The village of Castrocielo in Ciociaria takes its name from the Castle of Castrum Coeli, whose ruins on Mount Cairo still exist. The main attractions of this small town are the Monacato of Villa Eucheria and the Ancient Aquinum.
Castrum Coeli Castle – www.visitcastrocielo.it
Founded by the Benedictine Abbot Mansone in 996, Castrum Coeli was immediately abandoned due to drought and then repopulated. It now sits further down the slope, with its Castle overlooking Mount Asprano and dominating the Liri Valley.
Castrum Coeli Castle – www.visitcastrocielo.it
The remains of the imposing Castle of Castrocielo (part of the fortress and its towers), which once also ruled Aquino and Roccasecca, have recently been restored.
The Church of Santa Lucia – www.visitcastrocielo.it
The picturesque historic centre has developed around the sixteenth-century Church of Santa Lucia, built according to the Renaissance style, with three naves and no dome. The Church preserves two nineteenth-century works by Alfonso Simonetti, a painter of Neapolitan origins, depicting Santa Lucia Virgin and Martyr before and after the torture.
Palio delle Contrade – Facebook @paliodicastrocielo
At the end of July, the three-day celebration “Palio delle Contrade” is held throughout the streets and squares of Castrocielo. After the blessing of the Gonfalons in the Church of Santa Lucia, a torchlight procession starts parading. During the event, traditional games are also organized: the stroncone (the sawing of a trunk), the tug of war, the scoccia pignate (piñata game), sack races and the running with the cannata, a pot placed on the head of the competitors. The winning District will carry the statue of San Rocco in procession.
The Church of the Madonna dei Sette Dolori, Madonna statue – www.visitcastrocielo.it
The territory of Castrocielo is crossed by the stream Le Forme of Aquino, which flows into the charming Lake of Capodacqua. Reflected on the Lake, it is possible to admire the Romanesque Church of the Madonna dei Sette Dolori, or Madonna del Pianto, whose restoration took place in the eighteenth-century with the creation of three additional Baroque altars. Unfortunately, during the Second World War, the frescoes of the Church were badly damaged.
Monacato of Villa Eucheria – www.retedimorestorichelazio.it
The Monacato of Villa Eucheria, once hosting the Benedictine nuns of Santa Maria in Palazzolo and Santa Maria dei Sette Dolori, is still a peaceful place, where to breathe a spiritual atmosphere. Its Criptoporticus belongs to the “Rete delle Dimore Storiche del Lazio”.
Monacato of Villa Eucheria – www.retedimorestorichelazio.it
The complex, whose internal courtyard houses a Roman cistern, was built on the foundations of a large Roman Republican Villa on the slopes of Mount Cairo. The Monacato was donated to the Municipality of Castrocielo by the Turco and Abate Families.
Monacato of Villa Eucheria, Cryptoporticus – www.retedimorestorichelazio.it
Today, the Monastery and the adjacent green area surrounded by polygonal walls, hosts concerts, conferences, exhibitions and civil weddings.
Archaeological Area of Aquinum, apsidal building – www.visitcastrocielo.it
At the foot of Mount Cairo, lies the archaeological area of Aquinum, a Roman colony at the time of Octavian, Mark Antony and Lepidus. Its complex defensive system consisted in a combination of natural and artificial defences.
The living Jesus’ Passion in Castrocielo – photo www.prolococastrocielo.it
The living Jesus’ Passion of Castrocielo has been staged on Good Friday, for over forty years. The itinerant re-enactment includes about thirty scenes, accompanied by comments and sound effects. Two hundred and fifty figures recall four crucial moments of Jesus’ last hours: the Last Supper, the Olive Garden, the Trial and the Crucifixion.
The Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo – www.visitcastrocielo.it
Easter Monday is dedicated to the ancient tradition of the kiss between the two Madonnas of Castrocielo and Colle San Magno. Two processions, each one starting from the Town Halls of the two villages, reach, at dawn, the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunta, where the two statues of the Virgin kiss each other.
The kiss between the two Madonnas of Castrocielo and Colle San Magno on Easter Monday
The event is celebrated as a sign of harmony and brotherhood between the two communities. After the sacred functions, a rich breakfast is prepared; it consists of Pigne Pasquali (ring cakes with raisins, candied fruit, vanilla, cinnamon and anise), hard-boiled eggs, salami and wine.
Peperone Cornetto
The typical product of Lower Ciociaria is the Peperone Cornetto di Pontecorvo DOP, perfect sweet and sour on crispy croutons.