Emergenze
Archeologiche - Emergenze
Architettoniche - Emergenze
Artistiche
astelvecchio Subebequo is an old town of the Valle
Subequana, which is built on one of the hilltops that look down over the Macrano plateau
where its historical heritage is preserved which belonged to the ancient civitas of
Superaequum, one of the cities of the Peligni. There are numerous archeological finds of
the above-mentioned valley: the ruins of a temple deicated to Hercules the Victor; traces
of an aqueduct and a thermal complex; ruins of arched halls; fragments of friezes with
bucranes and garlands; several epitaphs; a head of young Tiberius; a head of Druso and of
Livia; a fragmented statue of Mars; a fragmented statue of Artemides; an inscribed pillar
with the head of a bearded moor; some pieces of a column and several capitals; many coins;
several amphoras; several small bronze pieces; fibulas and pendants. On the adjacent plain
of Colle Caprella remains of heavy walled-in nuclei were found. In conclusion, the
presence of a catacomb-like hypogean cemetery on Colle Moro, on the boundary with Macrano
enriches the position of the ancient town of the Peligni Superequani.
Following
the Longobard invasion, Superaequum disappeared definitively and the survivors of the
ancient civitas took refuge partly in the Nuffoli district (in the Casteluccio area) but
mainly on the actual Colle S. Giovanni which later became part of the
castle.
Between the years 643 and 774, following the edict of the Rotari, the
population of Castelvecchio by political-economic order, became a Longobard village (the
inhabitants of Nufoli) and village (those of Colle S. Giovanni) and both came together at
the duchy of Spoleto.
Around the year 1000, Odorisio the first, the Count of Valva and
land-owner of the Valle Subequana donates for the first time, the Church of St. John
the Basptist and Evangelist.
In th year 1150, in the catalogue compiled following a census of the Feuds and feudatories
of the Kingdom, ordered by King Ruggero, the land of Subrego is listed as having had
numerous other feuds as submitted by the Normans.
In 1216, according to tradition, St. Francis is guest of the Counts of Celano in their
castle in Gagliano Aterno; there he receives as a gift from the count, the little church
of Santa Maria with adjoining land in Castello Vetulo.
Between1261 and 1221 the first nucleus of the convent with adjoining small church is
constructed.
In 1238 the castle belongs to Baron Trasmondo.
In 1267 Fra Giacomo (Brother James) bishop of Sulmona, gives Fra Giovanni Antonio of
Castelvecchio permission to build a larger church and end construction of the convent.
In 1279 the castle is owned by the
Frenchman Adamo di
Ausi.
In 1288 the Church of St. Francis with its adjacent convent and that of Santa Maria, with
the seal of Nicola IV, are consecrated by Cardinal Gerardo of Parma, Bishop of Sabino and
involved in the Kingdom of Napoli.
In 1294 During his transferral from Sulmona to L’Aquila where he was to be
incoronated as Pope Celestino V, Pietro del Morrone expresses his wish to stop at
Castelvecchio to visit the Church and the Convent of St.Francis and perfoms a miracle
here. From that time, the 28th of August, the day when the Perdonanza
Celestiniana is celebrated in L’Aquila, many people visit the Church of St Francis to
receive the same indulgenzes as those granted in the Church of Santa Maria di
Collemaggio
in L’Aquila.
At the beginning of the XIV century a renowned school of theology and philosophy begins
and flourishes in the convent of St. Francis, and between the years 1315 and 1321 the
well-known and learned Brother Andrea da Gagliano taught there.
In 1392, the Count of Celano RuggeroII, saddened by family afflictions, retires to the
Convent of Castelvecchio Subequo and becomes a Franciscan monk. To the generosity of this
Count, we owe the frescos of the Chapel of St Francis. Peter succeeded Count Ruggero II and
later Nicolò who donated precious reliquaries tothe Curch of St. Francis, among which
the Pasquarella, a splendid work of art in embossed silver and gold of the 1412.
In 1484 Castelvecchio belongs to Prince Antonio D’Aragona Piccolomini.
In 1527 Emperor CarloV reassigns the castle to Celano; in the same year the name Superequo
is added to the name Castelvecchio Subequo.
In 1530 modification to the 1300's cloister of the franciscan convent is begun and from
that time onwards there is a radical transformation of the entire complex.
In 1633 the Prince of Gallicano, Pompeo Colonna is the owner of the land of Castelvecchio.
In 1647 the facade of the Church of St. Francis is reconstructed.
In 1661 Castelvecchio passes from belonging to Prince of Gallicano being royal
property.
In 1701the name Superequo changes to Subequo in the cadastre kept in the State Archives.
In 1712 the Pietropaoli barons take possession of the town and make the baronial palace
which after the marriage between Paola Pietropaoli and Michele Colabattista, takes on the
name of Palazzo Colabattista.
In 1789 Castelvecchio is property of Prince D. Urbano Barberini.
In 1803 the Baroness Donna Maria Tomasetti of Pescina sells her beautiful building
situated between the old castle and the old town, to Cavalier Francesco Valeri for 1000
ducats.
Bibliography
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1905
FERRUA A. Di una piccola catacomba a Superaequum dei Peligni in Riv. Di Arch. Crist. XXVI,
1950
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