he Media Valle Aterna also has a considerable amount of artistic and historical heritage especially in the territories of the municipalities of Fagnano, Fontecchio, Tione degli Abruzzi and Acciano.
Symbolic of this, is the Castle of Fagnano Alto whose slightly ellipsoidal fortress occupies the hilltop that overlooks the areas of Frascara, Corbellino and Vallecupa in the south, and the areas of Pedicciano and Fontecchio in the south-east. This ancient urban structure is surrounded by a pentagonal wall with five towers along the north-eastern side and has two walled XIV-XV century doors on the north-eastern and north-western sides. The more impressive of the two is the north-western door . This door opens onto a bastion where traces of a draw bridge and an overhanging trap door can be seen. The old coeval shops situated near the old castrum are also very interesting.
Still in the Castello area, is an elegant portal with trapezoidal architraves on corbels inscribed with the three letters of Christ and the date 1560.
Worthy of mentioning is the Church of St. John the Evangelist in the hamlet of Campana, because of its unusual tipological configuration due to restoration carried out in the last decade of the XVIII century which reconditioned a 1400's structure in a 1700's viewpoint.
The frescos are also artistically important: they are situaed in two adjoining niches of the Church of St. Donato di Vallecupa of the "Madonna with Child, St. Sebastiano and St. Rocco" of the XV century and a crucifixion of the XVII century.
In conclusion, the stone church of Ripa hosts other impressive examples of art: a "Madonna with Child" dedicated to St.Rocco, painted on terracotta in the XV century; and a marvellous processional cross made of golden copper in the style typical of Sulmona of the XIV century.
A stunning aspect of Fontecchio, is its medieval character with its narrow cobbled stepped streets and stretches of walls and towers.
Moving toward the village, one is immediately attracted by the feudal, military type structures: to the right is the low-arched Porta del Castello; from the first circle of fortress wall, a ramp leads up to just below the Porta dei Santi (the Saints’ Door) protected by a trap door and projecting parts mainly made up of a small arch on jutting corbels once used to combat attackers from above. Of particular artistic and architectural interest is also a series of fortified buildings, especially Palazzo Muzi and Palazzo Corvi that branch out from the tower towards the inhabited centre preserving remains of an ancient era such as the roman structure of a cistern situated under the internal courtyard of Palazzo Corvi and the corner tower of this impressive construction.
La Torre dell’Orologio (the Clock Tower) is particularly interesting because every evening it rings fifty times in rememberance of the fifty days of seige which came to an end after a mortar
attack on the leaders of the attackers by Marchioness Corvi. The clock is one of the oldest clocks constructed in Italy: confirmed by its Italian-style face which is divided into 6 hours and by the mechanism moved by weights and that only the hour hand moves.
The religious monuments are also of great significance in primis that of S. Francis. Tradition has it that near the old XII century Church of St. Agnes, a Franciscan convent was built in 1300whose foundation appears to be attributed to the  romanic portal Aquilan-style with carved capitals.

In the early 1400's this old construction was enriched with a characteristic cloister with an elegant upper loggia with columns and capitals of various forms, which partly support round arches and partly the wooden architrave of the roofing.
Other aspects which also deserve attention are the churches of: Santa Maria della Vittoria (previously the Church of St. Peter) that rises from the base of the columns of a roman temple, probably dedicated to Quirinus; and that of the Convent of Santa Maria at Graiano di San Pio which follows essential canons of the themes of the Jesuits of Vignola, such as the neo-fivehumdreds De Vitis summarises with its central hall with lateral chapels and domed section. The tempera, canvas painting, "Madonna de Ambro", painted by an unknown artist, originates from this old convent. It shows particularly fine artistry and dates back to the mid-XIII century. It is presently in the National Museum of Abruzzo in L’Aquila.
Of particular artistic importance is the XIII century fountain, symbol of the town. It was constructed in the XIV century in line with the type of fountain typical of Viterbo. It has a poligonal basin at its base with fourteen faces divided by small pilasters. From its centre, rises a cylindrical shaft decorated by masks and above them are acanthus leaf decorations , and above it is a lovely gothic-style niche with six pointed arches which is crowned by a hexagonal spire.
Important aspects which must not be omitted are: the XV century building which houses the old oven situated in the characteristic Piazza del Popolo; and the presence of numerous medieval shops.
Also of historical, artistic and architectural value is the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunta, better known as, Santa Maria del Ponte, situated on the left bank of the Aterno river in front of Tione. Its construction, by the historical Bonanni, dates back to the V-VI century. Unfortunately, at present it does not preserve its original structure of Marsican school, which was redone in the second half of the XII century and extended partly in the 1400's and partly in the 1600's. Inside, it has three naves with ogival arches, cross vaults and the old absidiole enclosed in another at the back. There are also beautiful frescos. The baptistry is also very interesting, with pointed arch. One of the two cupboards, ie, the one on the left which is made of policromatic terracotta with small pilasters and architraves decorated with golden, ornamental montives is particularly interesting.
The Church of St. Nicola da Bari also deserves to be mentioned: it has a single nave and its roof is supported by trusses. Built east of the Porta Castello (Castle Door) between "I Merli" and "Via delle Terre", its main altar which is built into the wall is divided into three romanic style niches and an impressive fresco depicting the Madonna breast-feeding her Child.
In the town of Tione degli Abruzzi are interesting ruins of the castle and the elegant square tower.

Of particularly historical and environmental value are the Pagliare, characterised by a 1500's well and by houses which were once used in times when sheep had to be moved to other pastures between the valley and the summer pastures. The simple but functional parallelepipedal structures are protected monuments.

