Abruzzo / Abruzzen

Santa Maria di Propezzano was once part of the Benedictine abbey of the same name. According to tradition, an apparition of Our Lady of God took place here in May 715. An inscription from the 15th century describes that three pilgrims on their way back from the Holy Land stopped here under a tree. They had hung bags with valuable relics on it, when suddenly the tree began to grow very quickly. The pilgrims could not reach the bags no matter how hard they tried. Frightened, they prayed and asked God for an explanation. When they fell asleep, our Lady appeared to them in a dream, asking that a church be built in that place. As soon as they woke up, they began to build an altar. The tree lowered and allowed them to get the bags. The entire complex is the result of numerous reconstructions and changes made in different eras, as it was destroyed by waves of barbarians, Illyrian pirates, Hungarians and Saracens. The first foundations of a church are dated to the 9th century. The building dates back to the 13th century. The building measures about 8 x 30 meters and belongs to a single-nave Romanesque church. In the 14th century the side naves that determined the division of the inner hall into three naves, were added. On the left side of the main facade stands the bell tower, built in the 15th century.

Santa Maria di Propezzano was once part of the Benedictine abbey of the same name. According to tradition, an apparition of Our Lady of God took place here in May 715. An inscription from the 15th century describes that three pilgrims on their way back from the Holy Land stopped here under a tree. They had hung bags with valuable relics on it, when suddenly the tree began to grow very quickly. The pilgrims could not reach the bags no matter how hard they tried. Frightened, they prayed and asked God for an explanation. When they fell asleep, our Lady appeared to them in a dream, asking that a church be built in that place. As soon as they woke up, they began to build an altar. The tree lowered and allowed them to get the bags. The entire complex is the result of numerous reconstructions and changes made in different eras, as it was destroyed by waves of barbarians, Illyrian pirates, Hungarians and Saracens. The first foundations of a church are dated to the 9th century. The building dates back to the 13th century. The building measures about 8 x 30 meters and belongs to a single-nave Romanesque church. In the 14th century the side naves that determined the division of the inner hall into three naves, were added. The rich portal, attributed to the work of Raimondo del Poggio's workshop and dated to the early 14th century, is the "Porta Santa".

Santa Maria di Propezzano was once part of the Benedictine abbey of the same name. According to tradition, an apparition of Our Lady of God took place here in May 715. An inscription from the 15th century describes that three pilgrims on their way back from the Holy Land stopped here under a tree. They had hung bags with valuable relics on it, when suddenly the tree began to grow very quickly. The pilgrims could not reach the bags no matter how hard they tried. Frightened, they prayed and asked God for an explanation. When they fell asleep, our Lady appeared to them in a dream, asking that a church be built in that place. As soon as they woke up, they began to build an altar. The tree lowered and allowed them to get the bags. The entire complex is the result of numerous reconstructions and changes made in different eras, as it was destroyed by waves of barbarians, Illyrian pirates, Hungarians and Saracens. The first foundations of a church are dated to the 9th century. The building dates back to the 13th century. The building measures about 8 x 30 meters and belongs to a single-nave Romanesque church. In the 14th century the side naves that determined the division of the inner hall into three naves, were added. The rich portal, attributed to the work of Raimondo del Poggio's workshop and dated to the early 14th century, is the "Porta Santa". Two details of the outer archivolt of the "Porta Santa" and some Christmas illumination.

Santa Maria di Propezzano was once part of the Benedictine abbey of the same name. According to tradition, an apparition of Our Lady of God took place here in May 715. An inscription from the 15th century describes that three pilgrims on their way back from the Holy Land stopped here under a tree. They had hung bags with valuable relics on it, when suddenly the tree began to grow very quickly. The pilgrims could not reach the bags no matter how hard they tried. Frightened, they prayed and asked God for an explanation. When they fell asleep, our Lady appeared to them in a dream, asking that a church be built in that place. As soon as they woke up, they began to build an altar. The tree lowered and allowed them to get the bags. The entire complex is the result of numerous reconstructions and changes made in different eras, as it was destroyed by waves of barbarians, Illyrian pirates, Hungarians and Saracens. The first foundations of a church are dated to the 9th century. The building dates back to the 13th century. The building measures about 8 x 30 meters and belongs to a single-nave Romanesque church. In the 14th century the side naves that determined the division of the inner hall into three naves, were added. Pilgrims and vandals left their marks here.

