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Bussi sul Tirino
By Nancy DeSanti
The church of Santa Maria in Cartiganano in Bussi sul Tirino.
Credit: WikipediaProvince of Pescara, Region of Abruzzo
The beautiful, small town of Bussi sul Tirino is situated in the province of Pescara. It has approximately 2,471 inhabitants, known as Bussesi.
Located on the Tirino river, Bussi lies on the southern boundary of the Gran Sasso-Laga National Park. In the past, agriculture was the main activity in the village due to the abundance of water and fertile soil. At the beginning of the 20th century, the industrialization of Val Pescara fostered the creation of many industries, which are still active in the area.
The original settlement dates to around 1000, during the age of castles. The first mention of Bussi was in 1200, when it was among the areas controlled by the monastery of San Benedetto in Perillis. It was later a fief of the descendants of Berardo da Rajano, the Pignatelli, the Cantelmo, the Pietropaoli, and the Medici families.
The name “Bussi” seems to derive from the name of the boxwood plant, which was very common in the area during the Italic and Roman periods. The Buxio castle, then Bussio, is first mentioned in 1111 as the outer boundary of the territory of the Abbey of San Clemente in Casauria.
However, the history of the municipality dates back even further, to the Lombard era. In fact, outside the town, the Lombard tower of Sutrium still stands today, having served as a fortified outpost used to monitor the valley and enemy movements.
Bussi sul Tirino’s territory offers numerous natural attractions. As mentioned above, the town is bordered by the Tirino river, which originates from the Campo Imperatore water system and winds its way for 25 kilometers through three springs in the Capestrano area. Along its route, the river is fed by other small springs.
The climate is typically mountainous, with cold temperatures in winter and abundant rainfall in spring. During the summer, the town comes to life with events such as the Tirino Festival, which celebrates the river and local traditions.
Today it is known as a canoe spot with some of Europe’s clearest waters upstream to Capestrano.
Now the town is becoming known for its summertime blues and jazz concerts, collectively called “Bussinjazz.” Last year L’Associazione Bussinjazz was formed in memory of Mario Bucci, who has been called the best-known exponent of jazz in Abruzzo.What to See
- Medieval castle
- Remains of the Romanesque church of Santa Maria di Cartignano, with three naves.
Important Dates
- Mid-June – Feasts of San Biagio and Sant’Antonio
- Late July – Feasts of Sant’ Anna and San Pantaleone
- Summer – “Bussinjazz,” blues and jazz music concerts.
Italiano
Tradotto da Ennio Di Tullio
Provincia di Pescara, Regione Abruzzo
La bellissima cittadina di Bussi sul Tirino si trova in provincia di Pescara. Ha circa 2.471 abitanti, detti Bussesi.
Situato sul fiume Tirino, Bussi si trova al confine meridionale del Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso-Laga. In passato l’agricoltura era l’attività principale del paese perche dell’abbondanza di acqua e di terreno fertile. Agli inizi del XX secolo, l’industrializzazione della Val Pescara favorì la creazione di numerose industrie, tuttora presenti nella zona.
L’insediamento originario risale intorno all’anno Mille, nell’epoca dei castelli. La prima menzione di Bussi risale al 1200, quando era tra i territori controllati dal monastero di San Benedetto in Perillis. Successivamente, fu feudo dei discendenti di Berardo da Rajano, dei Pignatelli, dei Cantelmo, dei Pietropaoli, e dei Medici.
Il nome “Bussi” sembra derivare dal nome della pianta del bosso, molto diffusa nella zona in epoca italica e romana. Il castello di Buxio, poi Bussio, è citato per la prima volta nel 1111 come confine esterno del territorio dell’Abbazia di San Clemente in Casauria.
Pero, la storia del comune risale ancora più lontano, all’epoca longobarda. Fuori dall’abitato, infatti, si trova ancora oggi la torre longobarda di Sutrium, che fungeva da avamposto fortificato utilizzato per monitorare la valle e i movimenti nemici.