In the hamlet of Goriano Valli some architectural styles arouse one’s curiosity: the Church of Santa Lucia, the Church of Santa Maria and in particular, the Church of St. Gaetano with three naves, a semicylindrical absidiole and two large, dividing rounded archives, dating back to the early 1500's.
The Church of St. Giorgio must not be forgotten: in the 1600's it was incorporated into the convent constructed by the minor Franciscan monks. Inside there are beautiful, wooden altars, a long and interesting series of large and small windows, one of which has a floral diamond and a solar wheel on the architrave belonging to the XIV_XV century and another which is polilobal with a classical cornice and diamond point dating back to the XV-XVI century.
Acciano has a door that dates back to the early 1400's which has leaf-sculptured corbels under its architrave and an interesting portal with an architrave decorated with various moldings and coat-of arms of the Camponeschi family. Of considerable historical and artistic value is the renaissance public fountain with two large stone masks and above them, stylised scrolls which are divided by an area decorated with floral motives; the renaissance baptistry and a silver processional cross of 1600's Aquilan-style in the parochial Church of Saints Peter and Lorenzo of the XVI century.
Beffi offers the following: the top tower of the fortified enclosure which has an irregular poligonal shape; a round, arched portal with a classical cornice on the lintel and the pier, belonging to the XVI-XVIII century; the elegant portal with curved interrupted gable of the Church of St. Michele, of the XVII_XVIII century and a splayed window with an inscription of Santa Maria Goretti, dating back to the year 1650.
Equally interesting at Roccapreturo is the enclosed tower with a square cross-section and a harmonious square window decorated with protective and propitious symbols representing a male and a female figure with a solar wheel, belonging to the XV-XVI century.
Magical-apotraical symbols are also scattered on many walls in houses of Acciano, Belfi, S.Lorenzo, Goriano Valli, Tione S. Maria del Ponte, Castello and Fontecchio as well as Castelvecchio Subequo, Gagliano Aterno and Secinaro. Near Secinaro is a XVI-XVII grotto with solar wheel on its plaster and a beautiful sculpture by the artist Fabio Angelini of the XVII century placed on the facade of the little chapel of the Trinity in S.Lorenzo.

From an architectural, artistic and above all, environmental point of view, the territory of Altipiano delle Rocche is very characteristic.
The district which has been a natural connection between the L’Aquila basin and the Fucino tableland since ancient times, rises 1,300 metres above sea level between the Aterno Valley, the Fucino basin and the Sirente Velino mountain range and comprises the municipalities of: Ovindoli, Rocca di Mezzo and Rocca di Cambio which all share a similar historical evolution.
Ovindoli offers its elegant Porta Mutiati, traces of ancient walls of the fortified enclosure, a XV century sighting tower, the ancient castle ruins and an interesting terracotta statue of the Madonna, an example of 1500's local art, found in the parochial XV-XVI century church, which was first dedicated to Saint Sebastian and later to the Virgin.
In the hamlet of S.Potito instead are the ruins of an old castle and in the parochial church is a valuable silver, processional cross made by a XVI century artist of L’Aquila.
The hamlet of S. Iona offers is fortified settlement with an elegant round tower belonging to a medieval building.
Of particular hisorical and artistic interest is the parochial church which has a renaissance, portal, two statues of the "Madonna with Child", one of which is wooden and dates back to the 1400's, and the other made in terracotta belonging to the 1500's, as well as a magnificent 1400's silver processional cross of the style typical of Sulmona.
In the old centre of Rocca di Mezzo is the Church of Santa Maria della Neve where it is possible to admire  numerous works of art preserved in the sacresty and in the Mueum of Cardinal Agnifili; as well as some stone renaissance altars of particularly fine workmanship. The collection which has recently undergone restoration, comprises three wooden sculptures, a painting on wood and four on canvas, the silver laminated astylar cross embossed and engraved by Giovanni di Meo of Sulmona of the year 1386, the walnut sacresty cupboard with two doors divided into thirty-six carved squares decorated with gothic geometrical designs. Of all the sculptures, the one of considerable importance is the wooden statue of the Madonna with Child of the XVI century and several antique missals.
Still in Rocca di Mezzo is la Porta delle Morge dating back to the XIV century and in the hamlet of Fonteavignone, in the Parochial Church of Maria SS. Dell’ Assunta, is the artistic earthenware statue of the "Madonna delle Grazie" of the year 1432 , a magnificent processional cross made by Nicola di Guardiagrele in1434 and a valuable painting of the school of Raffaello. At Rovere are the castle ruins and in Terranera is the Church of St. Lorenzo.
Of equal importance from an artistic-historical point of view is the heritage of Rocca di Cambio.
Particularly interesting in the parochial Church of the Annunciated of the XVI century presently dedicated to St. Maria is the 1500's Baptismal Font , whose basin is decorated with angels. It has supported by a shaft embellished with dolphins. Also, the painted tabernacle of the last altar on the right, is evidence of artistic workmanship by an artist of the Abruzzo region of the 1400's.
The Collegiate Church of St.Peter of the XII century is also very interesting. Here characteristic altars of the more famous families are preserved: families such as the Barberini, Cappa, Colonna and Antonelli who dominated Rocca di Cambio during the past centuries.

Because of its considerable artistic value, we remember the characteristic Church of St. Lucia situated on the outskirts of the town, both for its XIII-XIV architectural structures and for the value of its magnificent XIV frescos that decorate all the walls of the transept. This building also features a simple but elegant 1400's-type portal with fluted plaster strips and corinthian capitals of the type typical of the renaissance, and on it is a small rose-window probably dating back to the XII-XIII century. Inside is an impressive underground cript where a valuable fourteen century ciborium can be seen.