Geography
The village lies about two miles east of Teramo, the provincial capital. The town sits on a hill dividing the Tordino Valley from the Rio Grande canal. The ancient historical district of Villa Ripa is located on the westerly slopes of this hilly domain. It is characterized by the presence of several small piazzas and open spaces surrounded by narrow sandstone houses the one on top of the other. The building materials for these dwelling were taken from the nearby Tordino river basin.
The area possesses a good number of scenic locations. There has been a strong emphasis in recent years to develop the area in such a way so as blend newer buildings with pre-existing historical structures. In this way the harmony between the two has been rather well preserved.
The most recently developed areas were put into place after the Second World War and sit beyond the village's bell tower to the east. A second building boom occurred in the 1980s with the construction of several housing clusters and apartment-type buildings along the Italian State Highway 80 (SS 80). Among these are a number of buildings designated for low income families. The village hosts a small nursery school which serves not only the residents of Villa Ripa but also those from several small surrounding communities.
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