In the historic center of Agnone, the main square, once called “Tomolo Square,” represents the historic hub of town life. An ancient space of market, justice and power, it was the focal point of everyday economic and social life. In 1882 the square was enriched with an octagonal marble fountain whose nozzles bear in bas-relief the town’s coat of arms: a winged griffin, a symbol of vigilance and protection.
The square is surrounded by buildings of historical significance such as the Governor’s Palace, once the seat of public power and justice, and the Church of the Trinity, a small patronal chapel that holds the statue of Our Lady of the Crowned Virgin, protector of shepherds and flocks, in homage to the tradition of transhumance.
Bell towers, finely crafted stone portals, noble coats of arms, wrought-iron balconies and original door knockers with singular shapes, the result of the skill of local stonemasons, emerge among the alleys. A few steps away is the Church of St. Francis, founded by Friars Minor Conventual in the 14th century. The complex still preserves the Franciscan cloister and monastic rooms now converted into the “Baldassarre Labanca” Municipal Library and the Permanent Exhibition of Antique Books, which displays rare volumes of inestimable value.
From Via Garibaldi one enters the charming Venetian quarterwitness to the presence of a large colony of Venetian craftsmen who came to Agnone in the 1100s with the mercenary captain Landolfo Borrello. This neighborhood, overlooking the La Ripa belvedere, clearly shows the Venetian stylistic imprint with mullioned windows, carved lintels, stringcourses and rampant lions carved in stone.
The Venetian legacy profoundly influenced Agnone’s craft culture, making it a center of excellence for metalworking. In the early twentieth century there were twelve goldsmith stores, famous for producing jewelry such as the presentosa, laden with symbolism linked to tradition.
Among the most evocative testimonies, the last traditional goldsmith store at the foot of the Nuonno Palace, also known as the “Palace of Ghosts,” built around 1150 and shrouded in legends that increase its mysterious charm, survives intact.
To visit Agnone is to enter a village where history, art and tradition come together in every corner.