Rocchette

Details

Category: Paesi

Malgrado che anche questo insediamento sia in avanzato stato di degrado, conserva tuttavia sufficienti elementi architettonici che danno un quadro d' insieme abbastanza leggibile della funzione difensiva cui ha assolto per secoli; presenta infatti alte e spesse mura che erano rafforzate da torri, delle quali ne rimane una cilindrica posta alla destra della porta di accesso che è sormontata dallo stemma di Todi del XVI secolo. All' interno delle mura castellane del XIV secolo, è la chiesa di S. Maria della Concezione. Sopra l' unica porta di accesso della chiesa è stato murato un frammento scultoreo del IX-X secolo con una Croce; l' interno, più volte ampliato, presenta, sulla sinistra, entro tre riquadri orizzontali, affreschi del XVI secolo raffiguranti un Santo vescovo, Madonna con Bambino, Madonna che brandisce una clava per proteggere dal demonio un bambino vestito di corazza e in basso sulla sinistra una gentildonna inginocchiata ed orante. La cappella, antistante l' ingresso della chiesa, è completamente affrescata: in alto l' Eterno benedicente in un coro di angeli, del XV secolo, e a sinistra in basso Madonna coronata da due angeli che schiaccia con i piedi il drago con sullo sfondo alcuni paesi e castelli, tra i quali ci sembra di scorgere Rocchette; l' affresco reca la data 7 dicembre 1602. Al centro è un affresco della fine del XV o degli inizi del XVI secolo con la Madonna in trono col Bambino sovrastata da angeli alla cui destra è un Santo vescovo  e a sinistra una Santa non identificabile e S. Sebastiano; ancora più a destra è l' immagine di S. Antonio Abate del XVII secolo.  

Rocchette

Malgrado che anche questo insediamento sia in avanzato stato di degrado, conserva tuttavia sufficienti elementi architettonici che danno un quadro d' insieme abbastanza leggibile della funzione dife [...]

Castelvecchio

The village is today very different from what must have appeared in the Middle Ages. Today only some ruins of the fortified village remain, hidden by vegetation. Literature attest it as one of the [...]

Castel Rinaldi

Medieval village built in 1160 by a certain "Rinaldo Duke of Calabria", Castel Rinaldi was part of the fief of the Arnolfi. Constantly part of Guelph, Castel Rinaldi was often the center of infighti [...]

Colpetrazzo

Castle built between 1300 and 1400, it still preserves its medieval structure. Of particular interest is the medieval main door near the small church of San Bernardino. Above the church of San Berna [...]

Mezzanelli

The castle of Mezzanelli has followed the fortunes of the various rulers who handled its political life. Once part of Terre Arnolfe, the castle was cited in documents from 1115 and 1118 (Earls Ridol [...]

Montignano

The origins of the Castle of Montignano date back to 962 when Otto I of Saxony was crowned in Milan as Emperor of Germany and King of  Italy by Pope John XII and he immediately tried to gain the lo [...]

Viepri

The fortified village of Viepri is wrapped in high hills, which ensured defense for centuries and still seem to hide it. Built after 1380 on the ruins of the demolished castle of Monte Schignano, it [...]

Villa San Faustino

The castle of Villa San Faustino was part of the Terre Arnolfe in the tenth and eleventh centuries (mentioned in documents of the abbey of Farfa 1115 and 1118). The castle, connected to the importan [...]

Zampani

In the thirteenth century the village of Zampani and its inhabitants were included in the territory of the Gagliole castle that stood on top of the hill now called Torracio. The castle was destroyed [...]

Castelvecchio

Details

Category: Paesi

The village is today very different from what must have appeared in the Middle Ages. Today only some ruins of the fortified village remain, hidden by vegetation.

Literature attest it as one of the most important and populous castles in the area (the town had about 100 families), surrounded by massive elliptical walls.

A place of passage, for its location along the path between Massa Martana, Todi and Gualdo Cattaneo, it had a hospital and seven churches under it (San Giorgio, Sant'Anastasia, Santa Cristina, San Biagio, Santa Croce, Santissima Trinità e Sant’Ippolito).

Castelvecchio's history is marked by several episodes, which made the town a scene of repeated fighting. In 1377 Catalano degli Atti head of the Guelph faction attacked the population of the Ghibelline party, who were able to protect themselves thanks to good defense that the mighty walls opposed.

