The whitewashed castle and a white blanket of snow enveloping the valley: it looks like a perfectly created movie scene, but it's actually completely natural and located in Italy.
The magical atmosphere that distinguishes this town is found in Rocca Calascio, in Abruzzo, which with its postcard landscapes was the perfect setting for films like "Ladyhawke" and "The Name of the Rose." Here the warm and enveloping colors of the sunset mix with the white of the snow, ready to radiate the peaks of the Gran Sasso in an impressive contrast that is impossible to miss.
The highest castle in Italy submerged in snow.
Located 1460 meters above sea level., Rocca Calascio is an ancient town of medieval origin that, in addition to having the primacy of beauty, also has the primacy of height. In fact it is the the highest castle in italy and one of the highest in Europe.
Located a few kilometers from Calascio (in the province of L'Aquila), the atmosphere is always fascinating, but it is in winter when it is at its best with the snow, which makes everything even more mysterious.
The fortress, built around the 12th century in a strategic position to allow control of the valley, stands out even more in winter. In fact, it is in the coldest time of the year when it merges with the rock on which it is built, ready to emerge and unquestionably dominate the snow cover. Il silence that reigns supreme It is the ideal companion for reaching the castle on snowshoes. Once we reach the top, before our eyes we will have a panorama so suggestive that it seems unreal because we will be able to admire the most important mountains of the Apennines: the Gran Sasso chain, the Majella and the Sirente-Velino.
The beauties surrounding Rocca Calascio
The white stone castle is not the only attraction to admire. Near the fortress is the Church of Santa Maria della Pietà, a building built between the 16th and 17th centuries on the ruins of a Renaissance aedicule. The octagonal structure with an eight-segment dome is worth visiting because inside it preserves the painting of the Miraculous Virgin and a sculpture of San Michele Armato.
Like all old places too The origin of the church is accompanied by a legend. In fact, it is said that after years of battles and looting, the town's population managed to defeat a band of bandits. Precisely to honor the Miraculous Virgin and thank her for her intervention in the victory, the church was built.
The valley that is home to Rocca Calascio offers the visitor not only a castle rich in history and a charming church, but also a medieval village waiting to be discovered. The small town, characterized by narrow streets and alleys and white stone buildings, is located along the road that connects Santo Stefano di Sessanio with the city center of Calascio. Initially it housed all those people who could not live inside the small castle. After a series of earthquakes that hit the area between the 1793th and XNUMXth centuries, the population decided to move downstream. It was not until XNUMX, after a new earthquake, that the inhabitants moved to Calascio. Whether winter or summer, the truth is that Rocca Calascio With the beauties that surround it, it is a destination that never disappoints and is ready to enter the heart of every visitor.
