Alanno

Alanno lies at the southeastern foothills of the Gran Sasso d'Italia massif.

The old town of Alanno is located on a hill, which is surrounded by Aterno river and a stream named Cigno.^[5]

The old town is close to the small economic center (Alanno Scalo), which benefits economically from local manufacturing plants, Alanno railway station [it] on the Rome–Sulmona–Pescara railway, and access to the A25 motorway.

A reservoir (Alanno-Piano d'Orta dam [it]) on the Aterno river led to the birth of a natural reserve called Oasis of Alanno Lake [it], for the preservation of animal and plant species, including some species of waterbirds and the yellow iris.^[6]

The most important landmark of Alanno is the Renaissance church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, built around 1485, it was said that the Madonna appeared to a shepherd and asked him to organize the building of a church on that position overlooking the valley. The church was built 3 kilometres (2 mi) outside the town. It has an elegant portal (1505) surmounted by a lunette with a fresco of the Deposition. The single nave ends with an apse with frescoes attributed to Andrea De Litio's workshop (1522) and a 15th-century triptych with Madonna, Angels and Saints. The decoration of the interior is otherwise in Baroque style. The altar, finished in 1642, has a precious 15th century triptych with the Madonna between St. Sebastian and a Holy Pope.

Other points of interest include the three towers, remains of the medieval walls and castle, the 16th century church of St. Francis and the Wildlife Oasis of Alanno, characterized by numerous birds species and a rich river vegetation.