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All Italy San Donato di Ninea Grotta di Sant'Angelo
AO Edited

Grotta di Sant'Angelo

The ruins of a rural church and a statue of Archangel Gabriel are tucked away in Majella National Park.

San Donato di Ninea, Italy

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Jan Claus Di Blasio
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Grotta di Sant’Angelo  
Grotta di Sant’Angelo  
The cave with the altar and statue.   Fernando Blasioli
Remains of the hermitage and medieval church.   Fernando Blasioli
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Not much is known about the history of this site. The scant ruins of a medieval structure suggest the existence of an ancient rural church inside one of the largest caves of the Sant’Angelo Canyon.

Like the nearby hermitages associated with Peter of Morrone, the hermit who became Pope Celestine V in the 13th-century, the site is an excellent example of Abruzzo’s rural and spectacular hermitages.

The intrepid adventurer who enters the canyon will discover a simple stone altar complete with a statue of the Archangel Gabriel. A copy of the original statue is on display at the Museo delle Genti d’Abruzzo in the city of Pescara. The statue shows remarkable similarities to the 13th-century statue from a church in nearby Caramanico Terme. This suggests a late medieval date for the original church.

The natural settings around the shrine are spectacular and are connected by several trails.

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Churches Ruins History & Culture Sacred Spaces
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LatiumMirabile

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jonathancarey

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Published

January 26, 2021

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Grotta di Sant'Angelo
San Donato di Ninea, 65020
Italy
42.2098, 14.055854

Nearby Places

Eremo di San Bartolomeo in Legio (Hermitage of Saint Bartholomew in Legio)

Roccamorice, Italy

miles away

Valle Giumentina

Pacentro, Italy

miles away

Eremo di San Giovanni all'Orfento (Hermitage of Saint John all'Orfento)

Caramanico Terme, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Italy

Italy

Europe

Places 1,064
Stories 110

Nearby Places

Eremo di San Bartolomeo in Legio (Hermitage of Saint Bartholomew in Legio)

Roccamorice, Italy

miles away

Valle Giumentina

Pacentro, Italy

miles away

Eremo di San Giovanni all'Orfento (Hermitage of Saint John all'Orfento)

Caramanico Terme, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Italy

Italy

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Places 1,064
Stories 110

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