Abruzzo
A land of parks and the green heart of central Italy, Abruzzo is a region with an age-old history, in which traces of human habitation have been discovered going right back to the prehistoric era. Abruzzo owes its name to the Phoenician colony of Pretut, which was rechristened Praetutia by the Romans and which was situated close to present-day Teramo.
Many famous figures in Italian culture and history, from ancient times to the present day, have hailed from this region. Their number includes the historian Sallust and the poet Ovid, two luminaries of Latin literature, Popes Celestine V and Innocent VII, writer Gabriele D'Annunzio and philosopher Benedetto Croce.
Abruzzo's historical towns and villages contain a wealth of monuments and works of art. Besides the famous Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio and the Church of Santa Maria del Suffragio, which were damaged by the earthquake on 6 April, and the Fountain of the 99 Spouts which was only slightly damaged, there are also a myriad lesser known towns and villages scattered throughout every corner of the Region.
Abruzzo's art cities include not only the major centres of Chieti, Teramo and Pescara, but also Sulmona, Ovid's home town, and Civitella del Tronto with its imposing Bourbon fortress. The hand-made ceramic workshop at Castelli also repay a visit.
The region's true symbol, together with the Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo, is the mountain known as the Gran Sasso, which is the highest peak in the Appennine range. With a surface area of 50 square kilometres covering fully 44 different municipalities, the massif also hosts the most advanced underground laboratory in the world, which has been built beneath 1,400 metres of solid rock.
Some 750 researchers from a variety of different countries work in the laboratory, conducting experiments in the field of nuclear astro-physics and particle physics. The laboratory, founded by physicist Antonino Zichichi, places Italy out in the forefront of research in this field.
Thus Abruzzo is also a shining example of Italian excellence in the world, from scientific research to environmental safeguards, from craft work to industry, and from hi-tech to food and agriculture, in a framework of virtuous coexistence between tradition and innovation.
L'Aquila's world-famous saffron is one of the products the region is proudest to boast of, having been awarded the DOP certificate to protect its denomination of origin. L'Aquila saffron is exported throughout the world.
