The village welcomes you with its rich past, as witnessed by the traces of the great history that marked it when it was a fief of the Acquaviva family, and its artistic and cultural heritage.
After passing the ancient gate and the fortified walls, the narrow streets of the centre lead to historic buildings, such as Palazzo Tattoni, the Church of Santa Croce, with its Renaissance bell tower and portal, and the Church of Santa Maria Pace where, in addition to the terracotta façade and 16th-century portal, the works preserved inside stand out: the painting of the Epiphany by Ascoli’s Nicola Monti, dated 1793, attributed to the Ascoli school, and the silver processional cross attributed to Nicola da Guardiagrele.
The civic tower stands out with its weathervane bearing the initials of the cardinal points, the symbol of the cross and the town’s coat of arms with the inscription “Universitas Bellanti”.
And finally, a stop at the Belvedere is a must: you will be enchanted by the view over the valley, the Montagna dei fiori, the village of Sant’Omero, and the sea and the Monte dell’ascensione in the Ascolano area.
Do not leave the Bellante area without visiting the hamlet of Ripattoni: here, the mighty tower with a quadrangular base and shoe-shaped plinth, preserved in the fortified part of the village, and the round stone tower, which was part of the ancient fortifications, deserve to be seen. Just outside the village, take a stop at the church of Santa Maria in Herulis, of medieval origin although it has been remodelled over the centuries: it preserves several 15th-century frescoes, a bell gable for two bells and a small portico with round arches preceding the entrance.
The House Museum TO KE, named after the artist who lives and produces his works here, is also very interesting. Located near the west side of the castle, it is also known as the House of Mosaics, because it is covered with mosaics hand-cut by the artist, making it a truly unique place. Inside there are his collections of watercolours, paintings, statues and other mosaics.
Palazzo Saliceti hosts an unmissable event in July: RipattoniArte, a festival to discover artistic marvels in a journey through visual arts, digital, literary culture, music and food and wine. An ideal opportunity to visit the village and its treasures.