Il territorio di Bussi sul Tirino offre numerose attrattive naturali. Come detto sopra, il paese è confinato per il fiume Tirino, che nasce dal sistema idrico di Campo Imperatore e si snoda per 25 chilometri attraverso tre sorgenti nel territorio di Capestrano. Lungo il suo percorso, il fiume è alimentato da altre piccole sorgenti.
Il clima è tipicamente montano, con temperature fredde in inverno e abbondanti precipitazioni in primavera. Durante l’estate, il paese si anima con eventi come il Festival del Tirino, che celebra il fiume e le tradizioni locali.
Oggi è conosciuto come un punto per le canoe con alcune delle acque più limpide d’Europa a monte di Capestrano.
Ora la città sta diventando famosa per i suoi concerti estivi di blues e jazz, collettivamente chiamati “Bussinjazz”. Lo scorso anno è nata L’Associazione Bussinjazz in memoria di Mario Bucci, definito l’esponente più noto del jazz abruzzese.
Attrazioni del luogo:
- Castello medievale
- Resti della chiesa romanica di Santa Maria di Cartignano, a tre navate.
Date da ricordare:
- Metà giugno – Festa di San Biagio e Sant’Antonio
- Fine Luglio – Festa di Sant’Anna e San Pantaleone
- Estate – “Bussinjazz”, concerti di musica blues e jazz.
July/August 2024
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Siamo Una Famiglia
AMHS members and friends enjoyed an evening at Nationals Park for the annual Italian Heritage Night on June 18 to see the Washington Nationals take on the Arizona Diamondbacks (Alas, the Nats lost 5-0). All attendees received a special jersey for the event. Pictured are (left to right) AMHS Treasurer Peter Bell, President Chris Renneker, 2nd VP Rico Allegrino, Tomasso Mazza, Ivan Jones, Ravi Ganesh and Frankie Yupari.
On July 13, AMHS President Chris Renneker, Peter Bell, Barbara Friedman, and Sam Yothers were joined by members of the Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, all of whom work with Maria D’Andrea-Yothers. The group enjoyed a one-hour walk along the C&O Canal Towpath in Georgetown, followed by an excellent lunch of porchetta sandwiches from Porchetta District. Anyone looking for a great porchetta sandwich in the Washington, DC area – Porchetta District is the place to go (they cater too!). Photo credit: Maria D’Andrea-Yothers
AMHS President Emeritus Lucio D’Andrea and his wife, Edvige, are pleased to announce the marriage of their eldest granddaughter, Angela Pisoni. Angela married Daniel Hopper on July 12, in an intimate ceremony in Charlotte, NC, where the happy couple reside with their dog, Bruno. Congratulations Angela & Daniel, many blessings for a life of love and happiness. Photo credit: Fred Pisoni
July/August 2024
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Giovanni Falcone Remembered at Casa Italiana Ceremony
By Nancy DeSanti
Pictured at the reception following the Mass in memory of the 32nd anniversary of the murder of Giovanni Falcone are (left to right) AMHS members and former president Ennio Di Tullio; Michela Carboniero, the First Counselor of the Embassy of Italy; Col. Pierangelo Iannicca, Assistant Defense Attache representing the Carabinieri), and Francesco Isgro, AMHS member and President of the Italian Sociocultural Center.
Credit: Nancy DeSantiThe 32nd anniversary of the assassination of anti-Mafia Judge Giovanni Falcone was commemorated in a civil ceremony inside Casa Italiana on Sunday, May 26, 2024. The ceremony was preceded in the Holy Rosary Church by a Mass attended by representatives of the Embassy of Italy. The event was organized by AMHS member, Francesco Isgro, who is also the president of the Casa Italiana Sociocultural Center. The event was co-sponsored by several Italian-American organizations, including AMHS.
