Pescina: Churches, Museums and the Sentiero Silone

Pescina between Landscape and Culture

Pescina combines landscape features with cultural history and literature. The northeastern part of the Pescina area lies within the protected area of the Sirente-Velino Regional Nature Park. The southeastern slope of the area lies within the outer boundary zone of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park. Churches, museums, towers and the Sentiero Silone anchor these themes in the town’s history.

Museums and Literary Traces

The Casa Museo Mazzarino is located in a building in the upper historic center of Pescina, in the immediate vicinity of Ignazio Silone’s tomb. The Casa Museo displays numerous documents on the life and work of Cardinal Mazzarino. It is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to noon.

The Museo Silone is located in the former monastery of the Friars Minor Conventual. The Premio Internazionale Ignazio Silone is held annually in the Museo Silone building. The Silone Archive at the Centro Studi di Pescina contains more than 10,000 documents and is generally freely accessible for consultation. Excluded are material that has not yet been organized and inventoried, as well as documents classified as confidential or in poor condition.

The Museo Silone is open to visitors Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, the museum is open from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 3 to 5 p.m.

Churches, Towers and Medieval Connections

The Cattedrale di Santa Maria delle Grazie is the only church in the Marsica to bear the title “Concattedrale dei Marsi.” It was consecrated in 1606 and had already been officially designated as the seat of the Diocese of the Marsi in 1580. This was done through a papal bull issued by Pope Gregory XIII.

The Chiesa di San Francesco contains a Baroque choir, valuable prints and paintings, as well as the remaining part of an organ. The church probably dates from before 1200. During his visit to Pescina, Francis of Assisi had the monastery attached to the Chiesa di San Francesco built.

The Castello di Pescina is connected with the Rocca Vecchia, a complex built during Roman times and fortified during the Social War on the acropolis of Plaestinia. The Torre di Pescina was part of a system of three outer watch and control towers that monitored a strategic section of the most important trade route along the Giovenco River. Ignazio Silone’s tomb is located at the foot of the Torre di S. Bernardo.

On Foot through Pescina

The Sentiero Silone is a walking trail through the history and the places described by Ignazio Silone, the great writer from Pescina. Pescina can be reached via the A25/E80 motorway.

More Destinations

Paganica, Prezza, Camarda, Ofena, Cappadocia, Barisciano, Navelli, Castel Di Sangro

To the main travel overview: L-Aquila.