Sulmona and surroundings
Sulmona is surely one of Abruzzo's most beautiful, vibrant and richly cultural cities. To add to these are many sights and monuments, events and festivities as well as a rich repertoir in culinary specialties which can be experienced in a number of fine restaurants in the city.
Sulmona has various piazzas, churches and palaces of historical and tourist interest. Some of these include:
Cattedrale di San Panfilo
The city's cathedral, sitting on the northwest side of the old city and was built on the site of a Roman temple. It contains a crypt which retains its Romanesque appearance despite the 18th Century renovation of the main church.
Piazza XX Settembre
One of the main squares of the city, including a bronze statue of the Roman poet Ovid.
Palazzo Annunziata and Chiesa di SS. Annunziata.
The Palace contains a fine museum showing the Roman history of the city as well as various artifacts. The church is a fine example of Baroque architecture and has a beautiful interior and bell tower.
Piazza Garibaldi is the largest square in town with a large baroque era fountain. A Palio style medieval festival and horse race known as the Giostra Cavalleresca takes place here every year in the Summer. At Easter, crowds gather to witness the Madonna che Scappa. This ceremony involves the procession of a statue of the Madonna who is carried across the square while the bearers run to encounter a statue of the resurrected Christ on the other side of the square. On the south side of the Piazza is the 12th Century Gothic aqueduct. The square hosts a market twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
The remains and ruins of the ancient city are of little interest, but indicate the existence of a considerable town; among them are the vestiges of an amphitheatre, a theatre, and thermae, all of them without the gates of the modern city. About 3 km from Sulmona, at the foot of the Monte Morrone, are some ruins of reticulated masonry, probably those of a Roman villa, traditionally attributed to that of Ovid.Sulmona... definitely worth discovering
For more tourist information regarding the city of Sulmona, please visit www.sulmona.org. (in English, Italian and French)
