My father moved to Australia from Italy in his early 20s. Hailing from the country town of Quintodecimo in the Marche region, Dante was an ambitious man and left Italy to build a new life for himself in the land of opportunities – but the impetus to move at the age he did was certainly heavily influenced by his desire to avoid the 2 year compulsory conscription in the Italian army, which all young Italian men faced at the time.
Dante found love in Australia with a young and beautiful Italian girl from Calabria and had three children, me being the youngest, whom he all ensured learned Italian from very young age. He built a successful hairdressing business and later became a restauranteur and property developer. But for all his success in Australia, Quintodecimo was never far from his heart and he never left it too long between drinks in his hometown.
I remember visiting Quintodecimo as a young child with Mum and Dad, but it wasn’t till September 2013 when he took all the kids, partners and grand kids to Italy (12 people in total) in celebration of his 70th birthday, that I truly appreciated how beautiful this town was. And I understand its heavenly call through the Mediterranean and across the Indian Ocean to Australia, because after coming home, I now long for the day we can return.
Ciao Town is a new series on Chew Town that I hope you will all love. It will be an ongoing series that I suspect will take the rest of my life to complete – If I ever actually complete it. With the blog so heavily weighted towards Italian recipes, I often receive feedback and comments about people’s love of the Italian lifestyle. Italians truly do exercise “la bella vita” all day every day, and so with the introduction of Ciao Town I will aim to bring you snap shots of the different cities, towns and regions of Italy to show that despite such a unified love of the Italian lifestyle by all Italians, each town, city and region has its own special way of living this wonderful life. And it all centers around food.
While Quintodecimo is by no means a large and bustling town (it has two churches and no shops), it is the most peaceful and bountiful place, and forms the foundation of my Italian heritage – the perfect place to start taking you all on the journey that will be Ciao Town.
Quintodecimo, Acquasanta Terme (Marche, Italy)
Town: Quintodecimo
Municipality: Acquasanta Terme
Province: Ascoli Piceno
Region: Marche
Height: 462 Meters above sea level
Population: 120 inhabitants
About the location
Quintodecimo is part of the Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga a National Park that covers 150,000 hectares, crosses 3 Regions, 5 provinces and 44 municipalities.
The inhabitants of Quintodecimo are surrounded by small plots of fertile land spread across the mountainside, and over time stone houses built up and around as space allowed.
The entry to Quintodecimo is marked by the Ponte di Quintodecimo, a gorgeous ancient Roman stone bridge over the river Tronto which runs in the valley beside the town. A large winding stone staircase snakes through the town sending guests from the tiny piazza at the end of the bridge up to the top, where the town’s only hotel, the recently renovated and utterly charming Bed and Breakfast da Temperi sits anxiously awaiting your arrival.
The province of Ascoli Piceno in which Quintodecimo is located was one of the original Roman Empire cities of Picenum called Asculum (we are going back so far I’m having to use ancient latin here) and it is the reason for the stone Roman bridge entry and staircase through Quintodecimo. The town sits on the ancient Via Salaria (salt road) through Ascoli Piceno which was the route that the ancient Italians used to collect salt before the founding of Rome. It later was used by the Romans as one of the main roads to transport their massive army of conquerors into far off lands.
But that isn’t Quintodecimo’s only link to war-time past. My father was born in August 1943 which was one month before Italy defected from its Axis alliance with Germany and Japan in World War II, to join the Allies. The moment this happened, the German troops were expelled from Italy. It was at this time that the German’s realised the war was almost lost for them so they began to inflict harm on as many towns as they could on their march out of the country. Given Quintodecimo sat on one of the major roads through Italy, the inhabitants had to flee for fear of what the German’s would do to them as they passed through.
My father’s family walked an hour and a half up the mountainside to take refuge in the big cave they had converted into a casetta (cottage) built to protect some of their animals from the elements and where they would make some of their fresh cheeses and sausages. There were two adults and six children (Dad’s youngest brother, Arturo was born just after the war), and lord only knows how frightening it must have been for them all. They stayed in the casetta for three months, and my grandfather, Adamo, would wait until the cover of darkness between the scores of marching troops before sneaking back into the town to gather supplies for his family. Luckily, they all made it out of the mountains safe and well.
Before World War II Quintodecimo had roughly 3000 inhabints but after the ravages of war, most of the inhabitants migrated to the larger cities of Italy or overseas to recover and build a better life.
The Mountains of Quintodecimo
With Quintodecimo located on the side of a fertile mountain land, the townspeople take advantage of their environment beautifully. The remaining inhabitants of the town have laid claim to the surrounding garden plots to the left and right of the houses. Many of these were inherited and some have been purchased from others over time. Still living in Quintodecimo is my uncle Arturo (above right with my father left), the youngest of my father’s family, who continues to work the plots of my grandparents.
