Lama dei Peligni

The territory has been inhabited since prehistoric, as amply testified by a series of rock paintings found in the caves of the area and from the remains of a village from the . In "Contrada Fonterossi", right in the vicinity of the Neolithic site, the so-called "Uomo della Maiella" was found at the beginning of the XX century, human remains of a prehistoric burial dating back to 7000 - 5000 BC.

The toponym is of pre-Latin derivation, coming from the word lama which literally meant counterbore , that is land where water stagnates ; the addition referred to the Italic people, the Peligni in fact, which would have gone as far as the territory of the Aventine river, is to be considered later.[3]

Located at 669 meters of altitude, the town is located between the Aventino river and the southern slopes of the Majella massif. To connect the two banks of the river, several bridges were built, which collapsed except one, which is called the Iron Bridge , built with the pieces of wood that were used in the construction of the rails. The environment of Lama dei Peligni is varied: it ranges from the lower altitude area where vast oak woods prevail, passing through the steep rocky crags inhabited among other things by squirrels, roe deer and wild boars, up to the flat areas at high altitude where, for example, the Apennine edelweiss grow.

Palazzo dei Baroni Tabassi.

• Verlengia Palace. It is located in Piazza Umberto I. The presence of a grating baroque suggests that the building is 18th century. The palace was reworked in 20th century. Currently the building is only partially inhabited. Where the plaster has fallen, traces of masonry can be seen. The door also has an exhibition in stone. [4]
• Palace of the Tabassi Barons. It is located in Piazza Umberto I. The construction dates back to XVI century, subsequently the building was renovated and remodeled. The building is on three levels separated by string courses. The main facade has, in the corners of the giant pilasters on which a entablature is placed at the top. The main portal is in stone surmounted by a round arch. Above the frame of the door there is the coat of arms of the ducal family. Next to the main portal there are three other portals lowered sixth. On the upper floors there are windows and balconies that have a classic layout. [5]
• Ducal Palace. It is located in Piazza Umberto I. The palace was built by the will of the dukes Di Capua in Cinquecento. In 1756 the palace was owned by the D'Aquino of Caramanico. Little remains of the original structure except some cantonal stone and a few windows. The building is on three levels. The cantonal consists of a pilaster which is surmounted by a circular element which is supported by shelves. The window placed on a cantonal has a stone exhibition with piers with floral motifs decorations placed on a window sill supported by shelves. The frame on which the entablature ends is supported by some shelves with acanthus leaf decoration. The facade has a scarp profile. [6]

• The Castle: there is not much news of this structure, which is located in the heart of the historic center, on the border with the village of Lama Vecchia, almost completely collapsed. The castle stands on a hill, hinge between the old Lama and the new one developed in the 17th century, around the current Piazza Umberto I, with the parish of San Nicola and San Clemente. Today the ruins of the castle remain irregular, between via Castello and via Forno Vecchio, it seems that before the destruction of the allies by bombing, the castle was a noble residence, there was only a guard tower still preserved today, while around the ruins of the walls.

• Monument to the fallen: located near the churchyard of San Pietro, it is a stone obelisk, with a square plan, which rains on a pedestal. The obelisk is decorated with bronze panels with allegorical scenes, and is dedicated to both the civilian victims of the Second World War and the Lamese partisans of the Maiella Brigade.

• Cinnamon source. It is located in via Nazionale Frentana. It is a fountain with three spouts with two rectangular-shaped basins placed on the sides. Perhaps it was built in 20th century on a previous building placed on a spring. The tub has a profile with moldings and is supported by two volute pedestals. The back wall has a projecting cornice, surmounted by a higher attic in the central part. [7]

L'entrata della Grotta del Cavallone

• 'Grotta del Cavallone' : located on the border between Lama and Taranta Peligna, known for being the highest openable natural cave in Europe. The poet Gabriele D'Annunzio set there the tragedy The daughter of Iorio .
• ' Grotta Sant'Angelo' : 'the first certain attestation dates back to' 1447 '. In the part relating to Lama of the Register of fires of the Kingdom of Naples a certain Margarita concubina prioris Sancti Angeli de monte ( Margherita, concubine of the prior of S. Angelo del Monte ) is mentioned. However, the title of St. Michael the Archangel suggests an early medieval foundation. In 1838 the place was mentioned in the Decrees of the First Holy Visit by G.M. Saggese, bishop of Chieti. According to a local tradition, in 1656, to escape the plague, the rich notary De Camillis took refuge there; a century later, the discovery of a boot full of gold coins caused the destruction of the walls by the locals in search of a possible treasure '. The structure is as follows: large entrance hall about at the entrance with a few surviving traces of masonry that allow the original structure to be reconstructed in outline. The front of the cave was entirely closed, with a single access to the center, while the interior was made up of two rooms of different sizes. The first, which still retains the remains of a 'small altar' surmounted by a wooden aedicule, constituted the 'presbytery area' of the complex, as evidenced by the presence of a stoup carved into the rock 'of the entrance wall; the second room, smaller in size, was the 'residential nucleus' of the hermitage.

• "Maurizio Locati" archaeological naturalistic museum: located at the entrance of Lama, coming from Fara San Martino, it is a wildlife and archaeological museum dedicated to the zoologist Maurizio Locati, who worked for the reintroduction of chamois in the Majella National Park. In fact, part of the museum is dedicated to chamois abruzzese and to the flora and fauna of the Majella, the archaeological section is dedicated to the prehistoric presence of man on the Majella, in particular to the village of Fonte Rissi, in the district of Lama, where utensils and household objects are kept, and also a lapidarium from the Roman era.

At the Verlengia palace in Piazza Umberto I there is the municipal library, dedicated to the philologist and Abruzzese Francesco Verlengia, also director of the provincial library of Chieti. The library contains many of his original manuscripts.

Manifesto de La figlia di Iorio di Gabriele d'Annunzio

The town is bordered by the village of Taranta Peligna which was chosen by Gabriele d'Annunzio, together with the Grotta del Cavallone,(accident in the Taranta Valley) as the scene of his tragedy Iorio's daughter.

• Official website
• 'Until January 17:':re-enactment of the temptations of the devil to Saint Anthony abbot.
• 20 January: patronal feast of Saint Sebastian'.
• '1st Sunday of May: feast in honor of our Lady of Sorrows in the Fonterossi district.
• '3rd Sunday of May: canoeing gathering on the Aventine Hill.
• 'Penultimate Saturday Sunday of May: feast of the Holy Child of Lama.
• Last week of July: festival "Aventino Blues".
• 12-13 August: feast in honor of Saint Anthony.
• 'Penultimate Saturday and Sunday of August:feast in honor of San Martino in the Fico San Martino district.
• 1º Sabato e Domenica di Settembre: feast in honor of Our Lady of Holy Bodies, in the District of Holy Bodies.
• 25-26 December: feast in honor of Santa Barbara.
• 11 August: Music Festival by the Cultural Association Festival of Music[8]

• Media related to Lama dei Peligni at Wikimedia Commons