Santa Maria di Propezzano was once part of the Benedictine abbey of the same name. According to tradition, an apparition of Our Lady of God took place here in May 715. An inscription from the 15th century describes that three pilgrims on their way back from the Holy Land stopped here under a tree. They had hung bags with valuable relics on it, when suddenly the tree began to grow very quickly. The pilgrims could not reach the bags no matter how hard they tried. Frightened, they prayed and asked God for an explanation. When they fell asleep, our Lady appeared to them in a dream, asking that a church be built in that place. As soon as they woke up, they began to build an altar. The tree lowered and allowed them to get the bags. The entire complex is the result of numerous reconstructions and changes made in different eras, as it was destroyed by waves of barbarians, Illyrian pirates, Hungarians and Saracens. The first foundations of a church are dated to the 9th century. The building dates back to the 13th century. The building measures about 8 x 30 meters and belongs to a single-nave Romanesque church. In the 14th century the side naves that determined the division of the inner hall into three naves, were added.

Santa Maria di Propezzano was once part of the Benedictine abbey of the same name. According to tradition, an apparition of Our Lady of God took place here in May 715. An inscription from the 15th century describes that three pilgrims on their way back from the Holy Land stopped here under a tree. They had hung bags with valuable relics on it, when suddenly the tree began to grow very quickly. The pilgrims could not reach the bags no matter how hard they tried. Frightened, they prayed and asked God for an explanation. When they fell asleep, our Lady appeared to them in a dream, asking that a church be built in that place. As soon as they woke up, they began to build an altar. The tree lowered and allowed them to get the bags. The entire complex is the result of numerous reconstructions and changes made in different eras, as it was destroyed by waves of barbarians, Illyrian pirates, Hungarians and Saracens. The first foundations of a church are dated to the 9th century. The building dates back to the 13th century. The building measures about 8 x 30 meters and belongs to a single-nave Romanesque church. In the 14th century the side naves that determined the division of the inner hall into three naves, were added.

Santa Maria di Propezzano was once part of the Benedictine abbey of the same name. According to tradition, an apparition of Our Lady of God took place here in May 715. An inscription from the 15th century describes that three pilgrims on their way back from the Holy Land stopped here under a tree. They had hung bags with valuable relics on it, when suddenly the tree began to grow very quickly. The pilgrims could not reach the bags no matter how hard they tried. Frightened, they prayed and asked God for an explanation. When they fell asleep, our Lady appeared to them in a dream, asking that a church be built in that place. As soon as they woke up, they began to build an altar. The tree lowered and allowed them to get the bags. The entire complex is the result of numerous reconstructions and changes made in different eras, as it was destroyed by waves of barbarians, Illyrian pirates, Hungarians and Saracens. The first foundations of a church are dated to the 9th century. The building dates back to the 13th century. The building measures about 8 x 30 meters and belongs to a single-nave Romanesque church. In the 14th century the side naves that determined the division of the inner hall into three naves, were added. Two lions flank the oculus

The abbey to which this church once belonged was founded by the Benedictines, probably in 874, and is associated with donations from Emperor Lothair II (Ludovico II) and his mother Ermengarde of Tours. In 911 the abbey was destroyed during a Saracen invasion, rebuilt, and again desecrated by the Normans in 1077. During the reconstruction, the relics of St. Clement were discovered under the pavement. The portal of the church bears the date 1108 for this reconstruction. However, the monastery soon fell into disrepair again. The floor plan of the church consists of three naves, each ending with a semicircular apse and supported by pillars or columns of brick or stone. The interior of the presbytery is covered by a carved ciborium from the 12th century, known for Islamic influences. Unfortunately, the church was locked, so I could not see the ciborium.

