Filacciano, a medieval village of Roman origins, owes its name to the emperor Felicianus, who built Castrum, on which ruins the current castle is standing now.
Filacciano nestled in the Tiber Valley
The village stretches along a single road, Via Filocastello, and hosts, in its historical centre, the Palazzo dei Principi Del Drago, from where it is possible to enjoy an extraordinary view of the Tiber Valley. Another attraction of Filacciano is the small Romanesque church of Sant’Egidio, which houses an impressive, well-preserved cycle of thirteenth-century frescoes depicting the Enthroned Madonna with the Saints and the blessing Christ.
The most recent part of Filacciano, characterized by low, aligned buildings and crossed by a road leading to the beautiful rectangular central square, dates back to the sixteenth-seventeenth centuries.
A scene from the movie 8 ½ shot by Federico Fellini in Filacciano – Photo by FB Ente Valorizzazione Filacciano – Pro Loco
Several scenes from Federico Fellini’s Oscar-winning movie 8 ½ were filmed in 1963 right in front of the Palazzo del Drago, with Claudia Cardinale and Marcello Mastroianni driving the iconic Giulietta Spider. A plaque installed by the municipality commemorates this legendary event. But Filacciano’s deep connection with cinema is still present today. In fact, the village periodically hosts cultural initiatives, such as “Cinema in Piazza”, organized by the local associazione Pro Loco.
The procession during the Patronal Festival of Sant’Egidio in Filacciano – Photo by FB Ente Valorizzazione Filacciano – Pro Loco
Other renowned events also attract numerous visitors, like the Feast of the patron saint Sant’Egidio, celebrated in early September. On this occasion, the solemn procession of the Confraternities in period costume arrives at the church dedicated to the saint, and then the feast continues with tastings and live music in Piazza Umberto I.
The evocative flower display during Corpus Christi in Filacciano – FB photo by Ente Valorizzazione Filacciano – Pro Loco
Other very important celebrations are the Broad Bean and Pecorino Cheese Festival held in May, the evocative flower display during Corpus Christi in June, and the Fettuccine Festival in August.