In 1434 the castle was totally destroyed by the troops of Francesco Sforza. The few survivors decided to reconstruct the village further down the valley, around an important crossroads where in 1603 was built the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Castelvecchio.

The building still dominates the town, showing late Renaissance lines that little integrate with the architecture and atmosphere of medieval castles in the area.

The sanctuary was built in 1604 by the Bishop of Todi Angelo Cesi and was designed by the architect from Perugia Valentino Martelli. The church was built to commemorate a miraculous event occurred May 11, 1602. The simple lines of the structure hide a rich interior of seventeenth-century works of art, in addition to the fresco on the main altar, with the miraculous image of the Madonna con Bambino, painted in 1581 by Pietro Paolo Sensini.

On the four side altars there are fine seventeenth-century paintings: Cristo crocifisso tra San Francesco e Santa Maria Maddalena, by Ascensidonio Spacca called il Fantino, San Carlo Borromeo by Pietro Paolo Sensini and Madonna di Costantinopoli e la Santissima Concezione tra i Santi Francesco, Domenico e Antonio da Padova by Pietro Salvi da Bevagna.  Just outside the town is the pretty little church of St. Ippolito, documented since the 13th century, of an elegant Romanesque style with a semicircular apse of unusual shape and masonry in white and pink stone. The interior has a single nave and the apse preserves a seventeenth century fresco depicting “Cristo in Croce tra San Pietro e San Paolo”.

Sinkhole of Castelvecchio

Dolina is a word of Slovenian origin and simply means valley. Given that the interest in the karst phenomena developed from the Slovenian territories, international terminology has designed that term to define more precisely a karst valley, which is a typical depression of the land molded into various shapes by karst phenomena. A dolina (sinkhole) is a closed basin that would fill with water giving rise to a pond if the walls and floor were waterproof, however, usually the water is absorbed through underground tunnels. Formed by the erosive action of rainwater, the sinkhole has an elliptical form and measures 250-300 m in diameter and is about 20 m deep.

Ammonites

The Ammonites, Phylum: Mollusca - Class: Cephalopoda - Subclass: Ammonoidea, are cephalopods appeared in the Devonian (about 400 million years ago) and extinct around the Upper Cretaceous-Paleocene (ca. 65 million years ago). Ammonites were animals of marine origin whose shell was formed by calcium carbonate in the form of aragonite, while the organic part was substantially composed by conchiolina. Ammonites were classified as cephalopods and can be considered as the progenitors of today's squid and cuttlefish. The anatomical parts that you can recognize and observe in fossils of ammonites are mainly: the fragmocon and protoconch, the Chamber of Housing and the peristome.

Rocchette

Malgrado che anche questo insediamento sia in avanzato stato di degrado, conserva tuttavia sufficienti elementi architettonici che danno un quadro d' insieme abbastanza leggibile della funzione dife [...]

Castelvecchio

The village is today very different from what must have appeared in the Middle Ages. Today only some ruins of the fortified village remain, hidden by vegetation. Literature attest it as one of the [...]

Castel Rinaldi

Medieval village built in 1160 by a certain "Rinaldo Duke of Calabria", Castel Rinaldi was part of the fief of the Arnolfi. Constantly part of Guelph, Castel Rinaldi was often the center of infighti [...]

Colpetrazzo

Castle built between 1300 and 1400, it still preserves its medieval structure. Of particular interest is the medieval main door near the small church of San Bernardino. Above the church of San Berna [...]

Mezzanelli

The castle of Mezzanelli has followed the fortunes of the various rulers who handled its political life. Once part of Terre Arnolfe, the castle was cited in documents from 1115 and 1118 (Earls Ridol [...]

Montignano

The origins of the Castle of Montignano date back to 962 when Otto I of Saxony was crowned in Milan as Emperor of Germany and King of  Italy by Pope John XII and he immediately tried to gain the lo [...]

Viepri

The fortified village of Viepri is wrapped in high hills, which ensured defense for centuries and still seem to hide it. Built after 1380 on the ruins of the demolished castle of Monte Schignano, it [...]

Villa San Faustino

The castle of Villa San Faustino was part of the Terre Arnolfe in the tenth and eleventh centuries (mentioned in documents of the abbey of Farfa 1115 and 1118). The castle, connected to the importan [...]

Zampani

In the thirteenth century the village of Zampani and its inhabitants were included in the territory of the Gagliole castle that stood on top of the hill now called Torracio. The castle was destroyed [...]