The abbey to which this church once belonged was founded by the Benedictines, probably in 874, and is associated with donations from Emperor Lothair II (Ludovico II) and his mother Ermengarde of Tours. In 911 the abbey was destroyed during a Saracen invasion, rebuilt, and again desecrated by the Normans in 1077. During the reconstruction, the relics of St. Clement were discovered under the pavement. The portal of the church bears the date 1108 for this reconstruction. However, the monastery soon fell into disrepair again. The floor plan of the church consists of three naves, each ending with a semicircular apse and supported by pillars or columns of brick or stone. The portal has two inscriptions. The large one (top left) indicates when the portal was built (1118), the small one runs around the archivolt and is very difficult to read. It says that P. Prupos and his son had the portal created by Gniscard, Master of Architecture (GNISSCARDV ARTIFICE DE ARHETONICA).

The abbey to which this church once belonged was founded by the Benedictines, probably in 874, and is associated with donations from Emperor Lothair II (Ludovico II) and his mother Ermengarde of Tours. In 911 the abbey was destroyed during a Saracen invasion, rebuilt, and again desecrated by the Normans in 1077. During the reconstruction, the relics of St. Clement were discovered under the pavement. The portal of the church bears the date 1108 for this reconstruction. However, the monastery soon fell into disrepair again. The floor plan of the church consists of three naves, each ending with a semicircular apse and supported by pillars or columns of brick or stone.

Cellino Attanasio, the small town up on the mountain was a fief of the Acquaviva, Dukes of Atri, who owned it almost continuously from the end of the 14th century until the 18th century. They fortified it by equipping it with nine cylindrical towers. Two of which are preserved in good condition.

The existence of this Romanesque church is testified by archeological finds. It is dated to the early 14th century. The facade, the rear and the side walls are extremely sober. Due to the massive damage caused by the recent earthquakes, Santa Maria di Portolungo is under reconstruction and so completely covered by scaffoldings.

Santa Maria di Ronzano stands isolated on a hill in the village of Ronzano, in the municipality of Castel Castagna. The oldest document that mentions this church is from 1184. The exact date of the construction is unknown, but it was probably built in the second half of the 12th century. Some scholars see parallels to the Apulian Romanesque which is reflected in the setting of the windows, in the blind arches of the presbytery and in the floor plan

Santa Maria di Ronzano stands isolated on a hill in the village of Ronzano, in the municipality of Castel Castagna. The oldest document that mentions this church is from 1184. The exact date of the construction is unknown, but it was probably built in the second half of the 12th century. Some scholars see parallels to the Apulian Romanesque which is reflected in the setting of the windows, in the blind arches of the presbytery and in the floor plan

Santa Maria di Ronzano stands isolated on a hill in the village of Ronzano, in the municipality of Castel Castagna. The oldest document that mentions this church is from 1184. The exact date of the construction is unknown, but it was probably built in the second half of the 12th century. Some scholars see parallels to the Apulian Romanesque which is reflected in the setting of the windows, in the blind arches of the presbytery and in the floor plan The ornate window is slightly damaged, but the frame is intact. Above, a bird is attacked by mixed creatures. They are tendrils - with animal heads.

Santa Maria di Ronzano stands isolated on a hill in the village of Ronzano, in the municipality of Castel Castagna. The oldest document that mentions this church is from 1184. The exact date of the construction is unknown, but it was probably built in the second half of the 12th century. Some scholars see parallels to the Apulian Romanesque which is reflected in the setting of the windows, in the blind arches of the presbytery and in the floor plan

San Giovanni ad Insulam (aka San Giovanni al Mavone) stands solitary on a hill. It once belonged to the attached abbey, of which impressive ruins are still preserved. The church rises above the crypt and the entire structure was built at various times between the 11th and 13th centuries. Some historians, however, consider the crypt to be much older.

San Giovanni ad Insulam (aka San Giovanni al Mavone) stands solitary on a hill. It once belonged to the attached abbey, of which impressive ruins are still preserved. The church rises above the crypt and the entire structure was built at various times between the 11th and 13th centuries. Some historians, however, consider the crypt to be much older. On the two posts of the portal are depicted lions and mythical creatures. Even on the lintel live strange creatures. The artwork is attributed to Raimondo di Podio, who crafted a very similar work in Atri.