Falcone was assassinated by members of the Sicilian Mafia on May 23, 1992, after leaving the airport in Palermo, Sicily, as he headed towards the city of Palermo. A huge bomb was detonated, killing Falcone, his wife, and their bodyguards. A memorial along the road to Capaci marks the spot where the explosion took place. Not long afterwards, his colleague Paolo Borsellino was also assassinated. Shortly thereafter, the Palermo airport was renamed the Falcone-Borsellino Airport.
The First Counselor of the Italian Embassy, Michela Carboniero, gave the opening remarks. She noted that, whenever she vacations in Sicily, as she passes the Capaci memorial on the road from the airport, she makes sure to point it out to her daughter so she will remember the event too.
The guest speaker was Lt. Col. Peirangelo Iannicca of the Carabinieri Corps. He is the Assistant Defense Attache for the Embassy of Italy. He gave an impassioned speech on the meaning of duty, honor, and courage, and he quoted some of Falcone’s famous sayings. After his speech, his son came running up to him, saying “bravo, papa!” In speaking with him later, AMHS member Elisa DiClemente learned that Col. Iannicca is Abruzzese.
After the remarks, everyone was invited to the reception, organized by Simonetta Baldassari, who decorated the Casa Italiana beautifully. As a finishing touch, each attendee was given a long-stemmed red rose.June 2024
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Author Ronald G. Capalaces Will Address AMHS on WWII Era Memories
By Joseph “Sonny” Scafetta, Jr.
Author and Speaker Ronald G. Capalaces
Credit: Courtesy of Ronald CapalacesRonald G. Capalaces will be the guest speaker for our luncheon on Sunday, July 14, 2024, at 1:30 p.m., in the Pines of Florence Italian Restaurant, 1990 M St., N.W., Washington. Mr. Capalaces is the author of “When All the Men Were Gone,” a memoir about his boyhood growing up on the home front during World War II.
Ron was born in Binghamton, New York. During World War II, Ron’s father was a U.S. army soldier fighting in North Africa. His father was killed in combat there in 1943, when Ron was eight years old. After graduating from the local high school, Ron attended Harper College in Binghamton, now a campus of the State University of New York (SUNY). He later married Marie with whom he has five daughters. Ron’s career involved producing TV and film productions for clients. Ron retired in 2000. He and his wife now reside in McLean, Virginia.
Ron will read three short chapters from his 252-page book about his boyhood for about a half hour. He will start by reading the prologue about the differences between the 1940s and the 2010s. He will next read a humorous chapter about an encounter between him, a live chicken, and his mother. He will conclude by reading a chapter about the day that he learned that his father had died. A question-and-answer period will follow. Copies of Ron’s book will be available for sale to interested attendees for $16 each. Amazon lists the book for sale online for $30. Ron will autograph your copy upon request, at no extra charge.
Seating is limited to 44. For information on reservations and menu selections, please click HERE.June 2024
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How Six Immigrant Brothers Left Their Mark On American Cities
By Nancy DeSanti, 1st Vice President—Programs
John Belardo (at lectern) gave a presentation on the work of the Piccirilli brothers to assembled AMHS members and guests on May 19.
Credit: Carmine James Spellane
Most Americans are not aware of the many masterpieces of the Piccirilli brothers, but AMHS members and guests at a recent program at Casa Italiana had the opportunity to learn a great deal about them from John Belardo, an accomplished sculptor from New York City. Belardo is an expert on the six famous Italian immigrant brothers who had a hand in some of the most important and famous sculptures we have both in Washington, D.C., and in New York City.
The AMHS program on Sunday, May 19, 2024, was co-sponsored by the Casa Italiana Sociocultural Center. Among the attendees were Steven Livengood, the Public Historian for the U.S. Capitol Historical Society, and Davide Prete, an Italian sculptor from Treviso, now living in Washington. He donated two of his works to the Italian-American Museum of Washington, D.C.
