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Cittareale

Cittareale is one of the towns which were most importantly damaged by the 2016 earthquake. This town focuses on its flavors, its culture, and its uncontaminated naturalistic environment.

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Population

413

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Area

58 km²

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Altitude

952 m

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Where is it?

Cittareale è un comune di 476 abitanti che si erge a 962 metri s.l.m. lungo la via Salaria che corre da Roma ad Ascoli. E’ tra i suoi boschi, alle pendici del Monte Pozzoni, che nasce il Velino, il fiume che attraversa Rieti e si tuffa nel Nera dalla spettacolare Cascata delle Marmore

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Its origins?

Cittareale was born in the place of the ancient Vicus Phalacrinae – the village where Tito Flavio Vespasiano was born in 9 AD. He was a Roman emperor and father of two other emperors: Tito and Domiziano. As it is known today, Cittareale was founded in 1329 by Roberto d’Angiò under the label of “Civitas Regalis”. He unified different inhabited areas, of which the most significant was Falacrinae, aiming at the reinforcement of the borders, which were threatened by the expansionistic goals of Cascia and Norcia at that time. The authority of the village relieved its people of taxes in order to encourage their turnout in this area. Cittareale took shape quickly. In fact, in the second half of the 14th century, according to a notary deed of 1375, there had already been built the churches of S. Pietro, S. Antonio, and S. Spirito di Civita Reale. King’s Luigi d’Angiò last will was to have a solemn ceremony in the church of Cittareale for him and his wife, because of his emotional bonds with its territory. This strong tie with the kings of the South made Cittareale always protected and privileged, also for what concerns the tax-free rule, which was valid up until the mid-sixteenth century. During the French occupation period, Cittareale became part of Secondo Abruzzo Ulteriore and then was included in the district of Cittaducale through the 1810 reform. With the annexation to the Kingdom of Italy, Cittareale was included in the province of L’Aquila until 1927, when it passed under the just-established province of Rieti.

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What to see?

Undoubtedly interesting and of huge historical importance is the Rock of Cittareale – a work of military architecture from the era of Federico II of Svevia. It is more known as Manfredi’s Rock, and according to the legend it is here that his remains lie. The rock was created in order to strengthen the most distant borders of the kingdom. It was victim of many assaults over the years, among which the assault of the people of Amatrice was the most crushing one, that provoked the necessity of the reconstruction of the rock at the end of the XV century. What is surely notable is both its triangular shape which reminds of a ship’s bow, very unusual at the time, and the fact that all the stones of the upholstery are decorated by a stripes pattern, this is unusual as well since it was a military fortification. The main entrance was connected to the town by a drawbridge. Indeed, it was located on the top, precisely where the bridge that allows visitors to access the site is located today. Currently, the Rock can be visited free of charge by taking an appointment from the municipality. For getting back even more to the past, a visit to the civic museum cannot be missed out. Here there are archeological finds discovered thanks to the 2005 digs, when a 100 b.C. Roman complex, a vicus, a necropolis from the V-VII centuries, and an enormous villa (perhaps where Vespasiano was born) were found. The museum was opened in 2009, celebrating the two thousandth anniversary of Vespasiano’s birth. Of fundamental importance for Cittareale people is the Sanctuary of Madonna di Capodacqua, at the foot of Caituro mount. However, it cannot be accessed after the 2016 earthquake. The Sanctuary’s birth was a consequence of a miraculous finding of a picture representing the Virgin Mary in a brook between the X and the XI centuries. Every year Madonna is celebrated with solemn rituals and long processions on the day of the Holy Trinity, in memory of the 1779 famine, when a terrible drought struck the Falacrina valley, leading the extremely worried people to ask the divinity for help. On May 30th, the day of the Holy Trinity, all the people went to the Sanctuary of Capodacqua to pray. During the solemn procession, the picture of Madonna was brought to Cittareale, and then back to her church – on the way back rain started to come down, saving the harvests and improving the season which revealed rich in crops. For sports lovers, especially those who love skiing, the area of Cittareale represents a great center of four trails for Alpine skiing and three trails for cross-country skiing. Furthermore, at heights, just below the peak, there is a snow park divided based on levels.