A short hike up the hill and you begin your ascent into the mountains, where all sorts of beauty awaits with wild nut trees, berry bushes, springwater streams, and gorgeous butterflies. The beauty of it is astounding. If you trek up the mountain far enough you will be rewarded with a gorgeous copse of chestnut trees just waiting for picking season.
The thing that strikes you most about this town is the way the people all band together to help each other. The day we walked up the mountain we were greeted half-way up by a group of men and women who had cut down trees in the mountains for firewood which was later dragged down by their mules. When asked who the wood was for, they all answered with great gusto “firewood for the whole town!”. A few moments later, my uncle came racing up the mountain on his beat up Vespa to help them (see picture of Arturo below – possibly my favourite photo of the visit).
The Food of Quintodecimo
The land must be very fertile in Quintodecimo because not only are there a myriad of things growing in the townspeople’s plots, but there seems to be food growing wild all over the place. One look up into all the trees and you realise that every tree bears fruit or nuts. One might be a hazelnut tree, the other a walnut tree, or even a persimmon tree – and all are laden with their goodies.
Zio Arturo loved that I took such a keen interest in what he was growing, and on one plot alone he had grape vines, fig trees, fennel, potatoes, rocket, verdura (all kinds of spinach and lettuce), tomatoes, and a myriad of other foods growing. I’ll be honest and say it was quite possibly the best looking vegetable garden I had ever seen in my life. Everything just looked so healthy and I wanted to pick a little bit of everything he had growing and bring it back to Australia with me.
That’s the key to this lifestyle – everything is picked fresh to eat. There are always lots of different things growing so that one can have variety for dinner. This is not mass production, it is about growing on a small scale and feeding your family fresh every day. The figs we picked straight from the tree to eat while wandering the plot were sweeter than any fig I have ever bought.
Animals are also kept in small numbers due to the nature of these mountainside plots. After visiting the garden plot, my uncle took us to the area in which he kept his chickens and rabbits. It is the circle of life at its finest and when I thought of the lifestyle my uncle and his wife led, I was definitely envious – it was a world away from ours.
The Water of Quintodecimo
The key to the fertility of the land at Quintodecimo is definitely its spring water. There are three different sources of water surrounding the town, which definitely seems excessive for a town of this size.
At the entry to Quintodecimo, under the Ponte di Quintodecimo, is the Fiume Tronto. This is a freshwater river that traverses three regions of Italy (Marche, Lazio and Abruzzo). It is 115km long, starting at Monte della Laghetta and ending in the Adriatic Sea. During heavy periods of rain the water falls down the mountain and into the river swelling it to at least 10 times it’s size. It explains why the bridge sat so far above the river when we visited. While Tronto it is a freshwater river, the townspeople usually don’t drink from it. This is largely due to the two other sources of water in the town.
Below left and right are images of the stream that flows over the mountainside called the Fuime da Pegna. This freshwater stream runs beside you as you steadily climb the mountain, and if you are thirsty on your walk, a little sip from this stream can help quench your thirst.
But the best and most magical of the water available at Quintodecimo is the water from La Fonte (below bottom). This water comes directly through the rocks in the mountains and is protected from all the elements. It is cool in Summer as the rocks prevent it getting hot, and it is warmer in Winter for the same reason. The people of Quintodecimo built this stone receptacle many years ago to take advantage of its natural flow and around it sprung up a laundry room where the women of Quintodecimo in a bygone era used the water to wash their clothes.
You can’t help but feel a little healthier and better off after drinking this water. It tastes as pure as water gets.
In Conclusion
Well, that’s about all I have to share about Quintodecimo. It is not a town I suspect many will visit on their vacation to Italy, but it will help to show another side to the country that many just don’t get the chance to see. It will also provide great contrast to my next Ciao Town post which will be one of Italy’s great tourist cities.
For those of you who stuck around to the end of this post, I thank you for letting me share this magical place with you. Even if there is no-one left I know that my father, Dante, will be here reading this. Hopefully with a great sense of pride in his eyes and love in his heart. I’ve never heard anyone speak with such excitement and energy about their hometown as my father does about Quintodecimo.
Addio miei amici…
I am so totally going to love Ciao Town! What a great feature, and this is a wonderful introductory post. I’ve been to some of the usual places in Italy (where all the tourists go), but never really out into the countryside. I’d love to spend a couple of months touring Italy someday – great scenery, wonderful people, incredible food. This was a terrific post. Thanks.
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Thanks so much for your support John! I’m thinking that Ciao Town will feature quarterly.
Great Amanda! It’s so real, I love it, photos included!
Grazie cugina! Sono felice che ti sia piaciuto.
Congratulations on your new venture.I read it and I was there. Great photos, great descriptive writing from the heart and with love.Can’t wait for the next one. I am very proud of you.
xxxxx
Thanks so much for the support Elaine xxx
what a lovely little town, i would love to visit this! loving the cute vespa!
