Santo Stefano Sessanio: precious pearl of L’Aquila.
If the province of L’Aquila is full of wonderful villages, Santo Stefano di Sessanio is certainly one of the most precious pearls.
It is no accident that this lovely hamlet is part of the Club of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy: the perfect harmony of its architectural styles makes it by far the most interesting and suggestive of the whole Gran Sasso National Park and Monti della Laga.
It currently has 117 inhabitants.
The first documented information about the territory of Santo Stefano date back to 760.
The most prosperous period was certainly that under the steering of Francesco de’ Medici, thanks also to the ‘carfagna’ wool trade, mainly used for military uniforms.
All the urban configuration of the town, that we can fully observe even today, is entirely ascribable to the medieval period.
The old town is all built with white limestone, assuming thus connotations of rare beauty.
The symbol of Santo Stefano di Sessanio is certainly the Medici Tower.
The Medici coat of arms on the tower, that is the crenellated lookout tower of cylindrical shape, dated around the fifteenth century.
The Tower emerges from the urban fabric in all its grandeur, just to symbolize the power over the whole area. From the cylindrical tower it seems to start all the streets and alleys of Santo Stefano di Sessanio, which seem to develop along concentric circles.
Destroyed after the earthquake that hit L’Aquila on 6th April 2009, it is under reconstruction and should be completed by 2017.
Particularly worthy to visit is also the Mother Church, which is next to the Urban Gate, and the Medici Palace “La Bifora,” which in the early 2000s became a hotel-restaurant.
To recommend also the Church of Santo Stefano and the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Good Graces (near the lake Santo Stefano), located just outside the city walls.