Castel Rinaldi

Details

Category: Paesi

Medieval village built in 1160 by a certain "Rinaldo Duke of Calabria", Castel Rinaldi was part of the fief of the Arnolfi. Constantly part of Guelph, Castel Rinaldi was often the center of infighting that marked the territory in the Middle Age. In 1311 it was attacked by the Todi Ghibellines which forced it to submission. In the fifteenth century it passed under the rule of the powerful Atti family of Todi. The castle was built on a very instable slope. Indeed, around the first half of 1400 it was damaged by some landslides that greatly reduced the size of the castle. Pope Clemente VII stopped at Castel Rinaldi while he was traveling  Umbria in 1532. Near the castle is located a pagan necropolis covered in greenery and difficult to access.

 Curiosity: The deep religiosity of the population is demonstrated, as stated in a document of 1700, the presence of some burial grounds: "... «…si veggono alcune grotte. Una delle quali era un sepolcreto o un colombario con molte piccole nicchie per le olle cinerarie divise in vari ordini sino a sette l’una sopra l’altra.». (Nessi S., Ceccaroni S., 1978, p.58).  These structures, discovered in substantial numbers on the cliffs that border the Via Flaminia and the stream of Massa Martana, consist of underground rooms of probable funerary use, carved into the rock. They have rows of small niches on the walls, of 20-25 cm. of side and 30 cm deep., and differently shaped according to the location.

They are dated between the second century BC and third centuries A.D.

In Castel Rinaldi columbarium niches are perfectly aligned and have the top slightly arched.

In other columbaria, especially those of the cliff of Massa Martana, the niches are arranged in a checkerboard and are rectangular shape while inside widen with a slight splay of a truncated pyramid.

Today 18 sites have been recognized in different locations (Massa Martana, Caciaro, Ponte and Castel Rinaldi), almost all of the same size: 8-10 meters long, 3-4 meters in height. This sites are difficult to reach because they are covered by vegetation or recovered by sediments.

Probably in the Middle Ages, were used by the inhabitants of Massa Martana, for the breeding of pigeons, as witnessed, for example in Orvieto.

Curiosity: Very close in 1839 was found a funerary “stele” bilingual along the ancient route of the Via Flaminia.

The “stele” is engraved on both sides with inscriptions in Latin and Celtic and refers to the funerary monument of Ategnatus son of Drutus. Now is preserved in the Etruscan Gregorian Museum.

Rocchette

Malgrado che anche questo insediamento sia in avanzato stato di degrado, conserva tuttavia sufficienti elementi architettonici che danno un quadro d' insieme abbastanza leggibile della funzione dife [...]

Castelvecchio

The village is today very different from what must have appeared in the Middle Ages. Today only some ruins of the fortified village remain, hidden by vegetation. Literature attest it as one of the [...]

Castel Rinaldi

Medieval village built in 1160 by a certain "Rinaldo Duke of Calabria", Castel Rinaldi was part of the fief of the Arnolfi. Constantly part of Guelph, Castel Rinaldi was often the center of infighti [...]

Colpetrazzo

Castle built between 1300 and 1400, it still preserves its medieval structure. Of particular interest is the medieval main door near the small church of San Bernardino. Above the church of San Berna [...]

Mezzanelli

The castle of Mezzanelli has followed the fortunes of the various rulers who handled its political life. Once part of Terre Arnolfe, the castle was cited in documents from 1115 and 1118 (Earls Ridol [...]

Montignano

The origins of the Castle of Montignano date back to 962 when Otto I of Saxony was crowned in Milan as Emperor of Germany and King of  Italy by Pope John XII and he immediately tried to gain the lo [...]

Viepri

The fortified village of Viepri is wrapped in high hills, which ensured defense for centuries and still seem to hide it. Built after 1380 on the ruins of the demolished castle of Monte Schignano, it [...]

Villa San Faustino

The castle of Villa San Faustino was part of the Terre Arnolfe in the tenth and eleventh centuries (mentioned in documents of the abbey of Farfa 1115 and 1118). The castle, connected to the importan [...]

Zampani

In the thirteenth century the village of Zampani and its inhabitants were included in the territory of the Gagliole castle that stood on top of the hill now called Torracio. The castle was destroyed [...]

