The municipality of Bassiano is a village in the province of Latina surrounded by the Lepini mountains and lush forests. We are in one of the villages along the route of the Southern Via Francigena, on the Appia Pedemontana route. Bassiano has been flying the Orange Flag since 2018, a tourist-environmental quality mark awarded by the Touring Club Italiano.
The spiral structure of the village of Bassiano is bounded by the majestic fortified walls, built by the Caetani family at the end of the 13th century with nine towers and three gates. The imposing walls formed the most advanced part of the defensive military structure that entirely envelops the historic core.
Once through the walls, one is fascinated by the characteristic urban fabric made up of winding alleyways, accompanied by cross streets and connected by narrow steps leading up to the top. Here, the Chiesa Collegiata di S. Erasmo, the 14th-century temple preserving several important frescoes and a precious marble tabernacle from the 16th century, and the 13th-century Church of St Nicholas await us.
Museo delle Scritture Aldo Manuzio photo www.comune.bassiano.lt.it
Continue to the Palazzo Baronale dei Caetani, currently home to the Town Hall, whose lower floors house the Museo delle Scritture , dedicated to Aldo Manuzio il Vecchio (1449-1515). He was an eminent humanist, inventor of the new printing type and pocket books, a great typographer and publisher. Bassiano was the birthplace of Aldo Manuzio in the house in the street that bears his name, near the Arco delle Anime Sante. The museum displays the collection of his works in a historical and anthropological path of writing forms. From the ancient forms of written communication to the contemporary technological revolutions, in the three rooms we follow a historical path called the Fiume delle Scritture (River of Scripture). The focus on local marginal writings (of shepherds, graphitism) is very interesting.
Grotta di Selvascura – Gesù e i Quattro Santi
Bassiano was also the birthplace of Fra’ Vincenzo Pietrosanti, the artist who in 1673 created the wooden sculpture in the Santuario del Crocifisso in Selvascura, about 3 kilometres from Bassiano. It is said that he dedicated himself to sculpting crucifixes only after a period of fasting, prayer and flagellation so as to create works full of feeling and spirituality. The Grotta di Selvascura is a more unique than rare place where mysticism and nature come together. It is also known as the Grotta dei Templari (Cave of the Templars). It is located beneath Monte Furchiavecchia. The contrast between the dripping stalactites, rocky overhangs and artwork makes the place unique.
Selvascura or Templar Cave
Towards the end of the 14th century, two groups of religious people reached the Grotta di Selvascura at different times: the Franciscan spiritual Fraticelli and the Cavalieri Templari. Not far away is the Abbey of Valvisciolo, one of the most iconic supposed ‘Templar sites’ in Italy. It was from there that members of the monastic-knightly order would move to the more hidden location of Selvascura. The monks completely frescoed the cave, making it a magical place. At the end of the 1970s, the last hermit in this sanctuary died. Since then, its primary function as a hermitage came to an end, but it is still possible to visit it to admire its beauty.
A product of excellence of the area is the delicious Prosciutto di Bassiano. It is a ham flavoured with garlic, pepper and white wine. It is characterised by a long maturation and a trimming of the rind down to the stem. Taste it in abundance at the Sagra del Prosciutto di Bassiano, its Festival on the last Sunday in July.