Overview
Located on the border between the Marsica and the Peligna Valley, Cocullo is a pretty town in the province of L'Aquila. Its ancient origins date back to the pre-Roman period. At the time of the Romans, the town was known as “Cuculum” and represented a strategic place of passage between the mountains that separate the Marsica from the Peligna Valley. During the Lombard rule the city was completely fortified and in the medieval period the counts of Celano took possession of the city and built a castle that then passed into the hands of the Piccolomini. Cocullo is also known as “the city of snakes” and the origins of this denomination are linked to the Marsican cult of the goddess Angicia, who knew how to govern fire and snakes.
The highest part of the village houses the heart of the historic centre which contains one of the oldest and best preserved areas: narrow cobbled streets, numerous churches, old houses and small shops. These are the characteristics that make this village fascinating.
Do not miss the Church of San Nicola that dates back to the twelfth century, the Church of Maria delle Grazie from the thirteenth century and the Church of San Domenico with the large drum dome flanked by a pyramidal bell tower.
