Teramo

Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta

The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, also known as Teramo’s Duomo, dates back to the 12th century, although the building has undergone several restoration projects. The Cathedral’s façade displays a blend of two architectural styles: the lower section is Romanesque whilst the upper part is Gothic.

Inside, the building features three naves and is divided into three stylistic periods: Romanesque dating from the 13th century, Gothic from the 14th century, and the Chapel of the New Sacristy dating from the early 18th century. The cathedral also houses several artistic masterpieces, including the precious silver antependium by Nicola da Guardiagrele which adorns the high altar, and a polyptych by the Venetian artist Jacobello del Fiore.

To the right of the cathedral stands the bell tower, approximately 50 metres tall and constructed in stages: the lower section was built between the 12th and 13th centuries, the middle section in the 14th century, and finally the octagonal crown was added in the 15th century. Works in the early 2000s brought to light, after nearly 300 years, the crypt of San Berardo inside the building, which is now open to the public.

Piazza Martiri della Libertà

Piazza Martiri della Libertà is considered the true heart and core of Teramo’s historic centre. Many of the city’s historic buildings overlook the square, including the Cathedral, the Bishop’s Palace and Palazzo Costantini with its beautiful arcades. Throughout the year, the square hosts the city’s most important events and festivities, such as the characteristic Christmas markets. Regarded by many as a great meeting place, you’ll find numerous bars and cafés here where you can relax, as well as various shops for shopping.

Fountain of the Two Lions

Located in Piazza Orsini, the Fountain of the Two Lions was built towards the end of the 19th century by sculptor Pasquale Morgante with the aim of beautifying the Town Hall’s loggia. The artwork depicts two lions surrounded by rocks, with an oval basin in the centre that collects the water flowing from the lions themselves.

The fountain carries profound symbolic meaning, as the water flowing from the two lions represents the Tordino and Vezzola rivers that surround the entire historic centre, whilst the area around the city is surrounded by unspoilt nature. Above the fountain are the city’s coat of arms and a plaque in memory of those who died in the Second World War.

Church of Sant'Anna dei Pompetti

Also worth visiting in the historic centre is the church of Sant’Anna dei Pompetti, formerly known as the Church of San Getulio, which sits against the Roman bastion of Torre Bruciata. What we can admire today is what has survived of the body of the ancient cathedral of Santa Maria Aprutiensis.

The original structure in this area was a Roman house on whose ruins the ancient cathedral of Santa Maria was later built, which recent archaeological excavations reveal was large and featured a rectangular plan with three naves. Unfortunately, a fire set by the Normans around the mid-12th century destroyed much of the ancient cathedral.

Considered Teramo’s only early medieval building, the current church is smaller than the old cathedral and is entirely built of stone and brick. From the previous structure, you can still admire a 12th-century fresco depicting two angels holding a clipeus, inside which appears the blessing hand of God. The other frescoes inside date from the 12th to 14th centuries.

Church of Sant'Agostino

There is no reliable information about the church’s origins, but it appears the 14th century was when friars following the rule of Sant’Agostino decided to build a monastic complex with an attached church. Towards the end of the 18th century, however, the Bourbon king Ferdinand IV decreed the suppression of the monastery and decided to convert the structure into a prison. The Church of Sant’Agostino was therefore demolished and later rebuilt in the 19th century. For these reasons, the façade displays typical elements of the style prevalent in the 19th century, as can be seen in the rose window and the various mouldings.

The building has a single nave plan, whilst above the entrance door on the counter-façade is an organ dating from the second half of the 18th century. Inside the church are also works of great value, including an 18th-century canvas depicting the Madonna della Cintola surrounded by Augustinian saints (among which Sant’Agostino, San Gregorio and Santa Monica stand out).

Roman Theatre

In Teramo’s historic centre, not far from the Cathedral, you can also see the remains of a Roman Theatre built around the 2nd century AD. The remains of the architectural complex are situated between 2 and 3 metres below the current street level and reveal tiers of semicircular shape that could accommodate around three thousand spectators, whilst the cavea had a diameter of roughly 78 metres. The perimeter of the outer façade was most likely composed of two superimposed orders of arcades.

Roman Amphitheatre

The Roman Amphitheatre of Teramo appears to date from the 1st century AD and is located not far from the Roman Theatre. The ancient floor of the arena was situated at least six metres below the current ground level. The structure’s plan was elliptical with a perimeter of 208 metres, a major axis of 74 metres and a minor axis of 56 metres.

Unfortunately, the significance of this structure was long underestimated, and less than half of the amphitheatre’s elliptical perimeter survives, as the seminary was built right there in the 18th century. In the medieval period, both the amphitheatre and the Roman theatre served as quarries for materials used to build other city buildings such as, for example, the Cathedral, where internally visible stones can still be seen that were taken from the amphitheatre.

Castello Della Monica

Castello Della Monica stands within its namesake village on the small hill of San Venanzio, not far from the city centre. This complex is a 19th-century reconstruction of a small medieval-style village. Completed by Teramo-born artist Gennaro Della Monica, after whom the entire village was later named, the castle itself is here surrounded by several buildings.

Just as in the Middle Ages, the Castle represents the main nucleus of the area and it is necessary to cross a mock drawbridge with a control tower and an arch to enter the building. The structure has a rectangular plan and the façade is divided into three sections by pilaster strips, with the lower section housing a Romanesque-Gothic portal with a lunette adorned by a bas-relief. The interior, meanwhile, is rich with decorations and works of art inspired by Gothic castles and English and French cathedrals.

Tordino Vezzola River Park

Along the banks of the two watercourses that encircle the city, the Tordino and Vezzola River Park has been created, a place where you can take walks, practise sports or simply relax amongst greenery. The two areas of the park are connected by a circular path that can be walked or cycled. The park is popular with both locals and tourists.