Onano, small village in Tuscia is located on the Volsini Mountains, on the border between Lazio and Tuscany, just a few kilometres from Lake Bolsena and the natural reserve: charming medieval alleys and squares frame the old town dominated by the fabulous Palazzo dei Monaldeschi della Cervara, now the Town Hall.
Its origins are very ancient, dating back to prehistoric times: the village was inhabited by the Umbrians, the Etruscans, and the Romans, and during the medieval and Renaissance periods, the construction of the imposing quadrangular fortress of Palazzo Madama and the Rocca began.
Known as the land of “lentils,” Onano is also characterized by nature, meadows, woods, paths, and vast green expanses, with beautiful itineraries in the Rocche Monaldesche.
In Romanesque style, the Church of Madonna delle Grazie preserves frescoes from the Sienese school.
Among the monuments of historical and artistic interest are the Church of Santa Croce, bombed in 1944, the Church of Santa Maria della Concezione, the Church of Madonna delle Grazie, and the splendid Palazzo Madama.
In the 19th century, Lina Cavalieri, the “most beautiful woman in the world,” lived in Onano, renowned in Italy and abroad for her songs.
D’Annunzio dedicated a copy of “Il Piacere” to her, defining her as “the greatest testimony of Venus on Earth“.
A typical dish of the village is Onano lentils with sausages.
Excellent also the potatoes of Alto Viterbese used for gnocchi and biscuit San’Antonio, a sweet bread in the form of braid made on the basis of ancient local recipes, to be enjoyed with the excellent wines Colli Etruschi Viterbesi or Tuscia DOC.