Nestled just off the beaten path, this small and quiet square is a hidden gem in the rich tapestry of Vasto’s history. Piazza Caprioli owes its name to the renowned jurist Virgilio Caprioli, born in 1548 in the family home at the corner of Via Barbarotta. Caprioli’s legacy endures, not only for his historical studies but…
The Church of Santa Maria del Carmine is considered the most beautiful in Vasto from an architectural perspective, as it is the only one with a defined and cohesive style, both inside and outside. Its façade and bell tower, constructed between 1758 and 1761 based on designs by architect Mario Gioffredo, are excellent examples of…
The Church of Sant’Antonio di Padova stands along Via Adriatica, its exterior modest and unadorned, reflecting its origins as part of a Franciscan convent. Built with a single nave and lacking decorative cladding—even on its brick façade—it still bears the telltale “putlog holes” once used to support scaffolding during its construction. While its outward appearance…
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…
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…
The current Gabriele Rossetti’s House is a 1952 building constructed on the site of Gabriele Rossetti’s birthplace. Initially used as a municipal library, it now serves as a research center and is not open to the public. Its significance lies more in its beautiful location than the historical value of the building itself. However, the…
Corso de Parma, named after Riccio de Parma, a knight of the Disfida di Barletta and a proud native of Vasto, is now part of the city’s main historical axis. This route connects Piazza Rossetti to Palazzo d’Avalos, forming the most prestigious area of Vasto’s historic center. The Corso specifically links Piazza Diomede, where the…
Piazza Rossetti is considered the heart of modern Vasto. Its spacious layout, grand buildings, medieval towers, and the castle in the background make it seem like a historical focal point. However, this area actually lies outside the old Caldora walls, and until a century ago, the “Spianata del Castello” was an open, unpaved space where…
