Chieti and Eastern Abruzzo

<< Abruzzo

The Province of Chieti is located in Eastern Abruzzo, and it is mostly mountainous, except for the coastal strip of the Trabocchi Coast. Various historic towns are located among the mountains and in the valleys of Eastern Abruzzo, such as Chieti and Lanciano, as well as several small beautiful villages. The Apennines of the Province of Chieti also feature the eastern side of the Maiella massif.

Chieti

Chieti is a city located on top of a hill in Abruzzo, south of Pescara. Founded in prehistoric times, it was a flourishing Roman town with the name Teate, but it declined in the Early Middle Ages as it was damaged in various wars. The city emerged again as a trade center in the Late Middle Ages under the Normans and later as part of the Kingdom of Naples. Now it features various historic landmarks and some important museums.

✪ National Archaeological Museum of Abruzzo

The National Archaeological Museum of Abruzzo (Museo Archeologico Nazionale d’Abruzzo) is an archaeological museum hosted in a Neoclassical villa in Chieti. Its collection includes several archaeological finds from prehistory and the Roman age unearthed in Abruzzo, such as statues, coins, and steles. The most notable work hosted here is the Warrior of Capestrano (Guerriero di Capestrano), a sculpture dating from around the 6th century BCE and regarded as one of the most important pieces of pre-Roman art made by Italic peoples.

University Museum of Chieti

Also known as: Chieti Museum of Biomedical Sciences (Museo di Storia delle Scienze Biomediche di Chieti)

The University Museum of Chieti (Museo Universitario di Chieti) is a museum in Chieti which houses collections dedicated to natural science, medicine, archaeology, and art. Its natural history section is especially notable, with rich exhibitions on palaeontology, anthropology, botany, zoology, and more.

La Civitella Archaeological Museum

The La Civitella Archaeological Museum (Museo Archeologico La Civitella) is a museum hosted in the archaeological area of the ancient Teate in Chieti. The area includes the ruins of a Roman amphitheater, a theater, and a few other structures. The museum houses numerous archaeological finds from the Roman age, including various sculptures and an elaborate funerary monument.

Chieti Cathedral

Also known as: Cathedral of San Giustino (Cattedrale di San Giustino)

The Chieti Cathedral (Duomo di Chieti) is a medieval church erected in Chieti in the 10th century. Originally built in Romanesque style, it was reworked several times, with its Gothic Revival appearance dating from the early 20th century. The church features an imposing medieval bell tower and an elaborate portal, while the interior is adorned with Baroque decorations. A medieval crypt is located under the church.

Crecchio

Crecchio is a small town located on top of a hill west of Ortona, in the Province of Chieti. The village is known for its historic castle and medieval old town.

Ducal Castle of Crecchio

The Ducal Castle (Castello Ducale) of Crecchio is a fortress erected in Crecchio during the Middle Ages and later reworked. In 1943, the castle hosted the King of Italy Victor Emmanuel III, who was fleeing toward Brindisi. Now restored, the castle features imposing towers, and houses the Museum of Byzantine and Early Medieval Abruzzo (Museo dell’Abruzzo Bizantino ed Altomedievale). The collection of the museum includes several archaeological finds from the area around the town.

Lanciano

Lanciano is a town located among the hills of the Province of Chieti, and one of the main centers in the area. Anciently inhabited by the Frentani, an Italic tribe, it was a Roman city with the name Anxanum. Destroyed and rebuilt in the Early Middle Ages, it flourished under the rule of the Kingdom of Sicily and then the Kingdom of Naples. The town hosts various historic landmarks.

Lanciano Cathedral

Also known as: Cathedral of Madonna del Ponte (Cattedrale della Madonna del Ponte)

The Lanciano Cathedral (Cattedrale di Lanciano) is the main church in the city, originally erected during the Middle Ages over an ancient Roman bridge. Completely rebuilt in Neoclassical style in the 18th century, it features a monumental facade and several artworks and decorations.

