One of the most beautiful hilltop towns in Italy, Rocca San Giovanni is situated on a rocky spur that dominates the splendid Trabocchi coastline. The town was established in the 11th century by Oderisio the 1st and was enlarged by Oderisio the 2nd, along with the abbey of the monastery of San Giovanni in Venere, as a fort in order to provide refuge to the monks of the abbey. The work of Oderisio the 2nd ensured a long period of prosperity for the town, until 1346, the year in which the feudal war with Lanciano broke out. Towards the mid 15th century a violent earthquake damaged the settlement significantly. In 1588 a papal decree entrusted the Abbey and its rocky fort to San Filippo Neri. The remains of the imposing wall of the Rocca, constructed in 1061 by the Normans, are located along the Via Abate Odorisio, and terminate with the well-conserved great tower of the Filippini. The great tower was part with the Bastion, the defensive structure built from stone and local material. The walls that once surrounded the whole medieval town of Rocca San Giovanni also served to  offer refuge to the surrounding population in case of attack.