Piazza dell’Unione is the memory of social life in Pennadomo; all the routes go to the different neighbourhoods from there. The most relevant building, which makes the identity of the town in the square, is the church dedicated to Sant’Antonio di Padova, built “outside the walls” in 1568 and restored in 1721 as written on the door architrave. Inside there is only one nave, and the statue of Saint Antony is placed in the apse. Below the altar you can see the artistic low relief of Saint Antony dying, which was made in 1935 by Nicola Lucci, a citizen of Pennadomo.

One of the symbols of the memory of Pennadomo was placed on the façade of the church in 1928: the Monument to the Fallen of World War I, designed by the artist Nicola Lucci, to which the names of the military and civil victims of World War II were added in 1964. Among those, the patriots of “Brigata Maiella”, Lorenzo D’Angelo, Luigi Donato Di Francesco and Nicola Di Renzo who were killed on 3 February 1944 by the Germans in Pizzoferrato.

From the left of Piazza dell’Unione you can walk down Via Peligna, one of the most beautiful streets of Pennadomo with its romantic balconies and flower-decorated house doors. Once you’ll leave behind the historic De Ritis Palace you’ll get to the top of Liscia del Molino and you’ll feel enraptured by the enthralling Liscia di Santa Maria and the vertical rocks of Liscia della Moretta and Liscia di Trallisce.

The medieval plant of Pennadomo comes out from Piazza dell’Unione, where Via San Nicola starts, to the last houses below Liscia di Santa Maria. With its raising and slightly curvy route, Via San Nicola has been the main street since 1300, with its historic buildings like the old Town Hall and the imposing parish palace.

Via San Nicola splits into Via Carbonaio, an evocative circular street in the little medieval neighbourhood, which was the scenery of the agro-pastoral civilization and is now partly abandoned. The street ends in the surprising panoramic viewpoint del “Valzo”. At the end of Via San Nicola, along the lane Starelle, a limited horizon opens wide to a breathtaking view which goes from the Lisce del Molino and della Morretta to the snow-capped Maiella top.

[Credits | Text: Ottavio Di Renzo De Laurentis | Translation: Mirella Rapa | Voice and music: Studio Qreate | Photo: Laura Di Biase]