Acquafondata, nestled in the woods on the slopes of the Meta Mountains in Ciociaria, is also known as the village of bagpipes.
“Kiss please” in Acquafondata – Facebook @ComuneAcquafondata
From the “Kiss please” point, it is possible to enjoy a romantic view of the impressive, wooded mountains.
The Church of Santa Maria in Centumcellis – comune.acquafondata.fr.it
The Church of Santa Maria in Centucellis, located outside Acquafondata is dedicated to the Franciscan friar Domenico de Filippis, a native of Acquafondata, who died in the mid-1600s.
Acquafondata
While praying as a humble farmer on the spot where the current church now stands, his oxen started to plough the field by themselves, and a priest, who had witnessed the miraculous event, encouraged Domenico to enter the monastic life. A centuries-old lime tree grows spontaneously near the church.
The Sanctuary of the Madonna del Carmine – comune.acquafondata.fr.it
The Sanctuary of the Madonna del Carmine is a small church nestled among centuries-old lime trees and coniferous forests. The small rock chapel, built on the spot where the Virgin Mary appeared to the devout peasant Nicolina Carcillo, houses a marble high relief depicting the event. To the side, another chapel from the 1930s houses a wooden statue of the Madonna.
Acquafondata panorama – Facebook @ComuneAcquafondata
The nearby Via Siderum, or the Stars Path, that winds through fir groves, is walked by the pilgrims heading to the shrine of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is celebrated from the first Sunday of July until mid-July, in memory of the apparition occurred on July 16, 1841. Another attraction in Acquafondata is the Archpriest Church of San Giovanni Battista, built in the year 1000 on the highest part of the old town and dedicated to the patron saint, St. John the Baptist, beheaded on August 29. The saint is honoured with a feast held on the day of his martyrdom and a procession carrying a wooden statue of him from the eighteen centuries.
The International Bagpipe Festival – Facebook @ComuneAcquafondata
A monument dedicated to the Bagpipe was inaugurated in 2011 on the fiftieth anniversary of the first International Bagpipe Festival, which celebrates the symbol of the village origins, an instrument that combines modernity and tradition. A few days before Epiphany, virtuosos from all around the world participate to this great event. On Christmas Eve, another important event takes place in Acquafondata, the Fuoco per il Bambino, a traditional bonfire lit on the square in front of the church.
Gnocchi with ragù – Facebook @ComuneAcquafondata
Local Easter dishes are the rice pastiera and the sausage and mint frittata, made with thirty-three eggs, which symbolize the age of Christ. Potato gnocchi with tomato sauce are served in Acquafondata during a festival in August, and maccheroni with ragù in the same month in the hamlet of Casalcassinese.