The archaeological finds rediscovered in this area, indeed, suggest that the foundation of Controguerra may date back to the prehistoric and Roman periods, although the village reached its peak during the Renaissance. These traces can be seen today, partly, in a room in the Town Hall and, partly, in the Pigorini Museum in Rome and the Florentine Museum of Prehistory in Florence.
The historical centre is dominated by the 1370 brick Torrione, which stands on top of a rise: it is the only trace of the ancient castle, which was equipped with a mighty wall with access through the current Porta Maggiore or dell’Angelo. Adjacent to the Torrione is the Ducal Palace, built in 1279 on the ruins of Roman buildings, which attests to the authority of the Acquaviva family, dukes of Atri, from the mid-15th century.
Don’t miss, just outside the walls, the 16th-century Church of the Madonna delle Grazie, with a late Baroque wooden altar, gilded and painted with a terracotta high relief depicting the Madonna with Child, the work of a pupil of Silvestro dell’Aquila.
We suggest a stop that will not disappoint you: the Museo della Civiltà Contadina (Farming Culture Museum), in the hamlet of S. Giuseppe Lavoratore, created to hand down the historical, environmental and cultural memory of the area through the recovery of agricultural objects and tools.
At the table, you will be spoilt for choice among the many dishes of Teramo cuisine, such as “timballo”, “mazzarelle” and lamb, to be combined with the excellent local wines: the Controguerra Novello, the Controguerra Bianco, the Controguerra Doc Rosso and the Controguerra Passito Rosso.
If you are struck by the excellence of the wines, stop by the Enoteca Comunale (Municipal Wine Cellar) inside the Old Town Hall, where musical evenings and tastings are organised.
So many delicacies have earned Controguerra the titles of Cittaslow, or City of Good Living, City of Wine and City of Oil.
If you love sport, the right opportunity to visit the village could be the ‘Corsa di San Martino’, a running race held every year in November. And if you prefer a more leisurely approach, the “Mangialonga Run” is for you: it is a version of the race in which everyone can participate with a non-competitive 5-km and 8-km walk, which winds along asphalt roads and paths through vineyards and olive groves, including several food and wine stops.
