Torricella in Sabina is a small village on the third stage of St. Francis Way, which connects Rieti to Poggio San Lorenzo. The Way of St. Francis is part of the Rete dei Cammini del Lazio.
Torricella in Sabina – www.comune.torricellainsabina.ri.it
The name probably derives from Turris Celiae, the tower where Countess Celia is said to have been imprisoned and let die of starvation. Probably built before the tenth century, the Castle of Torricella in Sabina was donated in part in 1466 by Francesco Brancaleoni to Gabriele Cesarini, son of Orso and Simodea.
Torricella in Sabina – www.comune.torricellainsabina.ri.it
The village main attractions are, the Cannone, a relic from World War II, the Church of San Giovanni Battista with its bell tower, and the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, dating back to 1100. Passing through an arch, we reach the ancient part of Torricella in Sabina. In the main square, Capacroce, stands a fountain from 1904 and the small Church of Sant’Antonio. Summer festivals and fairs are held in the square and in the municipal gardens, known as Carampone.
The Palio degli Orsini in Ornaro Alto – Facebook @ProLocoOlivetoSabino
The medieval hamlet of Ornaro, located on the top of a hill, boasts a beautiful small square called Piazza della Rocca, dominated by the Castle. The latter belonged at first to the Brancaleone Family, then to the Orsini, and finally passed into the hands of the Apostolic Chamber. In mid-July, Ornaro Alto hosts the Palio degli Orsini, a competition among the three districts of Torricella in Sabina. Worth a visit is the small medieval church dedicated to the patron saint, Sant’Antonino Martire, with its beautiful apse decorated with fifteenth-century frescoes of the Roman school and its altar with a carved stone base, once the forty-second milestone of the ancient Via Salaria.
The arch in Torricella in Sabina – www.comune.torricellainsabina.ri.it
The hamlet of Ornaro Basso was founded in 1960 on the spot where an important fair was held. At that time, only one tavern existed there. The Ponte Sambuco, erected two thousand years ago by the Ancient Romans, is an integral part of the old Via del Sale. Approximately 100 metres long, it was built entirely with big stone blocks.
The Church of Santa Prassede in Oliveto Sabino – Facebook @ProLocoOlivetoSabino
The hamlet of Oliveto Sabino lies on the ruins of Trebula Mutuesca, the area inhabited by the Trebulani and Mutuesci Families in Roman times. The rock church of Santa Prassede al Fosso was erected in the late 1600s, in honour of the Holy Virgin, who is said to have appeared to two Olivetan women and put an end to their disputes over their bread rations.
The small Church of Santa Prassede in Oliveto Sabino – Facebook @ProLocoOlivetoSabino
On the spot, a small rock church was built in honour of the Virgin, which has been welcoming many pilgrims since then. Surrounded by greenery, the place of cult preserves a 1696 fresco depicting the Virgin, Saint Barbara, patron saint of the Diocese of Rieti, and Saint Prassede, patron saint of Oliveto, the latter celebrated with a religious festival in July 21 and at the first Sunday in September.
The Lighting of the Gnommero in Oliveto Sabino – Facebook @ProLocoOlivetoSabino
In Oliveto Sabino, on December 2, the evocative, Christmas tree called Gnommero in its forest of gnommerini is lit up. In local dialect, this word refers to a ball of wool made by our grandmothers from discarded garments. The tree consists of a crocheted patchwork supported by a structure up to four meters of diameter at the base. The event is an opportunity for visitors to taste the new oil from the ancient Oliveto Mill, accompanied by typical local products.
The Vertuti Festival in Oliveto Sabino – Facebook @ProLocoOlivetoSabino
At the end of May, the Vertuti Festival is celebrated. This delicious spring soup, typical of Oliveto Sabino, is prepared with legumes and grains (beans, chickpeas, broad beans, wheat, and corn) then flavoured with wild thyme leaves, seasoned with the renowned olive oil from Sabina, and finally sprinkled with pecorino cheese.
The Fried Pizza Festival in Oliveto Sabino – Facebook @ProLocoOlivetoSabino
At the beginning of July, Piazza della Croce in Oliveto Sabino hosts the Fried Pizza Festival, a typical product of Sabina made with soft wheat flour, natural yeast, water, and salt. Fried in olive oil, it is served with ham, salami, or pork loin. Its sweet version is simple and sprinkled with sugar.