Frondarola
Encyclopedia
Abruzzo
Abruzzo is a region in Italy, its western border lying less than due east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east...
region of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, population about 200. It lies at an altitude of 1502 feet above sea level and is located about 5 miles from Teramo
Teramo
Teramo is a city and comune in the central Italian region of Abruzzo, the capital of the province of Teramo.The city, from Rome, is situated between the highest mountains of the Apennines and the Adriatic coast...
, of which it is a frazione
Frazione
A frazione , in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a comune; for other administrative divisions, see municipio, circoscrizione, quartiere...
.
History
Archeological evidence points to the existence of Frondarola in the pre-Roman era, although the name comes from the Latin furnus arola, land belonging to the Furnus family.The earliest known public document referencing the town is found in an act in which Count Trasmondo di Sifredo donates the Castle of Fornarolo to the church "Aprutina" in the year 1076. Approximately 10 years later Count Teutone di Ranieri mentions the passing of this donation to Ugone, Bishop of Teramo. Following its destruction 1156 by the Loretello's mercenary troops, the noblemen living in Frondarola fled to the surrounding countryside and villas. Later the Melatini family took possession of the land and became the most important feudal leaders of the area.
The city is located at the watershed of the Tordino
Tordino
Tordino is a river flowing in the province of Teramo, in the Abruzzo region of Italy. In Roman times it was known as "Batinus".The source of the Tordino is located between Mount Gorzano and Pelone. After a course of 58 kilometers, it flows into the Adriatic Sea...
and Vomano
Vomano
The Vomano is a 76 km Italian river, which runs through Montorio al Vomano and Roseto degli Abruzzi in region of Abruzzo. It rises from Monte San Franco in Gran Sasso and enters the sea at Roseto degli Abruzzi....
valleys. Looking out from Frondarola one can see the peaks of the Gran Sasso
Gran Sasso
Gran Sasso d'Italia is a mountain located in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. The Gran Sasso forms the centerpiece of the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park which was established in 1993 and holds the highest mountains in continental Italy south of the Alps and is part of the...
and the Monti della Laga
Monti della Laga
Monti della Laga is a mountain range in the central Apennines, Italy. Their ruggedness and inaccessibility makes them one of the lesser known areas of the Italian peninsula.-Geography:...
mountains, as well as the hills of the Pescara
Pescara
Pescara is the capital city of the Province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo region of Italy. As of January 1, 2007 it was the most populated city within Abruzzo at 123,059 residents, 400,000 with the surrounding metropolitan area...
and Ascoli Piceno
Ascoli Piceno
Ascoli Piceno is a town and comune in the Marche region of Italy, capital of the province of the same name. Its population is c. 51,400.-Geography:...
areas of Abruzzo.