Sulmona

Sulmona, province of L'Aquila, is located on the western side of the Maiella National Park at an elevation of 1200 feet in the heart of the Peligna Valley, surrounded by the Maiella and Morrone mountains and Mounts Rotella, Genzana and Argatone. It is the largest town in the Maiella National Park, with a population of 26,000.

A town called Solimo was first settled here by the Italic people known as the Peligni; it was one of their major centers. Just outside the town are the ruins of the Sanctuary of Hercules Curinus, a monumental shrine dedicated to the cult of Hercules, the Italic protector deity of shepherds and flocks. For centuries It was a major stopping place for the flocks during the seasonal migrations to and from Puglia. During the Roman era, the settlement was known as Sulmo. 1st century AD artifacts from the Roman era have been found, including, among others, a mosaic floor with a geometric floral decoration in black and white, a bust of the god Hermes and a bas-relief showing the seasonal migration of the sheep flocks to southern pastures. Many of the artifacts found, including the bas-relief, are in the Museo Civico of Sulmona, which is in the Palazzo SS Anunziata.

In Piazza Ovidio is a statue commemorating the Roman poet Ovid, who lived in Sulmona. A medieval aquaduct called the aqueduct of King Manfred, built in the mid-13th century, crosses Piazza Garibaldi and is a marvel of medieval engineering. There is an ancient gate to the city, Porta Napoli, which was built in the early 14th century and which is the biggest of the 12 gates to the city. The 13th century church of San Francesco della Scarpa (St. Francis of the Shoe) has the finest doorway of any church in Abruzzo. Its name comes from the officiating monks, who, not being Franciscans, wore shoes.