Français
Italiano
EspañolPlaces of the Soul Itineraries
Places of the Soul
Subiaco
44 ml East of Rome
We are in the high Aniene Valley (the second river of Rome affluent of the Tiber) around 1300ft above the sea level. The Sublicense Valley strikes us with the wild vegetation and the abundance of water (The Simbruini Mountain from the Latin "sub umbribus" which means below the rain). This place was chosen by St. Benedict of Norcia as a place for reflections and prayer. Here he founded 13 coenobium where the friars where living. Only one is left devoted to St. Sylvestre and now dedicated to St. Scholastic.
The important Monastery was rebuilt after the Saracen Invasions between the X and XI century. It has preserved big part of the original Romanic decorations. In the 1464 hosted the Benedictine friars coming from Germany that introduced the art of printing in the area. Not far from this Monastery, climbing up the mountain, there is another one The Sanctuarium at the Holy Grotto (also known as St. Benedict) there is the grotto where the saint lived hermitic life. The Sanctuary at the Holy Grotto and the Monastery of St. Scholastica are two distinct houses but one single community.
Along the visit we will stop at the village of Subiaco to visit the Church of St. Francis of 1327 and The Borgia Castle.
Specialties: the monks produce infusions, tisanes, liqueur, chocolate that can be purchased during the visit.
Tour length: 4 hours.
Book
Bolsena
92 ml north of Rome / 18 ml north of Viterbo
Ancient Etruscan city destroyed by the Romans in the 264 B.C. and reconstructed in the valley (it was known by the Latins as Volsinii) close to the lake. The fame of this place is linked to two miracles: the martyrdom of Saint Christine in the II century and the Eucharistic miracle of 1263 after which the Church will establish the feast of the Corpus Domini (Urbanus the VI in 1264) and will build the Duomo of Orvieto to host the relics.
The sacred history of Bolsena it is strictly related to blood, the blood of the saint as a faith proof towards God and the blood that came out of the host broken by the Bohemian priest that was having mass in the small church on top of the tomb of the saint. The miracle will be frescoed two century later by Raphael in one of the "Stanze" (Eliodoro).
Our advice is to combine this tour with the one of Civita di Bagnoreggio (see section "Discovering Lazio") or during summer with a panoramic tour of the lake with the boat comprehensive of the Islands Martana and Bisentina.
Tour length: 6 hours from Rome / 3 hours from Viterbo.
Book
Sanctuarium Madonna della Quercia and of Santa Rosa
59 ml north-west of Rome
Sanctuarium Madonna della Quercia. In the 1417 an artisan from Viterbo Battista Luzzante, had the Virgin with the Child painted on a roof tile, by the painter Mastro Martello, so-called Monetto. The image was made for personal devotion and put on an oak-tree in order to protect the land from natural disasters and robberies and it remained displayed over there for the devotion of the peasants for more that half a century.
It was thanks to the protection of that image that the inhabitants of the place escaped the pestilence of 1467. The Virgin of the Oak-tree became so famous for her favours that through the centuries thousands of devoted people came to see it, that is why in the 1470 they have decided to build a complex to host it, fantastic example of Renaissance art at which worked Ambrogio da Milano, Della Robbia, Andrea Bregno and Antonio da Sangallo il giovane.
Sanctuarium of Santa Rosa da Viterbo.
Host the relics of the Saint, a real mummy. St. Rose is the patron of Viterbo, she encouraged the people during the attacks of the excommunicated emperor Federico II and she made several miracles.
Her Feast is famous in all central Italy and it is the 3rd of September. Consist in the transport of the Machine of Saint Rose, a lighted tower with torches and lights.
It is almost 98 ft high and 5 tons weight, it is carried by the shoulders of 100 fitted men called "facchini" (porters) along a path of more than half a mile around streets, alleys and square of the historical centre along the cheering crowds with the soul suspended among thrill,
joy and fear.
Tour length: 6 hours.
Book