The vespa is about 20 years old and not really meant for the mountains!!
It’s places like this that I love to discover and explore when I travel. The sense of pride you must feel, knowing that your heritage lays in that part of the world. I adore this post, Amanda.
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Thanks for the nice words John. Going back as an adult has definitely given me a sense of pride that I never had visiting as a child.
I want to go there! What an amazing place and your pictures are just stunning. The picture of the fresh fig is making me want to buy a whole bunch of them. I bet your dad will be proud of your post too, its from the heart not only his but yours too.
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Thanks Lizzie! He definitely is proud… can’t stop talking about it. He asked me to “save it” on his computer so he can read it whenever he wants… doesn’t quite get the idea that its a blog so its on here forever!
i’m a huge fan of italian food and loved the travel and food documentaries regarding Italian cuisine. looking forward to reading more about this
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Thanks Annie!
Great post! I’m looking forward to this series so that the day that I finally make it to Italy, I’ll have a good idea about where to go, and some of the destinations off the beaten track!
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Every few months I’ll put up a new Ciao Town post so there’ll be more coming!
Such lovely shots you have captured here! Looking forward to more Ciao Town! xxx
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Thanks Martine!! x
Fate has brought me here today. Your story is deeply moving, the story of our amazing migrants and the richness they brought with them from places many of us will never see. How courageous to set out from home seeking a better life. I am so happy that your family has been to return and keep such deep connections to your history. The contribution of our migrant families is immeasurable, from road building to music, dance, food. Thank you for your story and stunning photographs. Your Papa must be so proud.
What a gorgeous comment Adelaide! It really warmed my heard and you are absolutely right about the story of our hardworking migrants. It definitely takes a lot of guts, and they do it all for their children. I hope to see you back soon. Thanks again!
I think you are spot on by calling it magical. I am so envious of the ‘veggie garden’.
Loved reading your first Ciao Town post, and I am really looking forward to more. Dante I am sure is proud and thrilled about you sharing this precious part of Italy.
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My beautiful cousin, how proud I am of you and your beautiful presentation of Quintodecimo. The history and where our fathers came from is something to be proud of. We are so lucky to have the background that we have. I always love returning to the beautiful village for some quietness, fresh air, beautiful clean tasting water straight out of the mountain and of course to visit our gorgeous uncle. Well done Amanda. With love your cousin Franca. xx
WOW was my first reaction when I first read your work, just great. It was just yesterday that we were talking among our family about Dante’s latest venture to Quintodecimo. I too, had the opportunity to visit our home town on many occasions and remember the days spent with Zia Francesca and Arturo.. Keep up the great work Amanda. Your extended family in Canada, Domenica Vespa Angelini
Hi, I found your post via a Pinterest search for Quintodecimo. My father in law (Natale Pulcini – born in 1923) came from there and emigrated to France. His sister Flora married a man called Mario Michetti and they emigrated to Canada. Family maybe? My husband visited throughout his childhood and was really interested to see your photos and read (I had to translate) your article.
Hi Annette
What a lovely story and beautiful photos of your father’s town. I can understand your pride. I spent a month in the Marche region — barely known to the people of the United States — last year and have been fascinated by the region and its beauty ever since. I did not see Quintodecimo on my visit but when I return, I will seek it out. Grazie.
Thanks, as/from another of quintodecimo’s far-flung descendants. Visited on 1983 and found as you describe
Hi I enjoyed your article and pictures as my grandfather Domenico Pagani was from Quintodecimo and came to the US in the late 1920s. I wonder if your family knows of my family?
Great work Amanda we are very proud of your work with Ciao Town. Love the pictures of the town and the fruits and vegies. We visited Quintodecimo in 2014 for 5 days I am from a little town called Novele which is just up the hill about 1 km and my wife’s father, Erzelindo DiMichele was born in Quintodecimo in 1923. His mother’s old house is just at the corner of the old bridge on the Salaria and you probably know his niece Franca Piccioni who lives just on the corner of the new bridge. My wife is Domenica Vespa Angelini’s cousin through her husband Nazzareno Angelini.
Give our best regards to your Dad an Uncle and we are definitely visiting there again. Very nostalgic reconnecting with our roots. We know quite a few Michetti here in Montreal, Canada and am sure one of the has posted above.
Will be looking out for more of your posts and pictures and by the way SAY HELLO TO ALL THOSE AUZZIES down there !!! There were quite a few of them on our Italy Tour in 2014 and they were all nice people with a great sense of humour.
Alex Riti
Montreal Canada
February 9, 2016
Amanda, I loved your article on Quintodecimo. My father and everyone on his side of the family, (14 brothers and sisters) were from this exquisite town. I have visited several times, while living in Rome. I used to take the Salaria from Rome straight to the village. I am positive that your father, or grandfather will remember the Piccioni family from Quintodecimo. Write back if you have the time.
