Padula is a small village in the

Province of Teramo The Province of Teramo ( it, provincia di Teramo; Abruzzese: ') is a province in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Teramo. The province has an area of , a population of 313,029 (2012), and is subdivided into 47 comunes ( i ...

, in the

Abruzzo Abruzzo (, , ; nap, label=Neapolitan language, Abruzzese Neapolitan, Abbrùzze , ''Abbrìzze'' or ''Abbrèzze'' ; nap, label=Sabino dialect, Aquilano, Abbrùzzu; #History, historically Abruzzi) is a Regions of Italy, region of Southern Italy wi ...

region of central

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

. It is a hamlet (''

frazione A ''frazione'' (plural: ) is a type of subdivision of a ''comune'' (municipality) in Italy, often a small village or hamlet outside the main town. Most ''frazioni'' were created during the Fascist era (1922–1943) as a way to consolidate territ ...

'') of the commune of

Cortino Cortino ( Abruzzese: ') is a small town and ''comune'' in the central Italian region of Abruzzo in the Province of Teramo. It is located in the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park. The major part of the population lives in small hamlets d ...

Geography

Padula lies about 35 km from the provincial capital of

Teramo Teramo (; nap, label= Abruzzese, Tèreme ) is a city and ''comune'' in the Italian region of Abruzzo, the capital of the province of Teramo. The city, from Rome, is situated between the highest mountains of the Apennines (Gran Sasso d'Italia) ...

and stands at an altitude of 928 metres. It falls within Zone "M" of the Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga (National Park of the Gran Sasso and Mount Laga). The old schoolhouse, now renovated, houses an information and ecological center by the name of ''I frutti del bosco'' (Wild Berries).

History

Until taking on the present abbreviated version, Padula, from at least the 12th century onward the town was called "Rocca di Padula" (Fortress of Padula). In 1816 it was annexed by the commune of Cortino.

Churches

The patron of the town is the Blessed Virgin Mary to whom is dedicated the main church in the town, Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta (Church of Saint Mary of the Assumption). It is noted for its 15th-century frescoes. The church dates back to the 15th century and was restored in the 19th century. Further restorative work was carried out in 1988 at which time it was given the title "Santuario della Madonna dei Monti della Laga" (Sanctuary of the Madonna of Mount Laga). The smaller, Chiesa di Sant'Antonio ("Church of Saint Anthony"), is located in the town center.

Demographics

Fewer than 50 people reside in Padula during the cold winter months. This number increases considerably when many tourists, emigrants, and those with vacation homes return in the warm summer season.

Festivals and events

The main celebrations occur during the summer season: * mid June — Volksmarch from the village of Ceppo to Padula organized by the WWF * beginning of August — Mountain trek to the source of the

Tordino The Tordino is a river flowing in the province of Teramo, in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. In Roman times it may have been known as "Batinus". The source of the Tordino is located between Monte Gorzano and Pelone, in the Monti della Laga su ...

River * 15 August (Ferragosto) — Festival of the town patron with games, dancing, and a grand fireworks finale * end of August — ''Notte Dei Briganti'' (Night of the Brigands) grand gastronomic event featuring an enactment through the streets of the town of the adventures of the brigand Marco Sciarra * beginning of September — ''Marcia del Lupo'' (March of the Wolf) organized nature excursion

References

External links

{{authority control Frazioni of the Province of Teramo