series “Don Milani,” directed by the Frazzi brothers in 1997.
km 0.22
42.047 N - 13.926 E
Sulmona is a city with about 25,000 residents, located in the province of L'Aquila, at an altitude of 400 meters above sea level.
It stands at the foot of Mt. Morrone, a symbol in the spiritual journey of Celestine V. The rivers of Gizio and Vella pass through here. Writers from ancient times agree on the origin of the name “Sulmona,” tracing it back to the destruction of Troy. In fact, according to Ovid and Silius Italicus, it derives from Solymus Phrygia, one of Aeneas’s men.
Ovid is most likely also the most prominent figure born in Sulmona, along with Pope Innocent VII.
In 1706, the city was severely damaged in a terrible earthquake that killed over one-fourth of the population and destroyed a good part of the city.
Sulmona is also known for the production of confections, which began at the end of the 15th century, in addition to the goldsmith’s art, dating back to the 1300-1400s.
Of particular interest is the Cathedral of San Panfilo, which was built during the 8th century on top of the ruins of a pagan temple; the Villa Comunale with its eighteenth-century Palazzo Vescovile; and the medieval aqueduct. Two of the many impressive churches here are Santa Maria della Tomba and San Francesco della Scarpa, which boasts a beautiful Romanesque entranceway.
In July-August, Sulmona puts on the “Giostra Cavalleresca,” an old-fashioned jousting battle between knights.
km 0.06
42.048 N - 13.926 E
Piazza Garibaldi, also known as "Maggiore", is among the largest squares in Italy. The centre of the square is dominated by the Fontanone, made of Majella limestone, which was added in 1823.
Piazza Garibaldi is surrounded by a number of important buildings: the Church of San Filippo Neri, the Church and Monastery of Santa Chiara, the Swabian Aqueduct, constructed in 1256, the side portico of San Francesco della Scarpa, and the small church of San Rocco.
In the period between July and August, Piazza Garibaldi hosts the knight’s tournament, which is a re-enactment of the jousts between knights from days gone by.
km 0.3
42.048 N - 13.926 E
The southern side of Piazza Garibaldi in Sulmona is bordered over for about a hundred metres by a medieval aqueduct, built in 1256 during the reign of Manfredi, the son of Frederic II of Swabia.
Consisting of twenty-one pointed arches in hardy stone, the aqueduct was directed at providing water to a spinning factory, a mill and the fruit and vegetable gardens within the walls. It stills maintains its original features, while a second arm of the aqueduct that was directed to the eastern sections of the town was destroyed by an earthquake in 1706.
The structure ends on Corso Ovidio at a flight of steps built by the Lombards, offering a magnificent vantage point and symbol of the city.
km 24.4
42.049 N - 13.923 E
The centre of Sulmona, along Corso Ovidio, is dominated by the characteristic monumental complex of Santa Annunziata, which boasts a church, palace and bell tower
The church, dating back to 1320, is an example of four centuries of Sulmona art, a summary of gothic, renaissance and baroque styles. The church is a Latin cross, with three naves. Particular interest should be devoted to the frescos painted by Gamba, the precious woodwork of the choir and the baroque furnishings.
The square based bell tower was built in 1565 and it looks over the city with precious mullioned windows decorating its sides.The palace that today welcomes the Auditorium della Camerata Musicale and the City Museum, was built in different stages, with the portal enclosed in a gothic arch, a mullioned window with three lights above bearing the emblem of the Rainaldo, and a Renaissance façade.
km 24.4
42.049 N - 13.923 E
The centre of Sulmona, along Corso Ovidio, is dominated by the characteristic monumental complex of Santa Annunziata, which boasts a church, palace and bell tower
The church, dating back to 1320, is an example of four centuries of Sulmona art, a summary of gothic, renaissance and baroque styles. The church is a Latin cross, with three naves. Particular interest should be devoted to the frescos painted by Gamba, the precious woodwork of the choir and the baroque furnishings.
The square based bell tower was built in 1565 and it looks over the city with precious mullioned windows decorating its sides.The palace that today welcomes the Auditorium della Camerata Musicale and the City Museum, was built in different stages, with the portal enclosed in a gothic arch, a mullioned window with three lights above bearing the emblem of the Rainaldo, and a Renaissance façade.
km 11.7
41.893 N - 13.995 E
This scenic flatland nestled in the National Park of Abruzzo (altitude: 1,200 m) lies Northwest-Southeast and covers five “ancient miles” (9 km).
It is the location of many nature sites and tourist destinations: Roccaraso, with some of the largest ski resorts in the central part of Southern Italy; Rivisondoli, home of the oldest and most renowned living nativity scene in Italy; Pescocostanzo, with its wealth of fine handcrafted products (gold filigree, bobbin lace, wrought iron, carved wood); Pescasseroli, site of the National Park of Abruzzo; and Opi, one of the main tourist destinations in the park.
The plateau offers a spectacular natural environment that is highly appreciated by visitors, especially during the summer months.
It can be easily toured, thanks to its many paths. Being a nature reserve, visitors can enjoy frequent sightings of the local fauna: bears, wolves, deer, squirrels, and foxes. Cross-country skiing can be practiced on the flatland here in the winter.
41.889 N - 14.064 E
Pescocostanzo is located between Mt. Maiella and the Upper Sangro Valley. It is a Roman settlement from the 3rd century AD, that flourished around 1000 AD, as demonstrated by an inscription from 1066 on one of the panels of the bronze door at the Basilica of Montecassino.
In 1456, severe damage was caused by an earthquake and the town underwent significant social and cultural changes. The entire town was reconstructed and the resources connected to sheep husbandry encouraged an incoming flow of selected expert workers from Lombardy. Their arrival brought refined techniques in artisan works such as stone, marble, wrought iron, and wood. In 1774, the town became independent and was awarded the title of "Universitas Sui Domina" (self-governing community), a motto that can still be seen in the coat of arms. The thriving history of this small mountain community can be seen in the beautiful architecture in the centre of town, including the noteworthy structure of the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunta, now a basilica dedicated to Santa Maria del Colle. Its splendid entranceways, one Romanesque and the other Renaissance, lead to five naves, the central one of which was designed by architect Carlo Sabatini, and is decorated with religious furnishings.
The impressive trussed ceiling from the 17th century is adorned with a number of valuable paintings, including works by Giovannangelo Buco, and others of unknown origin, but most likely from the school of Jusepe de Ribera and Salvador Rosa. The altar displays one of Abruzzo’s rare examples of medieval woodworking, the Madonna del Colle, made of multi-coloured wood.
From the train station, visitors can reach the town centre following the long street flanked with gardens, and will immediately come across the Baroque Chiesa di Gesù e Maria (Church of Jesus and Mary – 1611) and annexed Franciscan Convent. Facing the same set of steps as the collegiate church is the Church of Santa Maria del Suffragio dei Morti. Moving on, one can visit a number of eighteenth-century mansions and buildings.The illustrious mathematician and Kantian philosopher Ottavio Colecchi was a citizen of Pescocostanzo.
Visitors can also take advantage of the ski areas and nature walks within the Comunità Montana Alto Sangro e Altopiano delle Cinque Miglia (Mountain Community of the Upper Sangro Valley and Cinque Miglia Plateau).
