Looking at the municipality of Casape from afar, it appears similar to the image of a honeycomb. The small medieval village is perched around the Castello Baronale (Baronial Castle) on a spur of the Prenestini Mountains.
The ancient origins of Casape date back to the beginning of the Roman Empire when General Gneo Domizio Corbulone had his villa built here. The agricultural centre Casa Corbuli later arose here. Many powerful Roman patrician families fought over the centre. Thus it passed from the Orsini to the Colonna and then to the Barberini. In 1655 it was sold to Cardinal Pio of Savoy and took the name ‘Casa dei Pio’.
In the 16th century a plague epidemic devastated San Gregorio da Sassola, sparing Casa dei Pio. It is said that this miraculous event occurred when tears suddenly flowed from an image of the Madonna. Even today, the shrine with the effigy is venerated in the chapel of the miraculous Madonna della Piazzetta.
Among the typical local dishes of Casape, try the ‘zazicchie co’ ju sarapujiu’ (sausages with wild thyme) and the ‘facioli co’ i zampitti ‘e porco’ (beans with pork rinds). Among the desserts, enjoy the typical ‘tozzotti’ and ciambelle con l’anice (doughnuts with aniseed).