The paths that history takes are unpredictable. One of these roads in the twentieth century passes through a small medieval village in Abruzzo, called Crecchio.
The date is September 9, 1943, in the middle of World War II: King Vittorio Emanuele III, fleeing Rome with his family and general staff, stopped to spend the night in the ducal castle of this village. The next day he heads towards Brindisi and then hides in one of the most critical and controversial periods of Italian history. This passage of the Savoys gives the people of Crecchio good reasons to consider their city even today “the capital of Italy for a day”. We can add that it is certainly a village that is proud of various architectural beauties and it is not by chance that it is included in the circle of the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy.
The route in Crecchio by motorbike
Map
Way
The journey starts from the capital Chieti, which in turn is located a few minutes from Pescara. Take SS649 up Galliani. Turn right for Ripa Theatina (SS16) and then left Opening. Take the SS263 to the left and at the roundabout take the first exit onto Contrada Elcine. Continue until Venna and then to Tollo. Then continue until Canosa Sannita and then reach the destination Crecchio.
All attractions not to be missed in Crecchia
Haiti, at an average altitude of 209 m above sea level, has around three thousand inhabitants. Geographically, it is included in a hilly area that stretches from the coast of the Adriatic Sea to the foothills of Maiella.
The ducal castle of Crecchio
On the hill that rises between the rivers Arielli and Rifago, there is the so-called ducal castle of De Riseis-D’Aragona, an imposing building with a square plan, surrounded by defensive walls, with four corner towers. The castle is entered via a bridge; the visit is free. It was severely damaged by bombing in 1943: the interiors were rebuilt in the 1960s, faithful to the original. Inside is the Museum of Byzantine and Early Medieval Abruzzo.
Museum of Byzantine and Early Medieval Abruzzo
The Museum of Byzantine and Early Medieval Abruzzo exhibits objects found during archaeological excavations in a Roman-Byzantine villa near Vassarello. Finds testify to extensive trade between Byzantine Abruzzo and the East, especially in the 6th and 7th centuries AD Admission is €4.
Monaco Palace
Monaco Palace is a historic residence from the 14th century, now used as a restaurant and wedding venue. Opposite is the attached church of Fr Saint Mary’s Feet, built in 1581, which now serves as an auditorium. It is located near the Porta da Piedi (the only gate still in existence) that closed the city center to the north.
Mills in the Arielli Valley
On the right bank of the Arielli River, below the Crecchio hill, there is a row of water mills. After the Middle Ages, they were abandoned, invaded by vegetation, and subjected to degradation. However, the renovation carried out in the nineties gave rise to Mills Park’s equipped area with natural history value, in which the mills are returned to practice as a multifunctional building.
