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All images © by Roberto Piperno, owner of the domain. Write to romapip@quipo.it. Text edited by Rosamie Moore.

To the Italian visitors of my web site

In and About Viterbo Vitorchiano

Many little towns of Central Italy were built on sites chosen because they were easily defensible: the area around Viterbo is made of tuffaceous rock which is often cut even by small streams and this fact was exploited to found towns in very inaccessible locations. Vitorchiano a town a few miles from Viterbo is protected by two deep ravines which allow access to the town only through a short stretch of land. Thus there is only one gate in the medieval walls which protect Vitorchiano.

Main gate and walls
Main gate and walls of Vitorchiano

The view of Vitorchiano from the other side of the ravine is impressive and it shows how the available space was fully exploited by building houses on the very edge of the precipice.

The ravine protecting Vitorchiano
The ravine protecting Vitorchiano

Vitorchiano was at first an Etruscan town and later on became a Roman colony: what now is the Palazzo Comunale was the limit of the Roman castrum. In the early XIIIth century Vitorchiano sided with Rome against Viterbo and for this reason it was named la Fedele (the Faithful) and its citizens were given the honour to mount guard over the Capitol. This explains the inscription above the windows of Palazzo Comunale (SUMMA FIDELITAS) and above its entrance (SENATus POPulus Que ROManorum). In the picture here below (and in the background of this page) you can also see the main fountain of Vitorchiano which has a spindle shape which is typical of the fountains of Viterbo.

Palazzo comunale
Palazzo Comunale

Vitorchiano retains an intact texture of medieval streets and houses, which very often have a short flight of steps leading to the upper floor.

Typical houses
Typical houses with outside steps leading to the upper floor

The only non-medieval thing to see in Vitorchiano is the baroque urn with the body of S. Amanzio. For more baroque angels click here.

The only baroque memory in Vitorchiano
The only baroque memory in Vitorchiano



In and about Viterbo - other pages:
Viterbo
Bagnaia
Bagnoregio
Bomarzo
Orte and Vasanello
S. Maria della Querce
S. Martino al Cimino
Tuscania

Pages on towns of Latium other than Rome In the Duchy of Castro: Farnese, Ischia di Castro, Valentano, Gradoli, Capodimonte, Marta In Maremma: Corneto (Tarquinia), Montalto, Canino A Pilgrim's Way: Via Francigena: Acquapendente, Bolsena, Montefiascone In and about Viterbo: Viterbo, Bagnoregio, S. Martino al Cimino, Tuscania, Bomarzo, S. Maria della Querce, Bagnaia, Orte, Vasanello, Vitorchiano From Civitavecchia to Civita Castellana: Civitavecchia, Tolfa, Allumiere, Oriolo Romano, Capranica, Sutri, Bassano, Monterosi, Nepi, Castel d'Elia, Civita Castellana From Bracciano to Viterbo: Manziana, Canale Monterano, Vejano, Barbarano, Blera, Vetralla Around Monte Cimino: Ronciglione, Caprarola, Carbognano, Fabrica, Corchiano, Vignanello, Vallerano, Soriano The Bracciano Lake: Bracciano, Trevignano, Anguillara At the foot of Monte Soratte: S. Oreste, Rignano, Faleria Land of the Romans' wives: Montopoli, Poggio Mirteto, Casperia, Cantalupo, Roccantica Sentinels on the Highway: Fiano Romano, Civitella S. Paolo, Nazzano, Torrita Tiberina, Filacciano, Ponzano Along Via Aurelia: Palidoro, Palo, S. Severa and S. Marinella A Walk to Malborghetto: Prima Porta, Malborghetto Branching off Via Cassia: S. Maria di Galeria, Formello, Isola Farnese To Nomentum and beyond: Mentana, Monterotondo, Palombara A Walk to Ponte di Nona: ancient monuments along Via Prenestina Via Appia Antica A short and delicious digression: Tivoli, Montecompatri, Monte Porzio Catone, Frascati, Grottaferrata, Marino, Castelgandolfo, Albano, Ariccia, Genzano, Velletri, Nemi, Rocca di Papa, Rocca Priora, Civita Lavinia (Lanuvio), Porto, Ostia Where the painters found their models: Anticoli Corrado, Castelmadama, Vicovaro, Arsoli Subiaco The Roman Campagna: Palestrina, Genazzano, Paliano, Anagni The Ernici Mountains: Ferentino, Alatri The Volsci Mountains: Valmontone, Colonna, Segni, Norma, Cori On the Latin Shores: Anzio, Nettuno, Torre Astura On the edge of the marsh: Sermoneta, Sezze, Priverno Circe's Cape: S. Felice, Terracina Veroli Branching off Via Flaminia: Riano, Castelnuovo di Porto, Morlupo, Leprignano (Capena)

Latium was enlarged in the 1920s with territories from the neighbouring regions: the map on the left shows the current borders of Latium; the map on the right has links to pages covering towns of historical Latium: in order to see them you must hover and click on the dots.