fiogf49gjkf0d SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO*
A VERY FAMOUS VILLAGE OF THE PROVINCE OF FOGGIA,
SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO WAS PRESUMABLY FOUNDED
DURING THE ELEVENTH CENTURY BY THE INHABITANTS OF
NEIGHBORING VILLAGES, ON A SITE WITH A WEALTH OF
SPRINGS, AS WELL AS BEING A STOPPING PLACE FOR
PILGRIMS TRAVELLING ALONG THE VIA SACRA
LONGOBARDORUM.
ONE OF THE MOST CELEBRATED HOLY ITINERARIES OF
THE CHRISTIAN-MEDIEVAL WORLD, FOLLOWED BY DEVOUT
WORSHIPPERS ON THEIR WAY TO THE CAVE SANCTUARY OF
MONTE SANT*ANGELO, WHERE THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL
WAS SAID TO HAVE APPEARED.
SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO BECAME FAMOUS DURING THE
TWENTIETH CENTURY, THANKS TO THE PRESENCE OF A
HUMBLE CAPUCHIN FRIAR - FRANCESCO FORGIONE, KNOWN
AS PADRE PIO OF PIETRELCINA, - WHO SETTLED THERE
IN THE MONASTERY OF SANTA MARIA DELLE GRAZIE,
WORKING THERE UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1968.
THE APPEARANCE OF THE STIGMATA, THE MANY MIRACLES
AND PRODIGIOUS FEATS THAT MARKED HIS LIFE, THE
HUGE AMOUNT OF OFFERS, DEVOTED TO THE
ACCOMPLISHMENT OF PIOUS WORKS - SUCH AS THE CASA
SOLLIEVO DELLA SOFFERENZA, CLINIC FOR RELIEF FROM
SUFFERING, NOWADAYS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
HOSPITALS IN THE SOUTH OF ITALY - AND, IN THE
LAST THIRTY YEARS, THE INCESSANT PILGRIMAGES TO
THE SANCTUARY HOUSING HIS TOMB.
FINALLY HIS BEATIFICATION, PROCLAIMED BY THE
CHURCH IN 1999, INDISSOLUBLY LINK THE FIGURE OF
PADRE PIO TO THE POPULAR GARGANO CENTER.
VISITED BY MILLIONS OF WORSHIPPERS FROM ALL OVER
THE WORLD, SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO IS NOW ONE OF THE
MAIN PILGRIMAGE CENTERS IN THE WHOLE OF ITALY.
THE HOTEL VILLA SAN PIETRO IS LOCATED 20 KM FROM
MONTE SANT*ANGELO.
CLINGING TO A SOUTHERN SPUR OF THE GARGANO, IN A
SPLENDID PANORAMIC POSITION, DOMINATING THE
ENCHANTING GULF OF MANFREDONIA AND THE TAVOLIERE
PLAIN BUT, ON THE CLEAREST DAYS, EVEN THE TOWNS
OF THE BARI PROVINCE COAST CAN BE SEEN, AS WELL
AS CASTEL DEL MONTE AND THE MURGE.
MONTE SANT*ANGELO, AT 796 M. ABOVE SEA LEVEL, IS
ONE OF THE HIGHEST TOWNS IN PUGLIA AND IN THE
PROVINCE OF FOGGIA.
THE HISTORY OF THIS SMALL TOWN IS INDISSOLUBLY
WOVEN OVER THE CENTURIES WITH THE ASSIDUOUS,
DEEPLY FELT DEVOTION TO ST. MICHAEL ARCHANGEL, SO
THAT IT IS STILL KNOWN TODAY, AFTER 1,500
UNBROKEN YEARS OF PILGRIMAGES, AS THE TOWN OF THE
ARCHANGEL.
DOMINATED, BY THE HUGE CASTLE ITS FIRST NUCLEUS
DATING FROM THE NORMAN PERIOD, MONTE SANT*ANGELO
PRESERVES A CHARACTERISTIC HISTORIC CENTER, WHERE
APART FROM THE TYPICAL JUNNO QUARTER, DATING FROM
THE TENTH CENTURY, THERE ARE THE REMAINS OF THE
ANCIENT WALLS, THE SANCTUARY COMPLEX, WITH THE
BASILICA, THE LOVELY ANGEVIN BELL TOWER, THE
GROTTO AND ST. MICHAEL*S MUSEUM, THE SO-CALLED
TOMB OF ROTARI, THE CHURCHES OF S. PIETRO AND
SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE, AND FINALLY, THE GUISCARD
TOWER - TORRE DEI GIGANTI.
THE HOTEL VILLA SAN PIETRO IS LOCATED 45 KM FROM
PESCHICI.
CLINGING TO A HIGH ROCKY PROMONTORY IN AN
ENCHANTING POSITION STEEP OVER THE SEA, PESCHICI
PICTURESQUE MEDIEVAL TOWN IN THE PROVINCE OF
FOGGIA, ITS TERRITORY INHABITED SINCE PREHISTORIC
TIMES WAS FOUNDED ON THE RUINS OF AN ANCIENT
FARMHOUSE, PROBABLY DURING THE TENTH CENTURY BY
THE SLAVONIANS, MERCENARIES SENT BY OTTO I TO
LIBERATE THE GARGANO FROM THE SARACENS.
FORTIFIED WITH A CASTLE AND THE STILL PARTLY
VISIBLE MIGHTY DEFENSIVE WALLS IT WAS, HOWEVER,
ALWAYS SUBJECTED TO SARACEN RAIDS.
THE EXTENT OF THESE RAIDS WAS SUCH THAT A SERIES
OF WATCHTOWERS HAD TO BE BUILT ALONG THE COAST
DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY.
THEIR RUINS CAN BE SEEN TODAY.
THE OLD PART OF THE TOWN CLINGING TO THE SPUR
TOPPED BY THE SMALL THIRTEENTH CENTURY CASTLE
*RECONSTRUCTED IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY*,
OFFERS OUTSTANDING CORNERS, SUCH AS THE MAGICAL
CRIB BUILT INTO THE ROCK, AMONG THE LOW LITTLE
HOUSES, CLEANLY WHITEWASHED AND OFTEN WITH DOMED
ROOFS, HEAPED TOGETHER, LINING THE NARROW WINDING
LANES.
AT THE FOOT OF THE PROMONTORY THERE IS THE LOVELY
TOURIST HARBOR, AND NOT MUCH FARTHER, ON THE
CALENA PLAIN, THE RUINS OF THE ELEVENTH CENTURY
ABBEY CHURCH.
FINALLY, THE COAST IS OF RARE BEAUTY, AMONG THE
MOST RENOWNED STRETCHES OF THE GARGANO COASTLINE,
FULL OF GROTTOES AND ENCHANTING BAYS BLESSED WITH
THE FINEST SAND.
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