Discover Scanzano: Castle, Churches and Trails

Scanzano between History and Landscape

Scanzano can be explored from several perspectives. Religious sites, historic buildings, sweeping views and routes connected to the town centre appeal to different travel interests. For your planning, it is helpful to consider the cultural points of interest, the elevation and the route stages separately.

Churches and Pilgrimage

Just outside Scanzano lies the Chiesa di Santa Maria. During the pilgrimage tradition known as „le passate“, it is a pilgrimage destination from 17:00 on 14 August until 18:00 on 15 August.

The parish church of Scanzano houses a wooden statue of Saint Athanasius, a work by Salvatore Conti of Sulmona. In addition to its pilgrimage tradition, the town therefore also has a specific connection with religious art.

The Chiesa S.S. Cipriano e Giustina was built after the 1915 earthquake and equipped, among other things, with architectural elements from other old churches that had collapsed or were no longer in use. Three Renaissance stone portals define the interior of its three naves, linking the building’s history with visible historic forms.

The Castle of Scanzano

The building known in Scanzano as the „Castello“ stands at an elevation of 925 m at the southern tip of the long ridge on which the village of Scanzano is situated. Its location makes the town’s elevation structure immediately apparent.

Based on their technical features, the oldest masonry phases of the Castello di Scanzano are generally dated to the 13th and 14th centuries. This dating therefore usually falls in the period after the Normans and the Catalogus Baronum.

As Scanzano’s most important viewpoint, the castle offers a 360-degree panorama over large parts of the municipality of Sante Marie and a considerable part of the neighbouring municipality of Tagliacozzo. To the southwest, the wooded Simbruini mountains limit the view; on the opposite side, the ridge of Monte Faito marks its boundary.

Archaeological Surroundings and Earlier Connections

The archaeological area known as Area Archeologica extends along the southern slope of Monte Faito between Scanzano and Santo Stefano. In the vicinity of Scanzano is the Palazzo Ducale, a palace.

Scanzano and Sante Marie are recorded together in the Catalogo dei Baroni, commissioned by Guglielmo II the Good in 1187, as fiefs of the De Pontibus family; the family had granted them as a fief to Giovanni Duca.

Routes Connected to the Town Centre

The routes also have a clear connection with the centre: the third stage of the Grande Cammino della Brigantessa ends in Scanzano town centre after a steep descent.

From the town centre, the Grande Cammino della Brigantessa initially follows the Cammino dei Briganti for approximately 1 km. It then continues downhill along a comfortable route towards San Donato.

Choose Accommodation Based on Your Travel Interests

When choosing accommodation, you can therefore decide whether churches and historic buildings, the viewpoint or a route stage connected to the town centre should be the focus of your stay.

Further Places for Travel Planning

For further travel comparisons, you can also find Introdacqua, Villalago, Avezzano, Villavallelonga, Pietransieri, Foce, Balsorano and Spineta.

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