Scanno ( Abruzzese: ') is a town and district in the province of L'Aquila, in the

Abruzzo , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1 ...

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 ...

. The town is bordered by

Anversa degli Abruzzi Anversa degli Abruzzi ( Abruzzese: ') is a comune and town in the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 ...

Barrea Barrea ( Abruzzese: ') is a ''comune'' in the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of Italy. It is located on the shore of the Lago di Barrea, a lake created after World War II due to the building of a dam on the river Sangro. History Th ...

Bisegna Bisegna is a comune and town in the Province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_f ...

Bugnara Bugnara is a '' comune'' and village in the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. In 2007, it was designated as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy (i borghi più belli d'Italia), an association that notes sma ...

, Civitella Alfedena, Introdacqua, Opi,

Pescasseroli Pescasseroli (, Marsicano: '', '') is a town and '' comune'' in the province of L'Aquila, in Southern Abruzzo, central Italy. A summer and winter resort, it is also the location of the Abruzzo National Park, nestled in the heart of the Monti ...

, Pettorano sul Gizio,

Rivisondoli Rivisondoli is a village and ''comune'' in the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demo ...

, Rocca Pia,

Villalago Villalago ( Abruzzese: ') is a '' comune'' and town in the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 ...

and Villetta Barrea.

History

Situated in the Sagittario Valley and encircled by the

Majella The Maiella (or Majella) is a massif in the Central Apennines, in Abruzzo, central Italy. Geography The mountain is located at the boundary between the provinces of Chieti, Pescara and L'Aquila. The highest peak is Monte Amaro at 2,793&n ...

mountains, Scanno has been immortalised by photographers

Henri Cartier-Bresson Henri Cartier-Bresson (; 22 August 1908 – 3 August 2004) was a French humanist photographer considered a master of candid photography, and an early user of 35mm film. He pioneered the genre of street photography, and viewed photography as ca ...

(1951) and Mario Giacomelli (1957–59) and, according to

Edward Lear Edward Lear (12 May 1812 – 29 January 1888) was an English artist, illustrator, musician, author and poet, who is known mostly for his literary nonsense in poetry and prose and especially his limericks, a form he popularised. His principal ...

, was host to Italy's most beautiful women. Local legend has it that Scanno's natural lake ( Lago di Scanno - stocked with pike and perch and

Abruzzo , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1 ...

’s largest natural basin) was created by a feud between a white witch and a sorcerer; the lake marking the spot where the witch finally fell.

People

For a brief period during World War II, future Italian president

Carlo Azeglio Ciampi Carlo Azeglio Ciampi (; 9 December 1920 – 16 September 2016) was an Italian politician and banker who was the prime minister of Italy from 1993 to 1994 and the president of Italy from 1999 to 2006. Biography Education Ciampi was born ...

was a refugee in the town. Quinto Mancini (1893–1963), the father of American composer

Henry Mancini Henry Mancini ( ; born Enrico Nicola Mancini, ; April 16, 1924 – June 14, 1994) was an American composer, conductor, arranger, pianist and flautist. Often cited as one of the greatest composers in the history of film, he won four Academy Award ...

, was born in Scanno on 13 March 1893 and later emigrated to America.

Main sites

* Hermitage of Sant'Egidio * Sant'Antonio da Padova * Santa Maria della Valle or Chiesa Matrice * Madonna di Constatinopoli

References

Hilltowns in Abruzzo Ski areas and resorts in Italy {{Abruzzo-geo-stub