Cavallari di Pizzoli National Literary Prize

A literary prize in the heart of Abruzzo

The Cavallari di Pizzoli National Literary Prize is one of the longest-running and most respected literary competitions in inland Abruzzo. It takes place in Cavallari, a tiny hamlet of the Municipality of Pizzoli, in the province of L'Aquila—a mountain village home to the small 13th-century Romanesque church dedicated to Saints Proto and Giacinto. It is here, in the village's evocative small square, that the awards ceremony is held each summer, transforming the space into an open-air literary salon.

Origins and founder

The prize was conceived and founded in 2003 by writer Fernando Iannozzi, a native of these lands, with the intention of uniting literature and the village of his roots. Since then, the competition has grown edition after edition, attracting authors from every region of Italy and establishing itself as a staple of the Abruzzo cultural summer. The organization is managed by the Municipality of Pizzoli together with the Pro Loco Le tre Montagne.

Competition sections

The prize is divided into several sections dedicated to unpublished works in Italian:

• Section A – Poetry: one to five poems on any theme;
• Section B – Fiction: one to five short stories on any theme;
• Section C – Journalism: recently introduced, under the patronage of the Order of Journalists of Abruzzo, dedicated to the value of words and information.

Winning and highly commended works are awarded plaques, recognition, and cash prizes, and are often collected in a dedicated anthology.

The awards ceremony

The highlight is the awards ceremony, usually held in the Cavallari square on a summer evening. Actors and readers perform the winning poems and short stories, interspersed with musical interludes and social moments featuring tastings of local products. It is a celebration of culture that simultaneously promotes the territory, local traditions, and the small village community in an intimate and cozy atmosphere.

A connection with L'Aquila Capital of Culture

The prize is increasingly becoming a key part of the cultural landscape of the province of L'Aquila, the city designated Italian Capital of Culture 2026. The competition represents a piece of the network of literary and artistic initiatives that animate inland Abruzzo, offering both emerging and established writers a prestigious yet authentic stage.