Palena

The parents of the singer Perry Como came from Palena, a mountain town on a spur above the Aventino river inside the Majella National Park. The Normans built its castle on the highest point in the 11th century. War hit hard: in 1944 bombing flattened the church of San Falco except its bell tower, and the church was rebuilt in 1953.

Highlights

• Church of San Falco, with a red-brick façade and the saint's relics
• Eremo della Madonna dell'Altare, near the cave where Pietro da Morrone lived
• Palaeontology museum with fossils showing the Majella 7 million years ago
• The Norman ducal castle at the top of the spur above the river

Summary based on Wikipedia and Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA), written with AI assistance.