The area now known as Piazza Barbacani, seamlessly integrated into the modern city and considered the “square in front of the Town Hall,” was once a steep slope descending from the castle walls into the valley below. It wasn’t until the 19th century that the area was filled in to create what would later become…
Commissioned by Marquis Cesare Michelangelo, the gardens of Palazzo d’Avalos are one of the most enchanting and distinctive spots in the city. Their charm lies in the harmony between nature and human intervention, evident in the late Baroque architectural details and, most notably, in the breathtaking panorama from the viewpoint, overlooking the Gulf of Vasto.…
Inside the Cathedral of San Giuseppe, the design and decorations are eclectic, drawing inspiration from a Neo-Gothic style. The color contrasts in the wall decorations, featuring white and green marble, echo the bicromatic design of Tuscany’s great 13th-century cathedrals. The church took on its present form after 1890, following restoration work by Francesco Benedetti. It…
The exterior of the Cathedral of San Giuseppe does not have a uniform character and reflects the various historical phases that contributed to the monument’s current appearance. The façade was likely constructed in three stages. Initially, it was designed in a simple gabled form, typical of the conventual churches of mendicant orders like the Augustinians,…
The Bassano Tower, rising twenty meters above the main city square, is named after the Bassano family. This family arrived in Vasto from the Republic of Venice in the previous century, built the tower in the seventeenth century, and made it their residence for nearly two centuries. Today, the tower features a shop on the…
The Roman Amphitheater of Vasto, located in the heart of the city under Piazza Rossetti, represents one of the most important archaeological remains in Abruzzo. Although it is not completely visible due to subsequent urban stratifications, its presence is still tangible, and tells a fascinating piece of Roman history. Dating back to the end of…
The Caldoresco Castle in Vasto is one of the city’s most significant historical landmarks. With its imposing silhouette standing out against the sky, it has symbolized power and strength for centuries. The current structure, with its eclectic and composite forms, serves as a living testament to the city’s rich history. By observing it closely, one…
Built around 1427 by Giacomo Caldora, the lord of Vasto, on land previously owned by the Augustinian convent, Palazzo d’Avalos became the property of the Marquises d’Avalos in 1496. While the d’Avalos family preserved the late Gothic structure of the palace—details of which are still visible today thanks to recent restorations—they expanded and enhanced the…
Gabriele Rossetti’s prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was tied more to his political significance than to the actual readership of his works. Exiled in London, where he died in 1854, Rossetti had fled to escape a death sentence imposed by Ferdinand of Bourbon after the uprisings of 1821. His legacy became…
San Giuseppe is not the largest church in Vasto. Nor is it the oldest. It isn’t even the most beloved. And yet, it is the city’s cathedral. It is, in fact, Vasto’s oldest parish, but it only gained that status in the early 19th century due to a rivalry between the two historic churches of…