Soriano in the Cimino (Soriano nel Cimino) is a town in the province of Viterbo in Lazio, located on the slopes of Monte Cimino, at 509 meters above sea level in a splendid panoramic position over the surrounding countryside. The panorama also sweeps over the Tiber Valley and the mountains of distant Sabina.
Soriano nel Cimino presents itself to the visitor's eyes dominated by the imposing bulk of the Orsini Castle, which defines its contours and makes it recognizable from great distances.
Although it is a small town, Soriano nel Cimino belongs to its municipal territory, however, a very large area characterized by woods, cultivated fields and hazelnut groves. At the same time it is rich in outstanding naturalistic and archaeological emergencies, sometimes very important, sometimes unusual, in some cases even disturbing.
The first documents that testify to the existence of Soriano are found in the "Ab Urbe condita Historia" by Tito Livio. In this, the invasion by Quinto Fabio Massimo Rulliano and his army is narrated. After the long Roman domination, between the sixth and eighth centuries, Soriano nel Cimino and its territory was first subjected to raids by the Lombards and later donated by them to the papacy. In the medieval period the Soriano area was dotted with many rural villages. Only from the middle of the 13th century did one of these, called Soriano, begin to become an important center built around a small fortress.
The historical center
Given its long history, Soriano nel Cimino could only be rich in monuments and of great interest. Among the religious ones, it is necessary to point out the Church of San Nicola di Bari built in neoclassical style at the turn of the year 1782 and 1791 and the ancient Church of Sant’Eutizio modernized during the eighteenth century. Just outside the village, however, we find the even older Church of San Giorgio. Dating back to the 9th century, it consists of a simple rectangular plan and has a sober bell tower.
The ancient Borgo della Rocca is certainly worth a careful visit, where you can envelop yourself in a truly unique medieval atmosphere. Among the civil buildings of Soriano nel Cimino of great interest are the Palazzo Chigi-Albani and the nearby Fontana Papacqua. Another valuable fountain is the Fontana Tonda (or Fontana Vecchia) known among the locals as the “Fontana Tonna”.
Another point of interest is the Porta Romana, dating back to the 18th century and built at the behest of Prince Carlo Albani. This, built to set the limit of the town, appears as a perfect copy of the famous Porta Pia in Rome.
Soriano in the Cimino
Address: Piazza Umberto I, 12, 01038
Phone: 0761 7421
Site:
https://www.comune.sorianonelcimino.vt.itLocation inserted by
OmoGirando