Colpetrazzo

Details

Category: Paesi

Castle built between 1300 and 1400, it still preserves its medieval structure. Of particular interest is the medieval main door near the small church of San Bernardino. Above the church of San Bernardino is situated the ancient hall of the Confraternita del Santissimo Sacramento decorated entirely with a precious cycle of votive frescoes of the 15th and 16th centuries. The church of Santi Giuseppe e Bernardino located outside the castle walls is the actual parish church with some paintings of 1600 attributable to Umbrian painters of the time. The church of Santi Giuseppe e Bernardino was built in the 16th century to replace the oldest church of San Bernardino.

Rocchette

Malgrado che anche questo insediamento sia in avanzato stato di degrado, conserva tuttavia sufficienti elementi architettonici che danno un quadro d' insieme abbastanza leggibile della funzione dife [...]

Castelvecchio

The village is today very different from what must have appeared in the Middle Ages. Today only some ruins of the fortified village remain, hidden by vegetation. Literature attest it as one of the [...]

Castel Rinaldi

Medieval village built in 1160 by a certain "Rinaldo Duke of Calabria", Castel Rinaldi was part of the fief of the Arnolfi. Constantly part of Guelph, Castel Rinaldi was often the center of infighti [...]

Colpetrazzo

Castle built between 1300 and 1400, it still preserves its medieval structure. Of particular interest is the medieval main door near the small church of San Bernardino. Above the church of San Berna [...]

Mezzanelli

The castle of Mezzanelli has followed the fortunes of the various rulers who handled its political life. Once part of Terre Arnolfe, the castle was cited in documents from 1115 and 1118 (Earls Ridol [...]

Montignano

The origins of the Castle of Montignano date back to 962 when Otto I of Saxony was crowned in Milan as Emperor of Germany and King of  Italy by Pope John XII and he immediately tried to gain the lo [...]

Viepri

The fortified village of Viepri is wrapped in high hills, which ensured defense for centuries and still seem to hide it. Built after 1380 on the ruins of the demolished castle of Monte Schignano, it [...]

Villa San Faustino

The castle of Villa San Faustino was part of the Terre Arnolfe in the tenth and eleventh centuries (mentioned in documents of the abbey of Farfa 1115 and 1118). The castle, connected to the importan [...]

Zampani

In the thirteenth century the village of Zampani and its inhabitants were included in the territory of the Gagliole castle that stood on top of the hill now called Torracio. The castle was destroyed [...]

Mezzanelli

Details

Category: Paesi

The castle of Mezzanelli has followed the fortunes of the various rulers who handled its political life. Once part of Terre Arnolfe, the castle was cited in documents from 1115 and 1118 (Earls Ridolfo, Saraceno, Guillelmus, Hugolino, Tebaldo e Bulgarello ceded part of Mezzanelli to abbot Beraldo of Farfa). It later belonged to the Earls of Baschi, then a part passed under the dominion of the Cesi Dukes.

The strategically situated castle was repeatedly attacked by Spoleto and Todi during the conflicts between Guelphs and Ghibellines. It was subsequently destroyed in 1447 and in 1451. In 1467 it was restored with the help of all the inhabitants, who taxed themselves. In 1500 the troops of Pope Alexander VI attacked Mezzanelli and destroyed the fortress.

The remains of the fortress are a stone tower and the perimeter walls. They can be reached by a pleasant walk that goes from the village to the top of the hill.  The church of San Filippo e San Giacomo is in the highest part of the village and preserves a valuable fresco depicting Our Lady of the Rosary.

Holm oak: (Quercus ilex L.1753) is a plant of the family Fagaceae, widespread in the countries of the Mediterranean basin.

The holm oak is generally an evergreen tree with a rarely straight trunk, single or divided at the base, up to a height of 20-25 meters. It can have a bushy appearance when growing in rocky environments.

The bark is smooth and grey when young, but in time it becomes hard and dark, almost blackish, finely cracked in persistent chips almost square in shape.

The young branches are pubescent and grey, but after a short time become leafless and greenish-gray.The buds are small, rounded with a few bud scales.

Bosso

Genus Buxaceae, bushy evergreen shrub, compact branching trees with yellowish branches and wood. The plant is moderately poisonous, usually opposite petiolate or sessile leaves, elliptic, leathery green color more or less dark and shiny, small sessile monoecious flowers, the fruits are leathery capsules with few oblong seeds. It is found naturally on rocky, arid limestone also in Europe, Asia and Africa.

Corbezzolo: The strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L., 1753) is a shrub or a small tree in the family Ericaceae. The fruits ripen during the year following the flowering, in the fall. The plant is then to bear simultaneously flowers and ripe fruit, which makes it a good ornamental tree for the presence of three vivid colors: red fruits, white flowers and green leaves.

