MONTEPAGANO

The village of Montepagano is the oldest hamlet of Roseto degli Abruzzi, where the city’s history began. It is situated on a hill 295 meters above sea level. Its origins date back to the late. 

After the Norman rule, it became part of the Papal State from the thirteenth century until the French invasion at the end of the 1700s. Montepagano was the municipal seat from the Unification of Italy until 1927, when the municipality was moved to Roseto degli Abruzzi.

Montepagano is one of the vibrant hearts of the city, rich in traditions and events that make it a cultural center full of life. 

A place rich in historical memory, traditions, and curiosities from the past is the Civic Museum of Material Culture located in the center of the village, where you can find objects of all kinds, toys, clothes, musical instruments, vintage posters, documents, photographs, and old tools that will help you imagine the life lived by the people who built and made alive the traditions that represent us in the world. 

The village is the ideal setting for events and festivals of all kinds. Every year, many wine lovers and connoisseurs are called to participate in the famous Mostra dei Vini during which unique tasting experiences can be had. 

We also remember the annual appointment with the Presepe Vivente, with  the National Competition of unpublished poetry “Montepagano”, the characteristic Christmas markets, the Rievocazione della Trebbiatura, and the Montepagano Jazz Festival. These are just a few examples of what Montepagano offers, proving to be a fascinating place rich in history, where the beauty of the landscape combines with the authenticity of local traditions. 

Among the points of historical and artistic interest in the village, we highlight the remains of the ancient wall fortifications built in the 14th century, of which some parts still remain. 

Porta da Piedi is the only one to have a pointed arch that gives it elegance and majesty, and it is the ancient eastern access from which we can admire an exciting and characteristic panorama of the entire Roseto. 

Overlooking the Vomano Valley, Porta da Sole was strategically important for the defense and control of the territory. 

Finally, the Porta da Borea, is located to the north, where the cold winds blow. 

In the village, we can admire several buildings of enormous historical and cultural importance. First and foremost, the absolute protagonist of the main square is the square bell tower of the ancient church of S.Antimo demolished in 1876, of which today only a few traces of masonry remain. The bell tower has undergone various vicissitudes, mainly due to natural phenomena, but it has remained the symbol of the village in all its majesty. 

The Chiesa della SS. Annunziata was rebuilt in the early 17th century to replace an ancient temple, and it retains a simple yet charming architecture. The façade is made of brick, and the main entrance is a simple stone portal, while a side portal dating back to 1611 marks the end of the reconstruction works. The interior is composed of a single nave, with four chapels on each side, a transept, a slightly elongated octagonal dome, and a semicircular apse. The austere interior architecture is enriched by several works of art, including 18th-century altars and 17th-century canvases.

The original structure of the Church of San Rocco dates back to 1527, when a votive niche was erected to seek the protection of San Rocco from the plague. Over the centuries, the church has been rebuilt and restored several times, the last of which was in 2005. The building features a gabled roof and a sail bell tower. The stone and brick facade is embellished with a flat lintel portal framed in brick, giving it a sober and elegant appearance. On either side of the portal, two small rectangular windows and a round window flood the interior with light, while the tympanum that narrows the facade gives a sense of balance and harmony to the structure. Upon entering the church, we can admire the frescoes depicting Saint Rocco and other saints, adorning the walls and creating an atmosphere of devotion and spirituality.