Crecchio is a '' comune'' and village in the province of Chieti, part of 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 in central Italy. The village preserves its medieval aspect and is dominated by its castle. Its main activities are agriculture and tourism, yet small family-run businesses exist.

Geography

Crecchio is located between the

Adriatic coast The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to the ...

and the pedemountain areas of the Maiella Mountain Massif. The Arielli and Rifago streams flow in the north west of the territory. These have cut deep valleys and have given rise to a hill with steep flanks, the top of which is occupied by Crecchio itself. In the south eastern areas, the landscape slopes towards the Moro stream. Even though the area as a whole is dominated by hills and valleys, there are several flat areas within the boundaries of the commune. These include the areas Pietra Lata, Casone e Macchie near the provincial road "Marrucina" (ex SS 538), at Fonte Roberto and Ciaò (between Villa Mascitti and Casino Vezzani), in the areas surrounding Villa Tucci (Padule, Pozzo e Capo Lemare) and at S. Maria Cardetola. The elevation slowly decreases from southwest to northeast. The minimum elevation of above sea level is at Piano di Morrecine in the valley of the Arielli stream (northern areas) while the maximum elevation is at the old railway station near the border with the commune of Arielli.

History

Historical sources date Crecchio back to at least the 11th century, and archaeological evidence suggests it was inhabited at least as far back as the Roman era.

Main sights

The major building is the 12th-century castle which was converted to residential use in 1789. The castle became the family seat of the ''de Riseis'' family. The family were host to Prince Umberto in 1926 for one night of their honeymoon. The castle was the site of an event during World War II when, on 10 September 1943, after the armistice, King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy of Italy, in flight from Rome, spent a night in the castle before leaving Italy from the port of

Ortona Ortona (Neapolitan language, Abruzzese: '; grc, Ὄρτων, Órtōn) is a coastal town and municipality of the Province of Chieti in the Italy, Italian region of Abruzzo, with some 23,000 inhabitants. In 1943 Ortona was the site of a Battle o ...

. An Etruscan and Byzantine museum is located inside the castle.

Economy

The economy is mainly based on agriculture where vineyards and olive trees dominate the hills and valleys. The main vines grown are Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and

Trebbiano Trebbiano is an Italian wine grape, one of the most widely planted grape varieties in the world. It gives good yields, but tends to yield undistinguished wine. It can be fresh and fruity, but does not keep long. Also known as ugni blanc, it h ...

. The first produces a dense red wine while Trebbiano grapes produce a rich white table wine. The few business activities are mainly focused on the textile and mechanical industry.

Twin towns

* Lariano, Italy

References