Civita d’Antino: History, Art and Panoramic Views

Civita d’Antino combines Roman history, cemetery architecture, art and expansive landscapes in a clearly defined setting. The town lies on a plateau 904 metres above sea level, offering views across the entire Valle Roveto. For your travel planning, this creates a destination that combines historical themes with a specific hike and distinctive cultural sites.

Antinum and the view over the Valle Roveto

Its historic core is formed by Antinum: after the Social War in the 1st century BC, the Romans elevated the settlement to the status of a municipium. An important architectural monument in the heart of Civita d’Antino is the preserved Palazzo Ferrante. Together with the elevated location, this creates a townscape in which history and the view over the Valle Roveto are an immediate part of the character of a stay.

Cemetery architecture with a history of its own

The Cimitero Napoleonico is one of the very few national examples of cemetery architecture and the only one in Abruzzo that complies with the strict requirements of the Edict of Saint-Cloud of 1804. The edict was extended to the Italian territories in 1806. The cemetery is therefore a particularly precisely classifiable testimony to the Napoleonic era and a distinct focus when touring Civita d’Antino.

Traces of Zahrtmann and Edward Lear

The boarding house became the home of the school of the Danish master Kristian Zahrtmann, which was attended by many artists. Casa dei Pittori preserves 89 coats of arms of artists who document the artistic period of Zahrtmann’s school. Edward Lear also stayed in Civita d’Antino in 1843. These names represent a local history in which the artistic perception of the town plays just as concrete a role as its older past.

Museum and geoastronomical perspective

The Museo Archeologico Antinum displays votive terracottas from Via Manzoni as well as an interesting collection of tableware from the Late Republican period from Via Genova. The Osservatorio Astronomico Torre Colonna offers a different perspective with a geoastronomical approach that combines astronomy, geophysics, geology and geography. In this way, the cultural themes range from archaeological finds to the scientific observation of space and landscape.

Palazzo Ferrante and the defensive tower

The defensive tower in Civita d’Antino, attributed to the Colonna family, has a U-shaped, bluntly square structure and is open to visitors today. Together with Palazzo Ferrante, it complements the town’s historical evidence with two different architectural functions: an important architectural monument in the town centre and a defensive tower with a clearly recognisable geometric form.

Hiking between a day route and a long-distance trail

The hiking route from Civita d’Antino to the Eremo S. Maria della Ritornata is 12 km long as a round trip, takes around 3–4 hours on foot and is considered easy. In addition, the Grande Cammino dei Briganti passes through Civita d’Antino. It is part of a 500-kilometre route designed to be completed over 28 hiking days through the five regions of Abruzzo, Lazio, Molise, Campania and Basilicata. The two routes offer different planning frameworks: a manageable day hike and a long-distance trail that places Civita d’Antino in a broader regional context.

Discover more destinations

More destinations to compare: Cagnano Amiterno, Assergi, Sulmona, Sant'Eusanio Forconese, Spineta, Raiano, Roccacasale, Rocca Pia.

For the higher-level travel overview: L-Aquila.