Orniello: Fraxinus ornus is a plant of the family Oleaceae (known as Orniello or Ornos, also commonly called manna tree in the production areas of the manna) is a tree or shrub of 4-8 meters high, often reduced to a bush. The trunk is erect, slightly tortuous, with opposite branches ascending with smooth grayish bark, opaque, reddish tomentose buds, and the foliage is made up of large deciduous opposite leaves, imparipinnate, with 5-9 segments (most often 7), whose side measure 5-10 cm, of elliptical or lanceolate appearance, briefly picciolati and one-third of their length wide

The hornbeam: (Ostrya carpinifolia) is a tree of the family Betulaceae. The hornbeam has straight trunk and dense foliage, a bit elongated. Its leaves are oval-shaped, elongated and with the serrated edge, the prime rib is very evident. The fruits are achenes, a bunch of white / green colour. In Italy the hornbeam is located in the middle ranges of hills in sunny positions on average.

The Quercus cerris L. is a deciduous tree belonging to the family Fagaceae. It is a species that tends to develop a crown up to a height of 30-35 m. The oak has dark green leaves with deep lobes from the edge. The trunk has brownish-gray bark with deep reddish grooves. The fruits are acorns of about 2.5 cm in length, characterized by the "cap", partially covered with a “curly hair” of pale yellow.

The Downy Oak: (Quercus pubescens Willd. 1805) is the most widespread species of oak in Italy, so much so that in many places is simply called oak. Belongs to the family Fagaceae. It's resistant to drought and easily recognizable in the winter as it keeps the dry leaves attached to the branches unlike the other species of oak. The main diagnostic character to identify the species is to touch the leaves or buds: they are covered with fine hair that you can easily appreciate. Generally some oak trees were left along the property boundaries so that it's possible in some cases to reconstruct those boundaries by examining the presence of large specimens of the species.

Rocchette

Malgrado che anche questo insediamento sia in avanzato stato di degrado, conserva tuttavia sufficienti elementi architettonici che danno un quadro d' insieme abbastanza leggibile della funzione dife [...]

Castelvecchio

The village is today very different from what must have appeared in the Middle Ages. Today only some ruins of the fortified village remain, hidden by vegetation. Literature attest it as one of the [...]

Castel Rinaldi

Medieval village built in 1160 by a certain "Rinaldo Duke of Calabria", Castel Rinaldi was part of the fief of the Arnolfi. Constantly part of Guelph, Castel Rinaldi was often the center of infighti [...]

Colpetrazzo

Castle built between 1300 and 1400, it still preserves its medieval structure. Of particular interest is the medieval main door near the small church of San Bernardino. Above the church of San Berna [...]

Mezzanelli

The castle of Mezzanelli has followed the fortunes of the various rulers who handled its political life. Once part of Terre Arnolfe, the castle was cited in documents from 1115 and 1118 (Earls Ridol [...]

Montignano

The origins of the Castle of Montignano date back to 962 when Otto I of Saxony was crowned in Milan as Emperor of Germany and King of  Italy by Pope John XII and he immediately tried to gain the lo [...]

Viepri

The fortified village of Viepri is wrapped in high hills, which ensured defense for centuries and still seem to hide it. Built after 1380 on the ruins of the demolished castle of Monte Schignano, it [...]

Villa San Faustino

The castle of Villa San Faustino was part of the Terre Arnolfe in the tenth and eleventh centuries (mentioned in documents of the abbey of Farfa 1115 and 1118). The castle, connected to the importan [...]

Zampani

In the thirteenth century the village of Zampani and its inhabitants were included in the territory of the Gagliole castle that stood on top of the hill now called Torracio. The castle was destroyed [...]

Montignano

Details

Category: Paesi

The origins of the Castle of Montignano date back to 962 when Otto I of Saxony was crowned in Milan as Emperor of Germany and King of  Italy by Pope John XII and he immediately tried to gain the loyalty of feudal lords in central and southern Italy. A part of Umbria was assigned to Count Arnolfo, a German courtier and a relative of the Emperors, as his feudal domain as well as a region, called Arnolfa, which included Montignano. In the early years of the 16th century, the Atti family, feudal lords of the Casigliano Castle, extended their lands right up to the boundaries of Montignano which, until the 15th  century had belonged to the Matalucci family, a family of Guelph lineage, allies and relatives of the Atti family. The Castle was seriously damaged  by the passing of the French troops, and Todi’s municipality administration board deliberated on the 27th August 1577  that the population of Montignano was exempted from paying taxes due to the “damage suffered”. The San Giovanni Church contains a valuable painting of Our Lady of the Rosary by Bartolomeo Barbiani. Just outside the castle are the ruins (the outer walls and the apse semicircular in squared stone) of the ancient church of Santa Degna, documented since the thirteenth century. Of great interest is the large stone sarcophagus located behind the apse.