Belardo became interested in the marble carvings and sculptures of the Piccirilli brothers while he was a teacher in the Bronx, not too far from the building where the brothers set up their studio after emigrating from the Tuscan province of Massa-Carrara in 1888, first settling in Manhattan. They ended up in the Bronx, about 20 blocks from where Yankee Stadium is now located, after their mother became ill and the doctor advised her to “move to the country.” It is hard for us today to imagine that back then the Bronx was considered the country!
Belardo was educated as a sculptor at the New York Academy of Art and has been a visiting scholar for the Institute for American Universities. His work is wide ranging, from monumental public installations to digital prototypes and designs, as well as large-scale ceramic sculptures. He was recently the Artist in Residence at Chesterwood, which is the historic home of Daniel Chester French, the designer of the Lincoln Memorial. Belardo’s work is permanently installed at Georgetown University, Cooperstown N.Y., and Lehman College CUNY, where he currently teaches. He recently presented a talk, “Piccirilli Studio,” at the annual conference of the National Sculpture Society.
John Belardo (center) received thanks fro his presentation from AMHS President Chris Renneker (left) and First Vice President-Programs Nancy DeSanti. (Credit: Carmine James Spellane) According to Belardo, among the six talented Piccirilli brothers—Ferruccio, Attilio, Furio, Masaniello, Orazio, and Getulio–the most accomplished was Attilio. The brothers learned from their father Giuseppe, who himself came from a long line of stone carvers. While the brothers were known primarily as architectural modelers and carvers of other sculptors’ works, Attilio and Furio further distinguished themselves as sculptors in their own right.
Belardo noted that the brothers were known for treating their workers well, and at one point their workers numbered up to 100.
Not surprisingly, the brothers’ talent was quickly recognized, and artists from all over the country came to their studio. At that time, most prominent sculptors created their original work in clay. From that clay model, a caster generated a plaster model. The plaster model was then sent to the Piccirilli brothers who carved it in stone, usually marble. As Belardo pointed out, if you make a mistake working with clay, it can be fixed, but not so with stone and marble. Soon, well-known designers, such as Daniel Chester French, called on the brothers to help to execute the “city beautiful” idea of transforming American cities to look like the grand cities of Europe.
The Piccirillis did much to beautify New York City, including the original pediment of the New York Stock Exchange, and their carvings are exhibited in the atrium of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Perhaps their best-known works there are the magnificent lions flanking the entrance to the New York City Public Library.
In Washington, their best-known work is the colossal Lincoln statue which was designed by Daniel Chester French and unveiled in 1922. The 28 separate blocks were shipped from their Bronx studio and put together here inside the Lincoln Memorial.
Another one of their projects in Washington was the beautiful DuPont Circle fountain, which has three allegorical figures representing modes of navigation by the sea, the stars, and the wind. The figures are very fitting, since the fountain is named after Rear Admiral Samuel DuPont.
The last of Attilio’s public commissions was the Guglielmo Marconi statue located outside a public library at 16th & Lamont Streets, N.W., in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood of D.C. It was dedicated in 1941. The sculpture features two bronze pieces. In the front, there is a bust of Marconi while the second bronze is an allegorical female figure sitting on a globe. It is a fine tribute to the great inventor whose 150th birthday anniversary is being celebrated this year.
Belardo summarized the Piccirilli style as embodying simplicity, beauty, and elegance. To pass on their knowledge, Attilio established the Leonardo da Vinci Art School for impoverished, mostly immigrant students who could not afford regular tuition and who attended school mostly at night, after work. Unfortunately, the school closed during World War II. Not long afterwards, a fire damaged the studio, including their historical records.
Washington, D.C., and New York City owe a debt of gratitude for the legacy which the brothers left in the cities that they beautified.
Our sincerest thanks to our speaker John Belardo for making the trip from New York City with his son Joseph at their own expense. Also, many thanks to Peter Bell for delivering the delicious lunch from A. Litteri’s, and to those members who donated raffle prizes and bought tickets.
June 2024
