PROVINCE OF CHIETI, REGION OF ABRUZZO

By Nancy DeSanti

One of Abruzzo’s beautiful small towns, Montenerodomo, is located 62 kilometers from Chieti. The town has approximately 770 inhabitants, known as Monteneresi. This ancient center lies on a high rock overlooking the Adriatic to the east and the Majella to the west. Inhabited since prehistory, it was later an Italic center of the Frentani with the name of Juvanum, and in Roman times it was a municipium. In the Middle Ages it was under the dominion of the Caldoras, and finally the d’Aquinos.

World War II seriously damaged the town center and destroyed the ancient Benedetto Croce family palazzo. Because of Montenerodomo’s altitude, it had a view all the way to the Adriatic and was used by the Germans as an observation post. It was almost completely destroyed by the Germans. The fighting in Montenerodomo was part of the assault on the Gustav line, the German defensive line set up in late 1943. After the war, Montenerodomo was recognized for exceptional valor during the war and was decorated with the “Croce di Guerra al Valor Militare” for the sacrifices of its population and partisan fighters during World War II.

A visit to Montenerodomo should include a trip to nearby Juvanum, an important archaeological site next to the ruins of the Abbey of Santa Maria del Palazzo. This ancient site on the outskirts of Montenerodomo was founded in the 1st century B.C. Currently, the sanctuary of the 4th century B.C. remains from the Samnite period, with two twin temples and a small theater with scenes and stone steps, among the most beautiful discovered until now in the province of Chieti.

The archaeological remains of the Roman era are well preserved and can be visited. At the entrance to the area, there is a museum with 28 panels illustrating the naturalistic and archaeological aspects of the territory. The site is managed by the municipality of Montenerodomo. The mighty city walls of Juvanum, dating back to the 4th-and 5th century B.C., were built at the same time as the city walls of the Montenerodomo settlements, even though these fortifications are more impressive. The megalithic walls around the settlement (mura megalitiche) are situated near a rocky hill and were likely used defensively by the early inhabitants.

Other sites worth visiting in Montenerodomo are the Church of San Vito, built in the 1700s and featuring a beautiful circular window, and the Church of San Martino which dates from the 14th century and has a stone façade with a cornice in the “romanelle” style. Montenerodomo is the ancestral home of Benedetto Croce, an idealist philosopher, historian and politician who was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature 16 times. Croce’s “On History” sets forth the view of history as “philosophy in motion.” The town is also the ancestral home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Her father Thomas D’Alesandro’s father was born in Montenerodomo.

Her grandfather Tommaso Fedele D’Alessandro had a common surname in Montenerodomo but the different spelling of a surname was a common occurrence among Italian immigrants who came to America. (Note: Her mother Annunciata Lombardi D’Alesandro was born in Campobasso, Molise, and emigrated to the U.S. in 1911). Speaker Pelosi became the highest-ranking Italian-American in 2007 when she was first elected to the third-highest position in the U.S. Government. ❚

What to See

• Megalithic walls around the settlement (Mura Megalitiche)

• Roman remains at Juvanum

• Monastery of Santa Maria di Palazzo, built with a large number of Roman stones

• Remains of the Benedetto Croce home

• Nearby Majella National Park

Important Dates

• 1st week in August — Feast of Saints Antonio and Fedele da Sigmaringa (the patron saint), with lamb, sausages and prosciutto festivals

Sources:

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montenerodomo

www.italyheritage.com/regions/abruzzo/chieti/montenerodomo.htm

www.montenerodomo.gov.it

www.altosannio.it/montenerodomo-2

Italiano

MONTENERODOMO

PROVINCIA DI CHIETI, REGIONE ABRUZZO

Translated by Maddalena Borea

Una delle più belle cittadine di Abruzzo, Montenerodomo, si trova a circa 62 chilometri da Chieti, il suo capoluogo. Conta 770 abitanti, i quali sono chiamati Monteneresi. Questo antico centro abitato si estende su un’alta roccia, con la vista dell’Adriatico da una parte e della Maiella da un’altra. Abitato sin da tempi preistorici, fu dapprima Iuvanum e più tardi, sotto i Romani, divenne municipio. Nel Medio Evo fu sotto i Signori Caldoras e più tardi sotto i D’Aquino. Data la sua altitudine, i tedeschi, durante la seconda guerra mondiale, la usarono come osservatorio e poi la distrussero. Distrussero anche la dimora del famoso filosofo Benedetto Croce. Finita la guerra, la città ricevè dei riconoscimenti per il suo eroismo durante i feroci attacchi da parte dei tedeschi. Ricevette la Croce di Guerra al Valore Militare. Una visita a Montenerodomo dovrebbe includere anche una visita a Iuvanum, centro archeologico accanto alle rovine dell’Abbazia di Santa Maria di Palazzo. Questo antichissimo luogo, nei pressi di Montenerodomo, fu stabilito nel primo secolo prima di Cristo. Al presente si puo’ avere accesso anche alle rovine di un santuario sannita del quarto secolo prima di Cristo, e a due piccoli tempi con un teatro con scene e con gradini di pietra. Accessibili sono anche le antiche rovine romane. All’entrata di questi centri archeologici si trova un museo che, attraverso ventotto pannelli, illustra le caratteristiche naturali ed archeologiche del territorio. Le robuste mura di Javanum risalgono al quarto e al quinto secolo prima di Cristo. Altre attrazioni includono le chiese di San Vito del 1700, con la sua finestra circolare, e di San Martino, del quattordicesimo secolo, con la sua facciata in pietra e la sua cornice in stile romanesco. Questa cittadina diede i Natali al filosofo Benedetto Croce, e agli antenati di una delle donne più importanti degli Stati Uniti: Nancy Pelosi. Nancy Pelosi divenne l’italo americana più importante quando ricevè la carica di Presidente della Camera. ❚

Attrazioni del luogo:

• Le mura megalitiche

•I resti romani a Juvanum

• Monastero di Santa Maria di Palazzo, costruito con pietre romane

• Il vicino parco nazionale della Maiella

Date da ricordare:

• Prima settimana di Agosto — Festa di Sant’Antonio e San Fedele, Santo Patrono con agnello, salsicce, prosciutto ed altre leccornie del luogo

MONTENERODOMO

Important Dates

Sources:

ORATINO

SIAMO UNA FAMIGLIA