Discover Castel Di Sangro

Castel Di Sangro brings together art, collections, sacred architecture and traces of the town’s earlier history. Its themes range from the paintings of artist Teofilo Patini to archaeological evidence and buildings from various centuries.

Art, Collections and Fly Fishing

The Pinacoteca Patiniana is housed in the Renaissance palace of the De Petra family, also known as Casa del Leone. It opened in 2006 to exhibit works by Teofilo Patini, an artist from Castel Di Sangro, and his students. The Pinacoteca thus brings together a historic exhibition venue and a collection connected to a local artist.

The Museo Civico Aufidenate takes visitors further back in time. Its prehistory and early history section displays fossils, evidence from the Italic period and Oscan inscriptions. The museum’s botanical garden complements these themes with nature trails leading to a limestone block known as the tavola dei monaci. Another distinct museum is the Museo Internazionale della pesca a mosca, named after Stanislao Kuckiewicz and inaugurated in 2000.

Churches from the Middle Ages to the Baroque Period

The Romanesque stone portal of the Chiesa dei SS. Crispino e Crispiniano stands out: the round arch is flanked by alternating pilasters and columns, with carved capitals. The altar is also part of the building’s history. It dates from the 16th century and was salvaged from the former Chiesa della Maddalena.

The Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta dates from 1695 and was designed by Lombard architect F. Ferradini. The Annunziata church is a modern reconstruction of the building dating from 1430 that was destroyed in the war; its façade is Baroque. At the Chiesa della Madonna degli Eremiti, a long building history meets a distinctive setting: the church stands in the centuries-old Scodanibbio forest. After the 1456 earthquake damaged it, the church was restored in 1696.

The Oldest Part of Town and Its Historical Traces

In the Civita, the oldest part of town, a well-preserved Neviera remains intact. It was used to collect snow and store it for preserving food in summer. The structure makes it easy to understand how snow was once used, without the need for technical installations or a lengthy explanation.

Above the town, the ruins of the Castello dei Sangro stand on Colle San Giovanni. They form part of the surviving Samnite and Roman fortifications. The Chiesa di S. Nicola is one of the city’s oldest churches. It was once a grancia belonging to the commandery of the Knights Hospitaller of San Tommaso de L'Aquila and also hosted Pope Celestine V. The War Museum offers another way to explore the past, with exhibits from the Second World War.

Nature, Fly Fishing and Regional Perspectives

In Roccacinquemiglia, near the town centre, there is a Big Bench built by the Associazione Pro Rocca as part of the Big Bench Community Project. It serves as a viewpoint with panoramic views. The CONI-Palestra di Pesca a Mosca is also located on the Sangro near Castel Di Sangro: at Ponte della Maddalena, about 100 metres upstream from Ponte di ferro and at the confluence with the Zittola. No-kill trout fishing is practised there. Check local fishing regulations and access before visiting.

The Ferrovia dei Parchi also offers a regional perspective. The 118-kilometre-long, winding railway line starts at Rivisondoli-Pescocostanzo station, first climbing to 1,268 metres before descending to Castel Di Sangro at 793 metres. It then climbs again to 923 metres at S. Pietro Avellana and finally descends to 631 metres at Carpinone. Tourist services and timetables vary, so check the dates for your trip. In the wider Alto Sangro area, Castel Di Sangro is also well connected to the ski resorts of Roccaraso, Pescocostanzo and Rivisondoli.

Discover more destinations: Alfedena, Sant'Elia, Pacentro, Trasacco, Bagno, Pescina, Cagnano Amiterno, Capestrano.

For the main travel overview: L-Aquila.