Villa Ripa is a village in the province of Teramo, in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. It is a frazione of the comune of Teramo and has a population of about 700. Up until the 18th century this small village went by the name "Ripa-Rattieri": "Ripa" meaning "river bank" referring to its physical location and "Rattieri" referring to the rich feudal family who since medieval times had owned much of the adjacent countryside. In more recent years the name of the village has gradually been transformed with word "Villa" meaning rural area, eventually added. The term "Rattieri" has become increasingly associated with the nearby village of Poggio Rattieri. 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. History Several historically important artifacts have been discovered in the area of Villa Ripa. One of these is the remains of an ancient bridge that once crossed the Tordino River. In all likelihood, this bridge stood as part of a Roman road constructed by the powerful Turchi family. A mill in this area carried the name of this family. In one corner of Villa Ripa known as Ponte a Porti there is a