Valle Piola
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.
Early records show that the area surrounding Valle Piola, along with the adjoining lands of Monti della Laga enjoyed a semi-autonomous status.
These groups demanded total loyalty to their cause thus leading both to squabbles amongst the various brigand factions as well as to clashes with the sovereign forces whose task was to uphold the law.
During the Second World War the Italian resistance fighters staged in this area, along with Bosco Martese and other nearby forest tracts of Monti della Laga in their struggles against the occupying German forces.
This second house once served as a stable and was recently restored by two individuals from Torricella Sicura, the carpenter Offredo Polidori, and his son Mario.
The term gafio ("lu gafie" in the local Abruzzese dialect) comes from the Lombardic word "waifa", meaning "space which is non private."
A close examination of the gafio balconies speaks to the highly developed craftsmanship of the Abruzzese and Lombardic tradesmen while working with wooden materials.
The gafio balconies are unique in that they are able to support the weight of floorboards, one or more human occupants and, in the cold winter months, snow on the protective covering above.
Smaller paths, including a mule trail, have connected Valle Piola with Acquaratola (a hike of approximately 40 minutes by foot), the town cemetery, and Case Menghini.
To the wonderment of his readers living in the grand cities of Italy, Aurini vividly recounted the rustic ways, lifestyles, and long forgotten archaic traditions of this small village.
The trial begins with an easy incline and soon enters a mound of trees and tangled undergrowth so thick that it requires the frequent surveillance and clearing by the local park employees and woodsmen.
In the early morning hours one can see the sun's rays illuminating nearby Monte della Farina with Valle Piola at its base.
In the late 1950s, as people left Valle Piola to live in larger communities or to seek a less rural lifestyle, the town began to experience the effects of significant population decrease.
Like the abandoned mining camps in the American west, those visiting Valle Piola encounter the ruins of a deserted but not totally forgotten hinterland.
In recent years Valle Piola has been the object of attention from the Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga National Park authorities who are looking for ways to restore and revitalize the area.
A model for these efforts is the nearby town of Santo Stefano di Sessanio which has successfully preserved the atmosphere and architectural integrity of a centuries old Italian mountain village.
Alternatively, the village may end up on the property market as there are recent reports suggesting that a guide price of half a million euros is being sought.
