Valle Piola

Valle Piola is a deserted village in the province of Teramo, in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. It is a frazione of the comune of Torricella Sicura. Having been abandoned in 1977, all that remains are 9 abandoned houses, a church, and the ruins of a shepherds' shelter. The village has recently received renewed interest from the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park authorities with the aim of restoring and revitalizing the village and its environs.

Valle Piola is located in a national park district known as “Tra due Regni” (Between Two Kingdoms), in an area known as Monti della Laga. The village sits at an elevation of approximately 3336 feet on the northeast slope of Monte Farina, a natural basin from which springs the Rio Valle, a tributary of the Vezzola River. Valle Piola is reachable from Teramo by means of a gravel road. The main, and only, street in the village center has been paved. A mule path leads to higher elevations.

Perhaps the first written document mentioning Valle Piola dates back to the year 1059. Early records show that the area surrounding Valle Piola, along with the adjoining lands of Monti della Laga enjoyed a semi-autonomous status. Such rights have been codified in the form of statutes bestowing upon Valle Piola the recognition of being a "rural comune" (rural commune).

In the years following 1152 the mountain areas of the region lost population as people made their way to the much larger provincial capital of Teramo. These migrations were at times involuntary in nature. One well known family from Teramo, the De Valles, likely originated from Valle Piola, possibly from Case Menghini.

Because of its isolated nature, the people of Valle Piola were by necessity very self-sufficient. Since it took several long hours by foot or mule to reach the nearest good sized town, Teramo, they also had to be well organized and prepared for the hardships they faced, especially those encountered in the long, cold winter months. Virtually every house in the village had an adjacent animal stall which used to shelter the family cows, steers, pigs, and horses. Also present was a small garden for the cultivation of potatoes and other vegetables. Stone walls, now completely in ruins, at one time helped to form terraces on the hilly slopes surrounding the houses.

Many of the people from Valle Piola were illiterate and spoke a Lombardic dialect which was virtually incomprehensible to residents of the neighboring villages. Historically, the most educated and cultured resident was the local priest. More recently, the school master would also have fit this description.

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