Overview
“… And there at Tagliacozzo, where without arms, The old Alardo conquered…” is the verse from Canto XXVIII of Inferno in which Dante Alighieri – the only reference to a place in Abruzzo – mentions this ancient town, recalling the famous battle of August 23, 1268. On that day, the last descendant of the Swabians, Conradin, was defeated by the French king Charles of Anjou. The event marked the end of Swabian rule in southern Italy and the beginning of Angevin domination.
The village, founded within a mountain cleft from which it takes its name (“talea cotium” – cut in the rock), has held city status since the late 15th century. It was a fief of the de Pontibus family and later of the noble and powerful Roman families of Orsini and Colonna. From the late 19th century to the present day, it has been a renowned tourist destination, where visitors can admire historic palaces and churches, enjoy nature excursions and outdoor activities, and savor excellent food and fine Abruzzese wines. The town has just under seven thousand residents, but its population grows significantly during weekends, holidays, and especially in summer. The city hosts numerous recreational and cultural events, the most important being the great Festa della Benedizione o del Volto Santo, which is also the Festival of the Municipality, celebrated on the Sunday after Easter. Other major events include the International Mid-Summer Festival of Music, Dance, and Theater and a prestigious Contemporary Art Exhibition, both held from late July to the end of August.
Food
Tagliacozzo, a village in the inland area of Abruzzo bordering Lazio and the ancient territory of the Kingdom of Naples, has, over the centuries, been influenced by Roman and Neapolitan culinary traditions.
From the classic, richly seasoned baked pasta timbale to traditional mountain soups such as small gnocchi with chickpeas and maltagliati pasta with lentils, to “ajjo cotturo” mutton and roasted lamb. The local dairy production is also excellent, featuring medium- and long-aged cheeses, as well as traditional pork butchery, with both fresh and cured sausages.
Other typical local dishes include cornmeal pizza with “sfrizzojji” (fried pork scraps) and “pizza summa.” A special mention goes to the Cloistered Nuns of the ancient Benedictine Monastery of Saints Cosmas and Damian, who prepare traditional sweets shaped like little horses for boys and doves for girls on the occasion of the “Feast of the Blessing,” and who also produce jams and liqueurs.
In Tagliacozzo, throughout the year, it is also possible to taste traditional Christmas sweets made with walnuts and honey, filled wafers (known as cialde or nevole), and, on major feast days, the so-called “zuppa inglese,” made with sponge cake and custard creams.
Among the wines, those of the Abruzzo tradition stand out, including the excellent Montepulciano and Trebbiano varieties.
Points of Interest
PIAZZA AND FONTANA DELL’OBELISCO
Piazza dell’Obelisco, illuminated in honour of the 100 Days to the Giro d’Italia celebration, is the most iconic landmark of the City of Tagliacozzo. It is a harmonious square enclosed by historic buildings, at the center of which stands the fountain of the same name, turning 200 years old in 2025. Among the most significant buildings are the 15th-century Palazzo del Governatorato, from the time of the Orsini family, the 16th-century Palazzo del Governatore under the Colonna rule, and the 17th-century Palazzo Fallace, featuring a splendid loggia. The square was originally surrounded by a perimeter arcade, but in the 19th century, its arches were enclosed to create artisan workshops and commercial spaces.
The Fountain of the Obelisk, built in 1825 in honor of Saint Anthony of Padua, follows the style of Roman Baroque fountains: atop an irregular rocky base rises a stone obelisk, crowned by a bronze cross. Before the fountain was erected, the center of the square housed a large stone chair, known locally as the pilozzo, which served as a pillory. Debtors unable to pay were publicly humiliated by being made to sit on it with their trousers lowered. On the 12th of March, the square will be the theater of the Tirreno Adratico 4th stage start.
CHURCH AND CONVENT OF SAINT FRANCIS
The church, officially recognized on November 20, 1233, is one of the first sacred buildings dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi, just seven years after his death in 1226. Its architecture, with perfectly Gothic lines, preserves some of the city’s most valuable historical and artistic treasures, including: a late 15th-century altarpiece depicting the Virgin Mary between Saint Mary Magdalene and Saint Elizabeth, a gift from the Orsini family; 17th-century statues of the Immaculate Virgin and Saint Anthony of Padua; a 16th-century wooden Crucifix; and the Bronze Urn containing the mortal remains of Blessed Thomas of Celano, the first biographer and companion of Saint Francis, as well as the author of the Dies Irae.
In the 16th-century Cloister, visitors can admire 17th-century frescoes from the Roman school, depicting scenes from the life of Il Poverello d’Assisi and the Franciscan family tree.
TALIA THEATER
Built in the 17th century by a Duke of the Colonna family, following the model of the Court Theater in Palazzo Colonna in Rome, the building was later modified and, by the late 18th century, took on its current form as a classic Italian-style theater, complete with a stage, stalls, and three tiers of boxes. The façade dates back to the late 18th century.
The theater is named after the Muse Thalia, the protector of theatrical arts, who, according to legend, also gave her name to the city. It is said that she once stayed in a cave near the springs of the Imele River, giving rise to the name Taliae Otium, meaning “Thalia’s retreat.”
DUCAL PALACE ORSINI-COLONNA
An architectural and historical monument among the most important in Italy, this building dates back to the 13th century. Over the 15th and 17th centuries, it was expanded and enriched by the noble families who resided there: the de Pontibus, local feudal lords; the Orsini, who ruled the County of Tagliacozzo until the late 1400s; and the Colonna, who held the Duchy of Caput Marsorum until the end of feudalism.
Inside, passing through the grand Renaissance halls, visitors can reach the Palatine Chapel, where frescoes from the second half of the 15th
IMELE SPRINGS
Just a few hundred meters from the historic center, a shaded and accessible path runs alongside the ancient mills and follows the course of the Imele River, leading to the base of the rocky outcrop from which the river—celebrated in Virgil’s Aeneid—springs anew from the depths of Mount Aurunzo.
