Roccacaramanico is a fraction of the municipality of Sant’Eufemia a Maiella, in the province of Pescara, in Abruzzo. Known for being an extremely snowy place in winter with an average fall of about 3 m per year and a peak of 10 m in 1929, thanks to direct exposure to the cold Balkan currents with stau effect of the mountain group of the Morrone Mountains behind.
He also holds the unofficial world record for daily snowfall: on 17 December 1961, 365 cm of snow fell in 24 hours. It is current hypothesis that Roccacaramanico arose as a strategic, observation and defense point of access to the valley.
In 1971 there were only 20 inhabitants left, equal to 8 families, reduced to 4 inhabitants. However, since the 1990s the phenomenon of a periodic but continuous presence during the weekend and during the summer season has emerged. Small families of various origins have bought and recovered ruined houses to use them as second homes, favoring the development of the town.
The “ghost town”, as Roccacaramanico was called years ago, is slowly coming back to life. In 2012 Roccacaramanico was named “Italian Wonder”, favoring the development of tourism already in vogue in previous years.
What to see in Roccacaramanico?
The medieval village of Roccacaramanico is perched at over 1100 meters above sea level on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Maiella valley. The main things to see during a visit are:
- The mother church dedicated to the Madonna delle Grazie. Church rebuilt in the fifteenth century and remodeled after various earthquakes, it currently has a sheep-tracking hut structure with no ornaments except for a round arched portal on the left side. The bell tower is a quadrilateral tower with rectangular arches and a pinnacle as a roof.
- “Diana and Tamara” Ethnographic Museum: located in the town hall, which until the 19th century was the church of Sant’Antonio. The museum displays artifacts and tables which describe the peasant customs of Abruzzo.
- The ancient village with the main square very lively during the summer
- The celebrated Casetta che sorride
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