Ortona, Coastal commune in Abruzzo, Italy
Ortona is a coastal commune on the Adriatic in the province of Chieti in Abruzzo, situated on a cliff above the sea. A castle from the Aragonese period rises above the harbor and shapes the skyline with its towers.
Canadian troops liberated the town in December 1943 after street battles that lasted for weeks and destroyed large parts of the old center. Reconstruction began immediately after the war ended and largely followed the old street plan.
The cathedral preserves relics of Apostle Thomas brought here during the 13th century, drawing pilgrims from across the region. Wooden fishing platforms extend along the coast and testify to an old tradition that continues today.
The harbor sits near the town center and is easy to reach on foot, while the upper town lies on a hill. The narrow lanes of the old quarter are best explored on foot, as parking spaces are limited.
Wooden trabucchi still stand along the coast, once used for fishing and now among the oldest surviving structures of this kind. Some have been converted into restaurants, while others continue to be used for traditional fishing methods.
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