– LOCATION AND GEOGRAPHY

Scorcio di Capistrello oggi. (Immagine personale)

Capistrello is a municipality in the Marsica region, located at 734 meters above sea level and serving as a vital link for the entire region. Capistrello connects the Fucino Plain, the Nerfa Valley to the north, and the Roveto Valley to the south. Capistrello straddles a gorge that ends near the tiny village of Pescocanale, perched on a hill that marks the end of the Nerfa Valley and the beginning of the Roveto Valley.

La Gola di Capistrello oggi. (Immagine personale)

The Capistrello Gorge is high and narrow, with steep sides that are almost sheer in some places. Capistrello is a town of nearly 5,000 inhabitants and boasts a history spanning over a thousand years, stretching back 15,000 years. The area, composed of limestone mountains with countless large and small caves, was the perfect setting for the first settled inhabitants of the Marsica region, who found shelter here.
 

Capistrello is a unique place not only in the Marsica region but in the whole of Abruzzo, where a unique wealth of history and culture is concentrated within a small space. This is primarily due to its natural features, with the Liri River dominating this area, where its force has carved out a unique valley over time.

La gola di Capistrello vista da sotto. (Immagine personale)

The Liri River, with its surrounding springs, has always been present in this area and has determined, for better or worse, the fortunes and misfortunes of this rugged and winding yet naturally rich region. Humans, with great patience, have managed to adapt and then develop, settling in this initially hostile place, ultimately managing to make their own contribution to the region’s shaping.

Uno dei tunnel ferroviari del sistema elicoidale
presente nella zona di Capistrello della ferrovia Avezzano – Roccasecca. (Immagine personale)

Humanity has indeed made a significant contribution to the morphological development of this gorge, first with the Claudian emissary in Roman times and the Torlonia emissary in the 19th century, and finally with the Avezzano-Roccasecca railway line, which in this narrow valley was expressed through the extraordinary feat of railway engineering: the helical system.

In short, in a small space, there is a concentration of nature, history, art, and science like few places in the world just a stone’s throw from Rome.

– BUT WHAT ARE THE VIRTUES AND PECULIARITIES OF CAPISTRELLO?

La catena di montagne attorno a Capistrello con i
loro boschi e sistemi naturali. (Immagine personale)

Regarding Capistrello’s virtues and unique features, we first recall the extraordinary natural landscape surrounding the town, consisting of mixed forests with a strong presence of oaks and large beech forests at high altitude (1,700 m above sea level). Adding to the splendid natural beauty of the Capistrello mountains are the numerous underground streams within the mountains, which, with their twists and turns, create a significant presence of underground caves.

underground caves.From a naturalistic perspective, Capistrello is a village second to none, ranging from high mountain scenery at 1700-1800 m to the famous Capistrello gorge, carved over time by the Liri River, which in this part of the territory leaves the Nerfa Valley, to enter the splendid Roveto Valley after Pescocanale.

Sbocco dei Cunicoli di Claudio a Capistrello con
relativa cascatella. (Immagine da Wikipedia)

The Capistrello gorge is now partially protected by the Cunicoli Claudio Archaeological Park, where water from the Fucino basin flows into the Liri River in small waterfalls, after flowing through the underground Torlonia effluent, one of the town of Capistrello’s engineering marvels, which ends here.

This, in turn, adds to the famous Cunicoli di Claudio (Claudian Tunnels), which in Roman times were the ancient underground channel for the waters of Lake Fucino, which flowed into the Liri River where today we find the Torlonia effluent. This effluent follows a very similar path, but at its end in Capistrello, it reuses the old effluent, which ultimately leads to the ancient opening and its waterfall.

Immagine d’inizio ‘900 con la ferrovia
Avezzano  – Roccasecca nel tratto di Capistrello

In ddition to the Cunicoli di Claudio and the Torlonia Emissary, here we find the splendid Avezzano-Roccasecca railway, built in the late 19th century. Its most inaccessible point was in the Capistrello Gorge, a problem solved with an extraordinary feat of high-level railway engineering, which deserves to be celebrated with a grand museum, which unfortunately does not yet exist.

Capistrello, like many other villages in the Marsica region, has a beautiful and ancient history that must not only be studied, but experienced by coming here and admiring the many corners of the town, both modern and ancient.

– ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF LIVING IN CAPISTRELLO

Scorcio di Capistrello oggi. (Immagine personale)

Anyone who decides to come and live in Capistrello knows that living here means fewer opportunities than in a large town, less social life, and less developed services, but that doesn’t mean it’s a desert.

Scorcio di Capistrello oggi. (Immagine personale)

On the other hand, Capistrello is logistically at the center of many transport routes. As for social life, it’s certainly less vibrant than in a city like Rome or L’Aquila, but no less vibrant, just different. Over time, Capistrello has created many dynamics that allow those who live here to feel comfortable and have everything they need; it’s practically a community tailored to individuals and families.

Scorcio di Capistrello oggi. (Immagine personale)

Added to this are the many advantages of a smaller, well-organized town, which, like all towns in the Marsica region, is located halfway between the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic seas. Pescara and Rome are just over an hour’s drive away, as are their airports. Among the best perks of living in Capistrello are the more affordable rents and housing, and overall a less expensive daily life with fewer unnecessary expenses.

Scorcio di Capistrello oggi. (Immagine personale)

Capistrello is ideal for a wide range of activities, maintaining a very active lifestyle. Numerous nature excursions are available here, whether trekking or cycling, all set against a backdrop of unique mountain landscapes.

Scorcio di Capistrello oggi. (Immagine personale)

If you’re a young, single person and have the opportunity to work remotely, this is a paradise. Likewise, if you have a family, this is a wonderful place to raise your children in a more authentic environment. Of course, in mountain towns, large or small, getting around by car is essential, but with the right organization, anything is possible.

Scorcio di Capistrello oggi. (Immagine personale)

Capistrello has the structure of an ancient village in its historic part, with the presence of medieval buildings, with a notable presence of Roman history given by the emissary of Claudius and then it is a small great city of the Resistance.

Scorcio della parte antica di Capistrello. (Immagine personale)

In short, it’s a unique place to live, but above all, a place to stay, even if only for a few days, admiring magnificent sights and engaging in many activities that will leave you with a full and regenerating life experience.