Vallepietra lies in the heart of the Simbruini Mountains Regional Natural Park, surrounded by high mountains and dense forests. The village’s main attractions are the Medieval Tower and the Sanctuary of the Santissima Trinità.
The Medieval Tower
Since the mid-1000s, the history of Vallepietra has been closely linked to several noble families from Anagni: the Astalli, the Troili, and the Caetani, who erected the Medieval Tower which stands on the main square.
The Sanctuary of the Santissima Trinità – comunevallepietra.it
The fifth-century Sanctuary of the Santissima Trinità is partially carved into the rock face of Monte Autore at 1,300 metres ASL, above the source of the Simbrivio River. It was probably a Neolithic rock settlement and an ancient place of worship.
The Sanctuary of the Santissima Trinità – comunevallepietra.it
According to legend, a farmer, whose oxen and plough had fallen into a ravine, reached the base of the rock face and saw the animals in a cave kneeling before a mysterious painting of the Trinity.
A parchment mentions two men from Ravenna who reached Monte Autore to escape Nero’s persecution. Here, an angel and the apostles Peter and John comforted them, brought food and made spring bloom. The following day the Holy Trinity appeared and blessed Monte Autore.
The Sanctuary of the Santissima Trinità, the fresco of the Trinity
The Chapel of the Sanctuary preserves a fresco of the Blessing Trinity, venerated by pilgrims, especially on the Sunday after Pentecost and, among other works, the Annunciation, the Nativity, the Adoration of the Magi, and the Presentation at the Temple. The Sanctuary is open from May 1 to October 31.
Noteworthy in the historic centre of Vallepietra is the Civic Museum, whose four exhibition rooms lead visitors through a historical and religious journey, displaying old photographs of Vallepietra, sacred relics from the Church of San Giovanni Evangelista telling the stories of noble families, and several votive offerings. In the adjacent Documentation Centre, we can find films and photos and watch a documentary about the Sanctuary.
The Vallepietra Sports Museum, inaugurated in 2025, displays numerous memorabilia from timeless stories, emotions, and great Italian and international champions, such as the autographed jersey of the Argentine world champion Lionel Messi.
The Fagiolone from Vallepietra
Among the typical products of Vallepietra is the Slow Food Presidium known as Ciavattone, or Fagiolone bean, whose cultivation dates back to the Spanish domination of the sixteenth century. It grows thanks to the unique microclimate, created by the hills surrounding the area and the abundant presence of water. In fact, the seven streams that flow from the mountains form the largest spring basin in Europe. The Fagiolone bean is served plain with oil and onions or seasoned with sausage sauce and pork rind, and it is often used as an ingredient for soups and salads. A festival in mid-November is dedicated to this pulse, a climbing variety traditionally cultivated together with the Agostinella corn.
This local variety is so called because it is harvested in late summer and then ground in the small Vallepietra watermill to obtain polenta flour. This Slow Food Presidium is also employed to produce the Agostinella beer.