Fossa, L'Aquila, Abruzzo

Fossa, about ten kilometers to the south of Aquila, is situated in a truly enchanting position at the foot of Mount Ocre. It is from this legendary height that the Christian patriarch San Massimo was supposedly hurled down to Fossa in 210 C.E. Beato Cesidio da Fossa, another important figure of Christianity, went on a mission to China from 1898 to 1900, where he was burned alive in front of his church during the Chinese anti-foreigner Boxer Rebellion. Dolci Aveja, a successful dessert industry, continues the tradition of renowned bakeries for which the area has always been celebrated.

History:
Mount Ocre (2204 meters), the massive size of which has long provided protection and safety to the local people, is known for its numerous medieval religious structures and other buildings erected during the Middle Ages. Around the 13th century, the Benedictine Convent of Sant'Angelo d'Ocre was built on a jutting rock cliff. When the church was restored in the 1600s and 1700s, the blessed Bernardino da Fossa, who lived in a medieval house on Via del Palio according to legend, was discovered buried underneath. Of all the medieval fortifications of Mount Ocre, only the ruins of the watch tower remain. At a height of 933 meters, in an area from which all the main mountain ranges of the territory can be admired, the enormous Castle d'Ocre is situated; rebuilt after the destruction by people of Aquila in 1280, the castle is now only somewhat damaged. It is said that San Massimo, the patron saint of the city of Aquila, was pushed from the cliff near the Castle d'Ocre.

Sites:
La Chiesa di Santa Maria ad Cryptas: Built in the latter half of the 13th century on a hill near Fossa, this unique church has a very simple façade which features a sextiacute portal with lion decoration. The interior, consisting of one aisle divided into three sections, is completely covered with frescoes, thus representing one of the most typical examples of Gothic-Byzantine art in the Abruzzo region. Starting from the right wall, the frescoes follow a logical sequence of the months of the year (as symbolized by the typical rural activities of each), followed by a cycle of the biblical stories of the Passion, the Crucifixion, and the Burial of Christ. A later artist added twelve scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary.
Parocchiale dell'Assunta: Built on the site of a 13th-century church, this 18th-century parish church has a beautiful coffered ceiling, with paintings by B. Ciferri of the saints, the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, and a sophisticated Madonna and Child.
Palazzo Bonanni: Precious and important objects of Abruzzese craftsmanship, some of which were constructed with the famous Castelli ceramic, are exhibited in the Bonanni Palace. Furthermore, paintings of the most famous artists of Abruzzo are kept here, including those of Teofilo Patini, Francesco Paolo Michetti, and the Cascellas.
The ruins of the city of Aveia
The Monastery of Santo Spirito d'Ocre: The 13th-century architecture of the church is similar to the Burgundy style in its magisterial architectonic features and interior furnishings; it recalls the styles of the Oratory of San Pellegrino and of the nearby church of Santa Maria delle Grotte.