Curiosity: In 1577 Montignano and the surrounding land were devastated by the passage of some French mercenary troops. After the tragic facts the General Council of Todi decided to exempt the citizens from the payment of duties and taxes for four years!

Rocchette

Malgrado che anche questo insediamento sia in avanzato stato di degrado, conserva tuttavia sufficienti elementi architettonici che danno un quadro d' insieme abbastanza leggibile della funzione dife [...]

Castelvecchio

The village is today very different from what must have appeared in the Middle Ages. Today only some ruins of the fortified village remain, hidden by vegetation. Literature attest it as one of the [...]

Castel Rinaldi

Medieval village built in 1160 by a certain "Rinaldo Duke of Calabria", Castel Rinaldi was part of the fief of the Arnolfi. Constantly part of Guelph, Castel Rinaldi was often the center of infighti [...]

Colpetrazzo

Castle built between 1300 and 1400, it still preserves its medieval structure. Of particular interest is the medieval main door near the small church of San Bernardino. Above the church of San Berna [...]

Mezzanelli

The castle of Mezzanelli has followed the fortunes of the various rulers who handled its political life. Once part of Terre Arnolfe, the castle was cited in documents from 1115 and 1118 (Earls Ridol [...]

Montignano

The origins of the Castle of Montignano date back to 962 when Otto I of Saxony was crowned in Milan as Emperor of Germany and King of  Italy by Pope John XII and he immediately tried to gain the lo [...]

Viepri

The fortified village of Viepri is wrapped in high hills, which ensured defense for centuries and still seem to hide it. Built after 1380 on the ruins of the demolished castle of Monte Schignano, it [...]

Villa San Faustino

The castle of Villa San Faustino was part of the Terre Arnolfe in the tenth and eleventh centuries (mentioned in documents of the abbey of Farfa 1115 and 1118). The castle, connected to the importan [...]

Zampani

In the thirteenth century the village of Zampani and its inhabitants were included in the territory of the Gagliole castle that stood on top of the hill now called Torracio. The castle was destroyed [...]

Viepri

Details

Category: Paesi

The fortified village of Viepri is wrapped in high hills, which ensured defense for centuries and still seem to hide it. Built after 1380 on the ruins of the demolished castle of Monte Schignano, its rule was the subject of a dispute between Todi and Foligno. In 1392 it chose to submit to Ugolino Trinci, lord of Foligno but was finally conquered by Todi. The winners  put their coat of arms, an eagle, above one of the two gates of the castle. They are still well preserved, while only a portion of the medieval walls is visible. Inside the small village is the church of San Giovanni with an interesting frescoes dated 1577(Madonna col bambino tra angeli, Decollazione di San Giovanni Battista and San Rocco).

Rocchette

Malgrado che anche questo insediamento sia in avanzato stato di degrado, conserva tuttavia sufficienti elementi architettonici che danno un quadro d' insieme abbastanza leggibile della funzione dife [...]

Castelvecchio

The village is today very different from what must have appeared in the Middle Ages. Today only some ruins of the fortified village remain, hidden by vegetation. Literature attest it as one of the [...]

Castel Rinaldi

Medieval village built in 1160 by a certain "Rinaldo Duke of Calabria", Castel Rinaldi was part of the fief of the Arnolfi. Constantly part of Guelph, Castel Rinaldi was often the center of infighti [...]

Colpetrazzo

Castle built between 1300 and 1400, it still preserves its medieval structure. Of particular interest is the medieval main door near the small church of San Bernardino. Above the church of San Berna [...]

Mezzanelli

The castle of Mezzanelli has followed the fortunes of the various rulers who handled its political life. Once part of Terre Arnolfe, the castle was cited in documents from 1115 and 1118 (Earls Ridol [...]

Montignano

The origins of the Castle of Montignano date back to 962 when Otto I of Saxony was crowned in Milan as Emperor of Germany and King of  Italy by Pope John XII and he immediately tried to gain the lo [...]

