The Trabucchi are among the symbols that characterize the city of Termoli. To observe them in all their beauty, you can take the Trabucchi walk that from the foot of the Swabian Castle winds along the entire walls of the ancient village up to the port.
The Trabucchi, called trabucche in termolese, are ancient and fascinating fishing machines dating back to the 19th century. It was 1850 when Felice Marinucci, a fisherman from Termoli, saw a trebuchet for the first time while he was heading towards Ancona with his sailboat. According to the story, during the journey, he was attracted by this strange instrument, formed by a thick palisade stuck between the rocks, on which a solid platform made of wooden planks was placed. The construction was completed by a winch, a small cabin and two massive antennas that stretched over the water for many meters. A rectangular net was linked to them which, at more or less regular intervals, was immersed in water and immediately afterwards withdrawn. Felice Marinucci was immediately fascinated by it and, after having acquired sufficient information on its effectiveness, upon returning from that trip, he decided to build one also in Termoli, exactly in Marina di San Pietro, which has resisted until today. Thus was born the first trebuchet of Termoli, which, in 1950, a century later, were followed by about ten. In Termoli the trabucchi are located close to the Borgo Antico and were particularly important for a seaside village like ours, because they guaranteed the catch even in case of bad weather conditions. The choice of planting sites depended on the path of the fish, in particular on its phase of moving away from the coast, which it had approached due to the currents. Therefore, the Trabucchi were placed along the exit directions that went from the inlet towards the open sea, that is, looking at the sea.