Church of San Francesco

The Church of San Francesco is a medieval church located next to the Lanciano Cathedral. Erected during the 13th century, it features a Gothic structure and Baroque decorations. The church is known for hosting the relics of the Eucharistic miracle of Lanciano. According to tradition, during a Mass in the 8th century, the bread and wine changed into flesh and blood, an event regarded as a miracle by the Catholic Church.

Diocesan Museum of Lanciano

The Diocesan Museum (Museo Diocesano) of Lanciano is a rich museum of religious art. Its collection includes several historic artworks and religious objects from the territory around the town, with pieces dating between the Late Middle Ages and the 20th century.

Santo Spirito Museum Complex

The Santo Spirito Museum Complex (Polo Museale Santo Spirito) is a museum hosted in a former convent in Lanciano. The museum includes a collection of archaeological finds unearthed in and around the town, dating between prehistory and the Early Middle Ages.

Guardiagrele

Guardiagrele is a small town located at the foot of the Maiella massif in the Province of Chieti. The town offers various historic landmarks, and it is known for its beautiful natural environment.

Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Maggiore

The Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Maggiore (Collegiata di Santa Maria Maggiore) is the main church of Guardiagrele, located at the center of its medieval old town. Built in Gothic style during the Late Middle Ages, it hosts various Baroque decorations. A museum inside the church houses some religious artworks.

Church of San Francesco

Also known as: Sanctuary of San Nicola Greco (Santuario di San Nicola Greco)

The Church of San Francesco is a Romanesque church erected during the Late Middle Ages in Guardiagrele. The church features a Gothic portal and a few artworks. The former convent next to the church hosts a museum housing various archaeological finds from around the town, and another museum dedicated to local traditions.

Taranta Peligna

Taranta Peligna is a village in the Province of Chieti, located along the slopes of the Maiella massif. Similarly to the nearby towns, it is known for its beautiful natural environment.

Cavallone Cave

The Cavallone Cave (Grotta del Cavallone) is a large cave system located in the Maiella massif near Taranta Peligna. The system extends for over two kilometers under the mountains, and is accessible from the town through a cableway. The caves are open to tourists during the warmer months.

Montenerodomo

Montenerodomo is a tiny town in the Province of Chieti, located among the mountains and known for hosting the ruins of a Roman city in its territory.

Archaeological Area of Juvanum

Juvanum was an ancient town located north of modern-day Montenerodomo. Previously inhabited by the Samnites, it later became a Roman town and it was abandoned during the Middle Ages. The ruins of the city include sections of some temples, a theater, and a few other structures. Here are also the ruins of the Abbey of Santa Maria in Palazzo (Abbazia di Santa Maria in Palazzo), a medieval monastery erected on the site of the ancient forum of Juvanum and demolished in the 18th century.

Roccascalegna

Roccascalegna is a small town located among the mountains in the Province of Chieti, known for its scenic historic castle.

Roccascalegna Castle

The Roccascalegna Castle is a large fortress erected on top of a rock formation in Roccascalegna. Built starting in the Late Middle Ages, it was later expanded, with most of its current appearance dating from the 16th century. After a period of abandonment, it was restored and opened to the public in the 1990s. The castle includes a series of cliffside fortifications and a tower, while the 16th-century Church of San Pietro is just outside the fortress.

Atessa

Atessa is a town located among the hills in the Province of Chieti. Founded in the Early Middle Ages, the city preserves its medieval and Renaissance old town.

Atessa Cathedral

Also known as: Cathedral of San Leucio (Cattedrale di San Leucio)

The Atessa Cathedral (Duomo di Atessa) is a historic church in the old town of Atessa. Built during the Late Middle Ages, it features a Gothic facade, while the interior is adorned with Baroque decorations. The church also houses a relic of what is said to be the rib of a dragon killed by Saint Leucius of Brindisi.

Monteodorisio

Monteodorisio is a small town in the Province of Chieti, west of Vasto, best known for its medieval castle.

Monteodorisio Castle

The Monteodorisio Castle is a castle erected during the Late Middle Ages and featuring some imposing fortifications. The castle now serves as a museum of local history, hosting a collection of archaeological finds unearthed around the town.