Montenero Sabino is a fairytale medieval village spectacularly stretching on a spur surrounded by green forests to be explored in every season. It is accessible via a single road, which connects the lower church to the imposing castle at its upper end.
Montenero Sabino, the church and the castle – Photo by FB I BorghidItalia, photo by @Valentino_Ligori
Montenero Sabino probably owes its name not only to the dense, dark oak and holm hoak woods, but also to the presence of black flint, the stone widely used from prehistoric times until the early twentieth century for the manufacture of fire strikers and firearms.
Le due file di case disposte ai lati di un’unica strada a Montenero Sabino – Ph @prolocomontenerosabino.com/The two rows of houses lining a single street in Montenero Sabino – Photo @prolocomontenerosabino.com/
The entire village consists of a double row of houses lining the approximately 300-metre-long Via Roma.
Worth of interest is the Church of San Cataldo Vescovo, renovated in 1735, which features Baroque stuccoes and frescoes, and a nineteenth-century wooden sculpture of the Madonna, called by the locals Our Lady of Maternity, due to her gentle facial features.
The Orsini Castle in Montenero Sabino
Not to be missed is the medieval castle located in the upper part of the village, a military fortress transformed into a residence by the Orsini Family, who added to the building an elegant crenellation, a monumental double staircase, a portal, two circular towers, and various residential structures. From the castle, it is possible to enjoy a wonderful view of the village and the green countryside.
On Corpus Christi Day, Montenero Sabino hosts the Infiorata Festival, which sees young and elderly artists creating mosaics along Via Roma and in Piazza del Municipio, using flowers, wild herbs, paints, and other materials.
The Guitar and Cellar Festival dedicated to singer-songwriters in Montenero Sabino
Another most awaited event is the Chitarre e Cantine Festival, dedicated to the most famous Italian singer-songwriters, an evocative journey though music and flavours attracting a great audience every year and offering food stands and live concerts in the main square.
Other important initiatives are the Festival of the Maccheroni a Fezze, handmade pasta seasoned with pesto or meat sauce, which takes place in July, and the Feast of San Cataldo Vescovo, the patron saint of Montenero Sabino, held in August.