Discover Pescina

Pescina brings together literary sites of remembrance, churches and historic buildings. If you are planning a stay here, you can explore these themes: Ignazio Silone and the places associated with him, the history of the Marsica, and the city’s architectural history. The area’s location in relation to two protected areas also helps put the destination in context. Pescina can be reached via the A25/E80 motorway.

In the Footsteps of Ignazio Silone

The Sentiero Silone is a walking route through history and the places described by Ignazio Silone. Silone, the great writer from Pescina, offers a distinctive way to explore the town’s history: the route focuses on the connection between literature and the places depicted in his writing. Another memorial is his grave at the foot of the Torre di S. Bernardo. The Torre di Pescina, in turn, was part of a system of three outer watch and control towers. This system monitored a strategic section of the main trade route along the Giovenco River. The grave, tower and trail thus point to different aspects of the town’s historical and literary heritage.

Museums and the Silone Archive

The Museo Silone is housed in the former convent of the Minori Conventuali. The building hosts the Premio Internazionale Ignazio Silone each year. The Silone Archive at the Centro Studi di Pescina contains more than 10,000 documents. It is generally open to consultation, except for materials that have not yet been arranged and catalogued, and documents classified as confidential or in poor condition. If you are interested in Silone’s life and work, the archive offers a different experience from a museum visit: its focus is on consulting documents.

The Casa Museo Mazzarino is also devoted to a historical figure: it displays numerous documents about the life and work of Cardinal Mazzarino. The museum is located in a building in the upper historic centre, very close to Ignazio Silone’s grave. Two distinct themes can therefore be found close together: the literary commemoration of Silone and documents relating to Mazzarino.

Churches and Architectural History

The Cattedrale di Santa Maria delle Grazie is the only church in the Marsica to bear the title “Concattedrale dei Marsi”. In 1580, a papal bull issued by Gregory XIII officially designated it as the seat of the Diocese of the Marsi; it was consecrated in 1606. These dates mark two different milestones in its ecclesiastical history: its designation as the episcopal seat and its later consecration.

The Chiesa di San Francesco probably dates from before 1200. During his visit to Pescina, Francis of Assisi had the convent adjoining the church built. Inside, visitors can see a Baroque choir, valuable prints and paintings, and the surviving part of an organ. The church’s uncertain dating and the traditional account of its connection to Francis of Assisi are different aspects of its history: the construction date and the story of the convent should not be conflated into a single date.

Castello di Pescina and the Landscape

The Castello di Pescina is associated with the Rocca Vecchia. This fortification on the acropolis of Plaestinia was built in Roman times and fortified during the Social War. The Torre di Pescina served a different historical function: as part of a three-tower system, it was used to monitor and control a strategic trade route along the Giovenco.

The area’s location can also be described in more detail. The northeastern part of Pescina’s territory lies within the protected area of the Parco naturale regionale Sirente-Velino. The southeastern slope, by contrast, lies in the outer boundary area of the Parco nazionale d’Abruzzo, Lazio e Molise. These designations apply to different parts of the territory and help orient visitors to the landscape around Pescina, but they do not refer to the same geographical area.

Planning Your Visit

If you are planning a museum visit or to attend the Premio Internazionale Ignazio Silone, check the current opening hours, public access arrangements and the specific event date in advance. This will help you plan your trip around the places and themes that interest you most in Pescina.

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Return to the main travel overview: L-Aquila.