Magliano De' Marsi: Nature and Cultural Heritage

Magliano De' Marsi combines a landscape shaped by Monte Velino with natural and cultural attractions. The mountain area lies within the Sirente-Velino Regional Natural Park, which also includes the Monte Velino Nature Reserve. The area of Magliano De' Marsi also includes the Piani Palentini.

Monte Velino and the Visitor Centre

The Monte Velino Visitor Centre provides information about the reserve. It has a reception and information hall with models, dioramas, display panels, display cases and photographs. More than 500 stuffed birds from Europe and Italy can be seen in the CITES Repository; all are rare and endangered species. The Visitor Centre of the Monte Velino Oriented Nature Reserve has been adapted for visitors with motor and sensory disabilities.

The Monte Velino Oriented Nature Reserve can be reached via the Autostrada dei Parchi (A24/A25), taking the Magliano dei Marsi exit. Use of the Monte Velino Oriented Reserve area is restricted to officially marked trails shown on the official map of the Sirente-Velino Regional Park.

Trails around Monte Velino

A nature trail leads from the Monte Velino Visitor Centre to Monte lo Pago; it is just under 2,000 metres long. Its destination and length give you a specific reference point when planning an outing. The Anello dell’84 is a trekking route in Magliano De' Marsi. So you can find both a nature trail with a named destination and a trekking route with its own name here.

Churches and art history

Two dates can be distinguished for the Church of St Lucia: its origins may date back to the mid-13th century, while the lower part of the façade preserves three pointed-arch portals from the 14th century. The possible dating of the church’s origins should therefore be distinguished from the dating of the portals.

The Church and Convent of San Domenico also date from the 14th century. The single-nave interior contains a wooden pulpit in the Dominican style. The combination of its construction period and interior design offers a different perspective on the area’s religious buildings from the surviving façade details of Santa Lucia.

The earliest records of Santa Maria in Valle Porclaneta date from the mid-11th century. Also preserved there are a pulpit and a ciborium dating from 1150, attributed to Master Nicodemo. The church lies outside the settlement of Rosciolo, at the foot of Monte Velino, on the road to the trailheads. Visits must be booked with the caretaker, Signora Costanza, who lives in Rosciolo; she will be picked up for the visit. Arrange the pickup before you arrive.

In Rosciolo, Santa Maria delle Grazie preserves a 13th-century portal. Its façade was created in 1446 by the masters Giovanni and Martino from L’Aquila. The Church of the Madonna di Loreto, in turn, highlights a different period: it dates from the 14th century and preserves two cycles of medieval frescoes.

Remembrance is also part of the town’s cultural heritage. Religious ceremonies commemorating the great sacrifice of sons of the Marsica who survived the earthquake and served as soldiers in the war are held at the Sacrario dei Caduti.

When planning your trip, you can choose between outings in the natural landscape shaped by Monte Velino and different ways to explore architecture, art and remembrance. These attractions may also influence your choice when looking for a hotel in Magliano De' Marsi.

Discover more destinations: Lucoli, Tagliacozzo, Ofena, Carsoli, Sulmona, Alfedena, Capistrello, Cerchio

For the wider travel overview: L-Aquila.