Legends and reality of Pescocostanzo

Pescocostanzo - Pescocostanzo is a town in Abruzzo which is 1395 meters above sea level: this makes it one of the four highest villages in the Apennines. It is considered a real jewel as it has managed to preserve the civil and religious architecture in a practically perfect way. The view from the top of the town is remarkable: you can admire the Quarto Grande plateau and the beech forest of the Sant'Antonio wood.

The center of the village is characterized by the presence of many monuments and buildings of the Renaissance and Baroque age, but the most remarkable and, in some ways, even mysterious work, is located inside the Basilica of Santa Maria del Colle. In fact, in this sacred building stands the wrought iron gate built at the beginning of the eighteenth century by Santo di Rocco and his nephew Ilario. The gate portrays cherubs and demons fighting each other, with such virtuosity as to give birth to a legend. In fact, it is said that, in order to make the iron malleable to such daring processes, the two artisans had used a magic herb present only on the Maiella. Many have looked for it, but no one seems to have ever found it.