Ancarano between historic streets and local tradition

Historic centre with its own character

Ancarano combines a historic townscape with architectural evidence from several centuries. The historic settlement preserves the layout of its reconstruction in the 16th and 17th centuries. Numerous buildings from this period stand along narrow, winding streets.

The palazzi in the historic centre are also part of this setting. They date from the 16th and 17th centuries and feature small stone portals decorated with majolica tiles. The depictions show saints or coats of arms; decorations can also be found on the keystones. The portals therefore offer a view of majolica tiles, depictions of saints, coats of arms and keystones as handcrafted details of the centre.

Town gates and historic traces

Porta da Mare opens to the east on the side facing the Adriatic Sea. The gate preserves a pointed arch made of travertine blocks. Porta da Monte, by contrast, faces west towards the Monti Sibillini, the Monti della Laga and Gran Sasso. The different orientations of the two gates alone give the town a clear spatial structure.

Porta da Monte also preserves openings through which the chains of a drawbridge once ran, as well as corbels.

Churches and art in the town

The Church of Madonna della Pace houses a wooden statue of the Madonna and Child. The work was created by Silvestro dall’Aquila in 1489. Ancarano is therefore home to a work of art from 1489 alongside the town’s later churches and palazzi.

The Church of Madonna della Misericordia has an octagonal floor plan and was built in 1628. The interior was closed because of an earthquake.

The exterior of the Church of Madonna della Carità, including the bell tower and portal, dates approximately from 1790. The construction of the Church of San Rocco is associated with the plague and famine crisis that struck Italy in the first decades of the 16th century.

The bell tower, Torre Campanaria, is the surviving part of the old parish church of Santa Maria, which already existed in the 12th century. Fonte Monsignore, an old cistern for collecting spring water for drinking, adds to the town’s historic features. Both places combine religious architectural history with a practical element of the townscape.

Festivals, traditions and specialities

The Madonna della Pace festival is traditionally celebrated on the Sunday in October closest to 22 October. Li tailì de la Madonna is a traditional speciality from Ancarano and is prepared on the day of this festival. On this occasion, it is customary in all families in Ancarano to prepare the dish.

The Pro Loco Ancarano organises the Sagra Enogastronomica. It also works with the municipality to revive traditions and folk events such as the Canestrelle. The Sagra Enogastronomica represents the gastronomic side of the events calendar, while the Canestrelle is one of the folk events.

Further places for orientation

Pineto, Nerito, Rocca Santa Maria, Intermesoli, Silvi Marina, Case Alte, Controguerra and Teramo

To the higher-level travel overview: Teramo.