Yes Gran Sasso

Calvisia, the ancient priestess of Venus temple gave the name to this roman settlement. It was an important agricultural center under the influence of San Venanzio al Volturno Monastery in the 7th and 8th centuries until the creation of the fortified village that after several attempts at independence led to the creation of Carapelle’s Barony in the 12th century by the D’Angiò family. The structure of the village follows its fortified houses just before squared or semi-circular basement bastions to create a single perimeter structure. The church of Santa Maria Della Misericordia is totally inside the village’s fortified outline and there is also the church of Francesco D’Assisi with a 14th-century monastery annex with rich decorations. Also interesting is Piccioli Palace with a structure that, from the road level, develops downward following the natural slope of the hill.