Viepri

The fortified village of Viepri is wrapped in high hills, which ensured defense for centuries and still seem to hide it. Built after 1380 on the ruins of the demolished castle of Monte Schignano, it [...]

Villa San Faustino

The castle of Villa San Faustino was part of the Terre Arnolfe in the tenth and eleventh centuries (mentioned in documents of the abbey of Farfa 1115 and 1118). The castle, connected to the importan [...]

Zampani

In the thirteenth century the village of Zampani and its inhabitants were included in the territory of the Gagliole castle that stood on top of the hill now called Torracio. The castle was destroyed [...]

Villa San Faustino

Details

Category: Paesi

The castle of Villa San Faustino was part of the Terre Arnolfe in the tenth and eleventh centuries (mentioned in documents of the abbey of Farfa 1115 and 1118). The castle, connected to the important parish church of San Faustino, was included in the thirteenth century among the possessions of the county of Todi.

Curiosity: On the day of San Faustino took place a big fair. Therefore in the statute of Todi of the year 1275 was established to send a judge of the "evil spells" with a notary and an armed escort in order to ensure public order of fair. 

Zampani

Details

Category: Paesi

In the thirteenth century the village of Zampani and its inhabitants were included in the territory of the Gagliole castle that stood on top of the hill now called Torracio. The castle was destroyed in 1307, and Zampani became the most important center of the surrounding area and it also acquired the title in official documents. In the land register of 1322, under the name of Villa dei Zampani are included 26 people, many of which are the same or the heirs of those registered in 1290 under the castle of Gagliole.

The inhabitants of Zampani were also organized into Communitas or Universitas of agrarian character and benefited together of the resources of a large portion of land in the mountains behind in term of Calvellis Fagieti and Montosoli.

From the fifteenth century Zampani joined the municipality of Massa and its inhabitants fall into the religious jurisdiction of the parish of San Felice di Massa. In the state of souls compiled in 1639 by the archpriest Don Andrea Boncompagni, are recorded in the village of Zampani 13 families with 66 inhabitants. Zampani is included in the territory of the bare and rocky hill called Rottomario because, according to a well established tradition in Roman times, an armed clash took place during which the followers of Mario were defeated by those of Silla. In fact, the original name was Griptonario, that means "place full of caves". One of these caves is still called Cave of San Felice because tradition has it that the holy Bishop of the City Martana, martyred in 303 AD, withdrew in prayer there. In ancient times, at least until the end of 1500, this event was celebrated with a solemn procession that went from the parish church of San Felice to the cave.

Rocchette

Malgrado che anche questo insediamento sia in avanzato stato di degrado, conserva tuttavia sufficienti elementi architettonici che danno un quadro d' insieme abbastanza leggibile della funzione dife [...]

Castelvecchio

The village is today very different from what must have appeared in the Middle Ages. Today only some ruins of the fortified village remain, hidden by vegetation. Literature attest it as one of the [...]

Castel Rinaldi

Medieval village built in 1160 by a certain "Rinaldo Duke of Calabria", Castel Rinaldi was part of the fief of the Arnolfi. Constantly part of Guelph, Castel Rinaldi was often the center of infighti [...]

Colpetrazzo

Castle built between 1300 and 1400, it still preserves its medieval structure. Of particular interest is the medieval main door near the small church of San Bernardino. Above the church of San Berna [...]

Mezzanelli

The castle of Mezzanelli has followed the fortunes of the various rulers who handled its political life. Once part of Terre Arnolfe, the castle was cited in documents from 1115 and 1118 (Earls Ridol [...]

Montignano

The origins of the Castle of Montignano date back to 962 when Otto I of Saxony was crowned in Milan as Emperor of Germany and King of  Italy by Pope John XII and he immediately tried to gain the lo [...]

Viepri

The fortified village of Viepri is wrapped in high hills, which ensured defense for centuries and still seem to hide it. Built after 1380 on the ruins of the demolished castle of Monte Schignano, it [...]

Villa San Faustino

The castle of Villa San Faustino was part of the Terre Arnolfe in the tenth and eleventh centuries (mentioned in documents of the abbey of Farfa 1115 and 1118). The castle, connected to the importan [...]

Zampani

In the thirteenth century the village of Zampani and its inhabitants were included in the territory of the Gagliole castle that stood on top of the hill now called Torracio. The castle was destroyed [...]