Hermitage and Grotta Sant'Angelo

It is located about 600 meters above sea level in the territory of Ripe, a fraction of Civitella, on the southern slope of Monte Girella (or Montagna dei Fiori). The route to reach the Grotto of Sant'Angelo is relatively easy and after passing the last stretch through some steps and a stone portal and a fairly narrow passage leads to the Grotta. It is undoubtedly the most evocative and important natural cavity of the Monti della Laga and is named after San Michele Arcangelo.

Discovered at the end of the 19th century by the medical archaeologist Concezio Rosa (from Castelli), he revealed to the world the many important "treasures" that he kept for thousands of years and dates back to a vast period of time ranging from the Upper Paleolithic, then 10,000 years ago, until our era, passing through the Middle Bronze Age (second millennium BC) and the Iron Age (first millennium BC).

From the study of these findings it was possible to establish that it was used as a dwelling, a shelter and a place of worship from the early Middle Ages. It looks like a cave almost 30 meters high and roughly the same way in which there are two altars on the back wall, one of which is about 4 meters high.

Going along some steps on the right you reach a large natural window that offers a sensational view over the valley of Salinello sloping towards the Adriatic Sea. Near the entrance corridor there is another environment, of not excessive dimensions, that constituted the Hermitage and in it are still visible today some walls and the area destined to the kitchen, signaled by oven and its blackened mouth.