The village of Castel Sant’Elia sits on a tuff plateau on the eastern side of the Suppetonia Valley. Its name derives from the ancient monastery of Sant’Elia.
An amazing site is the Sanctuary of Maria Santissima ad Rupes excavated in the tuff and reachable via a snug step pathway with 144 steps , carved by the hermit Giuseppe Rodio in the late 18th century. There is a Holy Cave inside this minor basilica, where a painting of the Virgin and Child is worshipped. The caretaker’s house, near the Cave, houses a small museum which displays sacred vestments dating from 1100 to 1300.
The Romanesque Basilica of Sant’Elia, from which the village takes its name, has been overlooking the valley below since the 17th century. The story goes that the Basilica of Sant’Elia was built on the site of a temple consecrated to Diana built by Nero. The road to this artistic treasure is known as the “Strada dei Santi” (the saints road). Constructed over a pre-existing Benedictine monastery, the basilica has a beautifully-ornate facade and houses two highly-valuable elements: the pulpit, assembled in 1100 with the remains of the presbytery enclosure dating from the 18th and 19th century, and the fine ciborium on the main altar.
The patron saint, Saint Anastasium, is celebrated on 3 September. The important events are the Beer Festival in early August; the Village Festival, held during the last weekend of June and on the first of July, featuring historical pageants and games played in the square; and the Mini–Marathon of the 3 Townships, at the end of January, run against the spectacular background of the Cimini Mountains and the Soratte Mountain.