1222 East of Avezzano

i presume you mean that area that runs from popolli to aquilla.... sorry to dislusion you but not man made ...it is just one of those high plateaus that exist around mountain areas ..... the roads stright .. because there is nothing to go around.... but it is pleasant...lots of old churches... side roads that take you off into the mountains... but freezing cold in the winter.... its in that area of abruzzo ... mainly the region of aquila that is one of the coldest winter places in italy.....

but it does have its own beauty... there is another area like it south of sulmona before rocarrasso ....

It is kind of man made, some crazy man drained the bloody lake! Actually the Romans tried it first, but it was only sucessfully drained in the late 19th century when the work started in Roman times was completed by some duke by finishing the tunnel through to the river by Capestrello (I think). This area by Avezzano was at the mercy of the unpredictable lake that changed in size and left stagnant water/mozzies etc. Many thought they would be better off without it. A shame, as it was the highest lake around, and had a very pleasant microclimate ( they could groW grapes!). Some believe the draining of the lake caused the terrible earthquake that struck Avezzano. Now it is a shockingly flat area that is used to grow sugar beet. Maybe, they could flood it again! It is of interest, but not a place for a day out! Go to Alba Fucens or almost any other place in the area first!

[QUOTE=Stribs]There is an area east of Avezzano (midway between Rome and Pescara) that intrigues me (it stands out on a map).
It is a large area of land with many straight roads/tracks and rivers/canals I am assuming it is man made and is some sort of agricultural area. It is called 'Piana del Fucino' (Plain of Fucino?).
I meant to have a look last time I was there but did'nt have time.
Can anyone enlighten me please?

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Was i believe drained and made habitable under the bourbons in what was at it's time a huge enterprise turning a swamp land into a flat arable plain.However as john says you're not missing much

Thanks for all your replies.
I shall not be visiting the sugar beet (that saved me a trip), it was just that it looked so different to the surrounding area that I had to ask.

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hey, now I feel bad! L'Aquila is a provence of such panoramic beauty and tranqility, it just happens to have a boring flat bit near Avezzano! If you want to see a map of how the lake once was go to flickr.com and type fucino in the search box. It should take you to a pic I took from the exibition in the church in Tagliacozzo (San Francesco), I think it might still be on.

Hi Felica.
Sorry to make you feel bad, L'Aquila and the surrounding area is on my visit list, should have gone there on our house-hunting trip but had already found 'our house'.
It's just the sugar beet I'll give a miss, saw too much when I was a kid.

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