Orvinio Orvinio, among the Borghi più Belli d’Italia, the ranking of the “Most Beautiful Villages in Italy”, is a palette of colours, where a wild orchid garden, green medicinal herbs, and white paving stones perfectly mix with each other. In the quietness of the Parco Naturale dei Monti Lucretili , it is possible to enjoy silent walks and bicycle or horseback excursions, or to undertake pilgrimages along the Cammino di San Benedetto.
Castello Malvezzi Campeggi in Orvinio
After crossing the ancient arch in piazza Garibaldi, we enter the medieval village of Orvinio, which lies at the top of a hill, culminating in the Baronial Castle of the Marquises Malvezzi-Campeggi, with its crenellated walls and cylindrical keep. A centennial property of the Benedictine Monks of Santa Maria del Piano, the Fortress became, in the sixteenth century, a fiefdom of the Orsini Family and, subsequently, of the Muti Dukes. In 1625, it was acquired by the Borghese Family and, in the nineteenth century, by the Papal State, being elected as the Government Seat.
Abbey of Santa Maria del Piano – www.parchilazio.it
Orvinio preserves ancient churches from the 1500s and the interesting remains of the medieval Abbey of Santa Maria del Piano, which include the walls, the bell tower, and the façade. The latter is decorated, on its cantilevers, with eagles supporting the ring above the window. It is said that the church was commissioned by Charlemagne, to thank the providence for the victory against the Saracens in 817.
Church of Santa Maria dei Raccomandati in Orvinio
Orvinio is the birthplace of the renowned seventeenth-century painter Vincenzo Manenti. Many of his frescoes can be admired in the Church of Santa Maria dei Raccomandati, connected by the Scalinata del Borgo to the historic centre. The single nave church peeps out from above, creating an impressive scenographic effect. On the canvas depicting San Francesco with the stigmata, the artist portrayed himself in the guise of the Pope.
In ancient times, Orvinio was called Canemorto. According to legend, a cruel tyrant once oppressed its inhabitants and, at his death, they all rejoiced and exclaimed, “The Dog is dead!”. In the summer of 1872, meteor fragments fell near Orvinio. One of the largest ones is preserved in the Museo Mineralogico dell’Università La Sapienza di Roma, under the name “Orvinite”.
Orvinio has joined the “Borghi Narranti” project, a journey through time and space guided by native villagers. Through the stories of the elderly people, ancient local traditions and crafts are brought back to life. Thanks to the QR codes on the fifty artistic tiles, we can listen to the tales, directly on the spot where the narrated stories took place.
The Cecamariti – Facebook @prolocodiorvinio
Among the local specialities, do not forget the Aglione, a tomato sauce prepared by sautéing two cloves of garlic and a chilli pepper in plenty of olive oil. This sauce is the perfect seasoning for the Cecamariti (husband blinders), a dish said to provide an alibi for adulterous wives. Easy and quick to prepare, it deceived husbands, who believed their wives had spent the whole day in the kitchen. At the beginning of July, a festival is dedicated to this peculiar wheat and corn pasta. A typical food is also the Polentone, celebrated with two annual events. During the Pizzillu Festival, held in winter, a special durum wheat pizza is cooked under the coppo (tile) and accompanied by sausages and wild chicory. The Polenta Festival, however, takes place in summer and, in autumn, Enorvinio, the event dedicated to the best local and Italian wines and beers, is organised.
During the Orvinio Cinema Festival, the annual event scheduled for the end of July, twelve Italian and foreign movies and short films are screened. Furthermore, interviews with prestigious guests and debates with conductors are held. During the last evening ceremony, the three winning films will be awarded.