Rocca Calascio, a spectacular castle in the heart of Abruzzo

The Castle of Rocca Calascio is mainly a purely military building, and its origins are very ancient dating back to around 1000. Its foundation is attributed to Ruggero II d'Altavilla, who wanted the fortress to be built after the Norman conquest of this region.

In the following centuries, the dominion of the fortress passed into the hands of several families who followed one another - including the famous Medici family of Florence, who purchased the castle and the adjacent hamlet in 1579 - before being progressively abandoned between 1700's and 1800's until being completely uninhabited after the Second World War.

The decline of Rocca Calascio is probably partially related to the Bourbon conquest, with consequent economic and political impoverishment of the region, but above all to the violent earthquake of 1703 that destroyed the small village and seriously damaged the fortification.

In the 1980s were carried out important architectural restoration works to recover the original building, transforming the ancient castle into what is now one of the most popular destinations to visit in Abruzzo, an unmissable stop for hiking and mountain biking lovers in the Gran Sasso National Park.

The suggestive structure of Rocca Calascio is entirely made of milky white limestone. It has a square plan and is enforced by four cylindrical towers at the corners of the large central keep.

The entrance to the castle, when it was actually in use, was through an opening on the eastern side, five meters above the ground, through a retractable wooden bridge resting on stone shelves.

The castle had an extremely strategic function for controlling the territory, serving as a defensive keep and a military observation point. Thanks to its favorable position, from Rocca Calascio it was also possible to communicate with other castles in the surroundings with a genious system of torches and light signals.

Today Rocca Calascio is one of the most spectacular tourist destinations in the Gran Sasso, the highest castle in Abruzzo (and in the Apennines!) over 1400 meters above sea level, a location immersed in wild nature that offers the most adventurous visitors a breathtaking view of the peaks of the majestic mountain range.

If you want to test yourself with a hike or mountain bike excursion in the surroundings of the castle, we recommend a route of about 23 km designed for those who want to be amazed by spectacular landscapes and fortified villages worthy of a medieval fantasy exploring the Gran Sasso National Park.

The route, lasting about 2 hours by bike and 5 hours on foot, starts and ends in Calascio first going uphill through the stages of Rocca Calascio and Santo Stefano di Sessanio, and then downhill towards Castelvecchio Calvisio. This itinerary is perfect for those who already have a fair amount of experience, beautiful especially in autumn and spring to enjoy the cool climate and the spectacular colors of nature.

Not far from the castle and the ruins of the medieval hamlet there is the Church of Santa Maria della Pietà, a building dating back to 1596 which certainly, in this scenario, strikes at first sight.

According to legend, but perhaps it's simply history, the people of Rocca Calascio built this evocative church after defeating a gang of bandits active in the mountains of this land. The peculiarity of the church lies in its dimensions, considered very large, maybe too much for such a small town.

Furthermore, the Church of Santa Maria della Pietà in Rocca Calascio represents a rare example of a religious building with an octagonal plan, perhaps one of a kind in such a particular location. Inside are kept a painting of the Miraculous Virgin Mary and a sculpture of Saint Michael brandishing his sword.

The church, today a simple oratory, is a particularly important destination for the faithful devotees on pilgrimage. However, the site has an extraordinary landscape value that makes it of great appeal for hikers and photography enthusiasts too, who can take truly amazing pictures here.

You can reach the town of Calascio by car. From the A24 highway, you need to exit at L’Aquila Est and go on to the SS17 towards Sulmona.

Once you get near San Pio delle Camere, you need to take SP8, a quiet road that goes uphill towards the town of Castelvecchio Calvisio before finally reaching Calascio.

Here in the village downstream, one of the most beautiful to visit in Abruzzo, you can have a break, rest and eat something at one of the many restaurants and inns open especially for tourists.

Once you have parked the car, it's time to continue on foot or by mountain bike following the road signs for the castle, the so-called Via della Torre or also SC Rocca Calascio.

The ascent, lasting about 30 minutes by bike and 50 minutes on foot, continues for over 3 km and +235 m compared to the village downstream. But it is absolutely worth it, because finding yourself in front of the massive Castle of Rocca Calascio and the picturesque Church of Santa Maria della Pietà is a truly unique emotion.

From here, you can also take numerous hiking trails or bike rides, both uphill and downhill, to discover the most beautiful paths around Gran Sasso.