The municipality of Bassano Romano is located halfway between Lake Bracciano and Lake Vico. The village owes its urban and artistic prosperity to the Giustiniani family, who owned the fiefdom.
The Palazzo Giustiniani is an ancient castle turned into a noble residence between the 16th and 17th centuries. Inside the Palace, the halls are decorated with splendid frescoes by great artists such as Francesco Albani and Antonio Tempesta, and the dressing room is the work of Domenichino. Outside the Palace, the flyover leads to the 40-hectare park and its hunting lodge.
The Church of San Vincenzo Martire stands on a panoramic hill. Marquis Vincenzo Giustiniani wanted it as his family mausoleum. In the church is the prestigious statue of the “Cristo Portacroce”. Michelangelo left this statue unfinished when he discovered a black vein in the marble of the cheek while sculpting it. It is said that Vincenzo Giustiniani bought it and had it completed by the young Gian Lorenzo Bernini. It was transferred to Bassano Romano in 1644 by his nephew Andrea.
In Bassano Romano, visit the churches Madonna dell’Ospedale, Madonna del Canale, Santa Maria dei Monti, Sant’Angelo, San Giovanni and the two Oratories.
Among the most evocative popular events in Bassano Romano are the Summer Carnival, which takes place on 14 August, and the Mercatini del Seicento, the historical re-enactment dedicated to the Giustiniani family that takes place over two weekends in mid-July. The festival evokes moments of seventeenth-century life with the sumptuous parades of figures in period costumes, accompanied by music and jesters.