Gloria Piccioni from Montreal.
Hello, we enjoyed your website and blog. We found this while searching for information about the town my father was born in. His name was Pietro Mancini and he passed away in 2011. His mother was Paolina Mancini. They came to America when he was around 17 and settled in Walpole, Massachusetts. He brought me to Quintodecimo when I was 12, which was 30 years ago and seeing the photos brings back some of the best memories of my father. I saw a post mentioning Mario Michetti, my godfathers name was Mario Michetti and he lived in Montreal. My father had told me that he had relatives that moved to Australia. We are trying to teach my son about his heritage and plan to bring him to Quintodecimo in the future. I recognize many of the names people have mentioned in posts. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for your note Andy. It seems many who left Quintodecimo for other countries headed to US, Canada and Australia. While we are in Australia with most of dad’s family who came over the years, we have a lot of family from Quintodecimo also living in Canada. I’ll have to ask dad about Mario Michetti, it seems there might be a connection there.
Does anyone know how Quintidecimo fared in the earthquake today?
Hi Tom, my father here in Australia rang Zio Arturo after hearing the news. They definitely felt it in Quintodecimo he said and they all left their houses when it happened to head to open space. Arturo said that there are cracks through some of the buildings but they are all standing. Tt wasn’t as bad as the earthquake there in the 50s. I believe every one is well. Hope that helps!
Hi Amanda,
Another Piccioni here like Gloria above! I found your lovely blog as I looked to see how Quintodecimo was affected by the terrible earthquake. I am British-born and my father, like yours, was from this beautiful town and he too left at a very tender age in search of work, travelling first to Canada and then settling in Yorkshire, England. As I write, there is a framed photo of Quintodecimo in front of me on Mum’s living room wall and after reading your blog and seeing all your wonderful photos, I have resolved to visit again just as soon as I can. (My last visit was a family reunion in the early 90’s, just 3 or 4 years before Dad passed away. The photos we have of that trip show him beaming with the joy of finally making it back to the town of his birth.) Anyway, I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your blog and how interesting I found the parallels in our, and our fathers’, life trajectories. I’m now wondering what the connection might be between me and Gloria and whether your father does in fact remember the Piccioni’s! (I vividly remember Bar Piccioni which used to be located down by the bridge when I was a kid.)
Hi Amanda,
Another Piccioni here like Gloria above! I found your lovely blog as I looked to see how Quintodecimo was affected by the terrible earthquake. I am British-born but my father, like yours, was from this beautiful town and he too left at a very tender age in search of work, travelling first to Canada and then settling in Yorkshire, England. As I write, there is a framed photo of Quintodecimo in front of me on Mum’s living room wall and after reading your blog and seeing all your wonderful photos, I have resolved to visit again just as soon as I can. (My last visit was a family reunion in the early 90’s, just 3 or 4 years before Dad passed away. The photos we have of that trip show him beaming with the joy of finally making it back to the town of his birth.) Anyway, I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your blog and how interesting I found the parallels in our, and our fathers’ life trajectories. I’m now wondering what the connection might be between me and Gloria and whether your father does in fact remember the Piccionis! (I vividly remember Bar Piccioni which used to be located down by the bridge when I was a kid.)
Hi Marisa,
I think you and Gloria might need to talk! It seems many young men left Quintodecimo in search of a less rural and more adventurous lifestyle. There really aren’t many young people left there as all the children who grow up there, move to the bigger Italian cities for schooling and don’t really return. It is still a serenely beautiful place! Not sure about Bar Piccioni, I don’t remember it when we were there last, but there is always a group of old men sitting at the bottom of the steps drinking wine and playing cards – so it might still be there unofficially!
Hi Annette, your Father-in-law is my Zio Natale. A beautiful man. My mom was Flora Pulcini. Cheers!
Wow, what a beautiful story. My father was born in a small village above Quintodecimo called Morrice. This village has only 5 houses and is very small. All of his family emigrated to Canada and USA. Our last name is Paolini, and I wonder if anyone remembers that family name. My dad tells me stories of how he used to walk down the mountain every morning to sell the families goat or cow milk. Then do it again at night. It was their only source of income. I guess that why my Nonna and Nonna left the village. The houses remain.. I wonder did you ever pass this tiny village above Quinto decimo while you visited?? I am also curious about my family history. There seems to be quite a bit of red hair passed down. In Italy? I wonder where all that came from:)
My Mother’s Family left Quintodecimo in 1911 last name Pagani. The photo’s & information truly support stories my Grand Mother Angelina told me of her home town. She impressed upon me how when she was outdoors and looked up the mountain the Church Steeple inspired her. Any relatives still there? Names Piccioni & Mirti are very familiar.