COLOGNA SPIAGGIA

Originally known as Cologna Marina, the town is located at the foot of the hills that border the Tordino river to the south. Its origins date back to the ancient village of Bozzino and the nearby monastery of San Salvatore. Traces of the past are tangible in the remains of these ancient structures, including a Roman epigraph that is now preserved in the municipal park of Teramo. Before urbanization, the area was characterized by vast pastures called “Le defense”, intended for livestock breeding. After World War II, the town becomes increasingly popular as a tourist destination.

In the locality of Piane Tordino, we find the Church of San Vincenzo Ferreri dating back to the eighteenth century, a rectangular building with a simple and elegant facade. The interior consists of a single nave, with a wooden beam ceiling and a white marble main altar adorned with decorations in gilded stucco. The presbytery houses a statue of San Vincenzo Ferreri, the patron saint of the church, made of carved and painted wood. We can also admire a series of frescoes on the side walls of the building, created by local artists in the nineteenth century, which depict scenes from the life of the saint and the Madonna with the Child. The church has undergone various restoration and conservation interventions aimed at preserving the integrity of the building and the works of art contained within it. Its architecture, frescoes, and works of art are a testament to the historical and cultural richness of this small hamlet.

Along the Adriatic National Highway, we find the Church of San Gabriele dell’Addolorata, dedicated to the patron saint of the Abruzzo region and Italian youth, built around the 1920s in neo-Gothic style, with a gabled facade characterized by a large central rose window and a series of pointed arches. The interior of the church, with a rectangular plan, consists of a single nave with a barrel vault and a raised presbytery. The main altar is in white marble decorated with sculptures and low reliefs of great artistic value. In the center of the altar is a statue depicting San Gabriele dell’Addolorata, made of polychrome wood and hand-painted. The church also houses a series of works of art of great value, including paintings, sculptures, and sacred furnishings such as the canvas depicting the Madonna Addolorata, placed on the right side altar, and the statue of San Giuseppe, located in the left side altar.