Micigliano is situated at an altitude of approximately 1000 metres above the sea on the slopes of Mount Terminillo and overlooks the Gole del Velino.
Micigliano – photo Facebook @prolocomicigliano
A handful of houses nestle in the shadow of Mount Terminillo, in a picturesque image painted with seasonal colours at high altitudes. Adventurous trekkers can walk an ancient mule track. The path is challenging and wonderfully panoramic, offering views from the summit of Terminillo to the Gole del Velino. It is a connection between Micigliano and the Sella di Leonessa pass at an altitude of 1900 metres, ascending the slopes of Mount Valloni and Mount Elefante, both at an altitude of 2000 metres.
Church of San Lorenzo martire – photo www.comune.micigliano.ri.it
The Church of San Lorenzo Martire has a curious history. It is said that Micigliano’s wheat crops were devastated by a strong storm. The inhabitants begged the help of San Lorenzo. His feast was to be celebrated shortly, and miraculously, the entire harvest was saved on a hill above the village. This is how San Lorenzo became the Patron of Micigliano and the Church of San Lorenzo Martire was built on the spot saved from the storm. It is a tiny sacred place with a single nave, with a fresco behind the altar depicting the deacon Lorenzo holding the grill, a symbol of martyrdom.
Abbazia di SS Quirico e Giulitta
Along the Via Salaria you can admire the Abbey of SS. Quirico and Giulitta, adjacent to the banks of the Velino River. The monastery was founded in the first half of the 10th century by the Benedictines, but the first certain records of its existence date back to 984. Its exterior still has the ancient fortified structure with touches of Romanesque architecture. The whole complex is surrounded by a quadrangular wall, with the imposing bell tower rising in the centre. The bell tower was once used as a watchtower, as evidenced by the loopholes on its southeast side facing the entrance gate.
A still-living tradition is the Pasquarella miciglianese. On January 5th, local singers wear the traditional costumes and go from house to house singing ancient folk songs, passed down from generation to generation, accompanied by organetto and tambourines players. The origin of the festival is lost in the mists of time. It is said to be a representation of the shepherds of the nativity announcing the birth of Jesus, anticipating the arrival of the Three Wise Men.
At the end of the songs, the focus turns to the Pupazza, a papier-mâché Befana covered in fireworks resembling a bonfire. It is said that, like Santa Claus, the Befana enters homes through the chimney to put coal in the stockings of naughty children. In modern times, it has come to be seen as a punishment, but originally, coal was a positive symbol of the bonfire ritual. After the fire is extinguished, only coal and ashes remain, symbols of renewal. Therefore, even today, large puppets representing the Befana are burned in squares to ward off troubles and malevolence.
Micigliano truffle
The agricultural and pastoral environment is closely linked to traditions, which relive in popular festivals, such as the Truffle Festival in July, the Chestnut Festival on the last Sunday of October. and the Feast in honor of Patron Saint Lorenzo Martire ends with the Mountain Festival and the August Barbecue.
Civic Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions photo www.comune.micigliano.ri.it
Among the genuine products of the land, truffles and chestnuts, mushrooms, and cheeses stand out. The Civic Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions tells stories of farmers and shepherds as visitors stroll among over six hundred tools and furniture items from rural and artisanal life in Micigliano. The woodcutter, the blacksmith, and the carpenter are portrayed in the exhibition of objects, reconstructions of corners of the house, and historical photographs depicting work scenes, family portraits, patronal festivals, testifying to the various aspects of Micigliano’s economic and social life.