Civitella Messer Raimondo

Civitella Messer Raimondo
Comune
Comune di Civitella Messer Raimondo
Panoramic view of Civitella Messer Raimondo
Civitella Messer Raimondo Location of Civitella Messer Raimondo in Italy
Coordinates: 42°5′N 14°13′E / 42.083°N 14.217°E / 42.083; 14.217Coordinates: 42°5′N 14°13′E / 42.083°N 14.217°E / 42.083; 14.217
Country	Italy
Region	Abruzzo
Province / Metropolitan city	Chieti (CH)
Frazioni	Calazzotto, Colle San Leonardo, La Fonte, Gallo, Vicenne, La Selva, Forconi, Laruccia, Piano Risorgimento
Area
• Total	12 km2 (5 sq mi)
Elevation	613 m (2,011 ft)
Population (2004)
• Total	962
• Density	80/km2 (210/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Civitellesi
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	66010
Dialing code	0872
Patron saint	San Erasmo
Saint day	June 2
Website	Official website

Civitella Messer Raimondo is an Italian town of 890 inhabitants of the province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region. It is part of the mountain community of . Until 1863, it was known only as Civitella.

Elevation 589 metres (1,932 ft) above sea level, distance from Chieti 48 kilometres (30 mi), population about 1,100, postal code: 66010, telephone area code 0872. Approach roads: Autoroute A16, Lanciano exit, then about 25 kilometres (16 mi) of secondary roads.

Civitella Messer Raimondo is divided on a hill to the right of the Verde River, a tributary of . The municipal territory, which extends for 12.37 square kilometres (4.78 sq mi), includes the towns of Calazzotto, Gallo, Selva and La Fonte.

The presence of settlements of the Palaeolithic period and confirmed by the discovery of cave paintings at the cave of La Pineta. Other excavations have unearthed prehistoric finds in the locality Fonte Liberatori and the remains of tombs with a large set of bronze furnishings, also dating back to prehistoric times. The tempering of a thermal building of the Roman period, adorned with mosaics, on the hill called Il Piano, suggests a continuity of settlements. The first documented news of Civitella Messer Raimondo are of the 12th century, the period of "Civitellam", in which it was a fiefdom held by a soldier, Manerius de Palena, perhaps a descendant of Oderisio II Valva, subfeudatario Count Bohemond of Manoppello. The area was then mentioned in the 14th century between the years 1308 and 1326 due to the Prior ecclesie Santa Maria di Civitella and the clerics of the site. In the first half of the 15th century, Raimondo da Anichino was in control of the town's castle. The last feudal lords of country were the Baglioni family, from which derives the name of the mansion that the aforesaid family left in the country.

Castello o palazzo dei conti Baglioni: of medieval origin, the building has been the subject of numerous alterations over the years. The current building dates back to the 18th century, when there settled the Baglioni family. Situated on the right corner of the main façade is a corner tower, made of shelve stone covered in brick, used for defensive purposes. The two remaining bastions are made of stone. The entrance, made of Maiella stone, surmounted by a balcony on stone corbels on which are arranged three openings. Through the hallway, whose barrel vault houses the heraldic coat of arms of the noble family, access is provided to the courtyard of the building.