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Provincia di Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy
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| In ancient times, Fallascoso was originally named Falascuso then Fallascusum. The village is situated on a cliff side at an elevation of 923 meters and about 3km west of Torricella Peligna. Because of its precarious location, the landscape of the village hasn't changed much since the Middle Ages. The houses are constructed of stucco over bare stone which is a typical style of Mediterranean civilizations. Archeological evidence shows some of the houses in Fallascoso are built with stones taken from the walls of the nearby ancient city center of Juvanum/Iuvanum that was destroyed in the 346 AD earthquake. Most of the houses on the outside perimeter of Fallascoso were attached forming a continuous wall which was said to be an extension of the fortified walls of Juvanum. At the highest point in the village is the Ducal or Baronial Palace though once belonging to the Croce family is now a private residence. Below the palace is the reconstructed church of S. Nicola di Bari. Entombed inside this church are the remains of S. Rinaldo, the patron Saint of Fallascoso. On the west side of the village is the old Piazza Macchia which in 1993 was renamed Piazza Cardinale Di Iorio, to honor Cardinal Alberto di Iorio/Jorio who was instrumental in granting funds to refurbish the church of S. Nicola di Bari. The cemetery for Fallascoso is located to the northeast on a hill between Juvanum and Fallascoso.
In March 1442 the King of Naples, Alfonso I of Aragona ordered a Catasto Onciario (census) to collect taxes. The first official census taken of Fallascoso in 1447 recorded a population of 77 individuals. The census of 1753 reveals 43 families for a total population of 215. During the first half of the 15th century most of the inhabitants of Fallascoso were peasant sheep farmers. It is estimated that on average there were10 sheep for every individual that lived in the Abruzzo region. Each spring shepherds would stop near Fallascoso during the long transumanza migration which would take the flocks of sheep from the mountains of Abruzzo, inaccessible in winter, down to the wide plains of Apulia now Puglia. During the Fascist period, Fallascoso lost its independence and comune status on 17 Mar 1928 and was annexed as a frazione or suburb of nearby Torricella Peligna for administrative and governmental services. (Click here to see Royal Decree of Vittorio Emanuele III) Almost completely destroyed at the end of World War II by the, retreating German Army commanded by General Albert Kesselring, Fallascoso has been rebuilt into today's modest summer and winter homes. (Click here to see Military action in and around Fallascoso) On August 28th of each year, the citizens of Fallascoso celebrate the Festa di San Rinaldo with a grand procession from the Church of San Nicola di Bari through the streets of the village. In this procession, individuals take turns carrying the statue of San Rinaldo which is preceded by four individuals carrying a large blue and red hand embroidered banner which was presented to Fallascoso in 1911 by 13 former citizens of Fallascoso then living in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, United States of America. On the blue front side of this banner is the embroidered image of Saint Rinaldo Protettore, on the red silk backside are gold letters in the names of these former citizens: Domenco Piccerelli, Carmino Di Pietrantonio, Donato Taddeo, Domenico Di Pietrantonio, Amadio Di Pietrantonio, Michele Taddeo, Domenico Oliviero, Guiseppi Di Valerio, Nicolo D'Antonio, Domenico Di Pietrantonio, Rosario Di Nanni, Guiseppi Francione, Antonio D'Antonio. This banner represents a message from all of those who left Fallascoso at the turn of the century for a new life in the United States of America. Various locations in Fallascoso: |
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