Atessa

Atessa is a municipality in the province of Chieti, Abruzzo, south-jap Italy. It is part of the Val di Sangro mountain network. It is the biggest municipality inside the province by way of extension and 8^th by population. The origins of Atessa according to a few sources date lower back to the 5th century AD, after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. In the Middle Ages it turned into a fief of numerous lords inclusive of: the Courtenay or Cortinaccio, Philip I of Flanders, the Maramonte, the Counts of Monteodorisio, king Ferdinand I of Naples and the Colonna.

After the abolishment of feudalism in the Kingdom of Two Sicilities, the land turned into in misery. There was a quick recuperation, however a subsequent cholera epidemic that hit the vicinity among 1816 and 1817 deprived it of any improvement. The city preserves the historic center in 17^th century, overdue Renaissance style, with few remains of the ancient medieval partitions within the urban gates of San Michele, San Giuseppe, San Nicola and Santa Margherita.

The city is divided into sections: the first is the oldest, represented by the bulk of the Cathedral of San Leucio, and at its quit, closer to the obvious of the Sangro, from the fortified church of Santa Croce; while the second section is crossed by means of the Corso Vittorio Emanuele, and passes thru the Arch 'Ndriano, from Piazza Garibaldi to the hill of San Cristoforo, from the votive column raised on the top.