Montignano
The origins of the Castle of Montignano date back to 962 when Otto I of Saxony was crowned in Milan as Emperor of Germany and King of  Italy by Pope John XII and he immediately tried to gain the loyalty [...]
Villa San Faustino
The castle of Villa San Faustino was part of the Terre Arnolfe in the tenth and eleventh centuries (mentioned in documents of the abbey of Farfa 1115 and 1118). The castle, connected to the important parish chu [...]
Colpetrazzo
Castle built between 1300 and 1400, it still preserves its medieval structure. Of particular interest is the medieval main door near the small church of San Bernardino. Above the church of San Bernardino is sit [...]
Mezzanelli
The castle of Mezzanelli has followed the fortunes of the various rulers who handled its political life. Once part of Terre Arnolfe, the castle was cited in documents from 1115 and 1118 (Earls Ridolfo, Saraceno [...]
Castel Rinaldi
Medieval village built in 1160 by a certain "Rinaldo Duke of Calabria", Castel Rinaldi was part of the fief of the Arnolfi. Constantly part of Guelph, Castel Rinaldi was often the center of infighting that mark [...]
Viepri
The fortified village of Viepri is wrapped in high hills, which ensured defense for centuries and still seem to hide it. Built after 1380 on the ruins of the demolished castle of Monte Schignano, its rule was t [...]
Martani Mountains
The Martani Mountains extend evenly from south to north for about 35 km between the provinces of Perugia and Terni. They border to the east on the Umbrian Valley and Valserra, to the west on th [...]
Castelvecchio
The village is today very different from what must have appeared in the Middle Ages. Today only some ruins of the fortified village remain, hidden by vegetation. Literature attest it as one of the most [...]

Points of interests

Catacombe
This name has been given to a vast system of catacombs, near Ponte Fonnaia, dating back to a period between III to V century a.C. It is the only example existing in Umbria of an underg [...]
Dolina di Castelvecchio
Dolina is a word of Slovenian origin and simply means valley. Given that the interest in the karst phenomena developed from the Slovenian territories, international terminology has designed that ter [...]
Castellieri Culture
The Castellieri culture (or castellare) is a small fortified protohistorical settlement or village (Bronze Age and Iron Age), built in the most easily defendable elevated position, in which a natura [...]
Martani Mountains
The Martani Mountains extend evenly from south to north for about 35 km between the provinces of Perugia and Terni. They border to the east on the Umbrian Valley and Valserra, to the west on th [...]
The Flaminia way
An ancient Roman road that passed through Umbria, from Otricoli to Scheggia, the Via Flaminia was used both as a trade and a military route. It connected Rome to the Adriatic Sea, passing through th [...]
Le Terre Arnolfe
The Terre Arnolfe identify a historical division of Umbria located between Martani mountains and Montecastrilli, Acquasparta, Avigliano Umbro. The ancient capital was Cesi (TR) and the name “Terre [...]
Monte Castro
The summit of Monte Castro is characterized  by juniper and secondary grasslands; during the spring many species of small orchids dots the ground of bright colors. Along the flank is possible to see
Ponte Fonnaia
Near the Massa Martana train station, in a place remained unchanged and easily accessible on foot, is a completely intact Roman bridge built with perfectly squared massive blocks of travertine in a [...]
Torre Lorenzetta
The village of Torre Lorenzetta was an important fortified center under the Villa San Faustino parish until 1806, when it joined Colpetrazzo. It was once called Poggio di S. Martino, and only by the [...]
Vicus Martis Tudertium
In 2008, with the permission of the Ministry of Culture and under the supervision of the Archaeological Superintendence of Umbria ( Dr.. Paolo Bruschetti)§, the first investigation started, conduct [...]

Historical buildings

Castello delle Rocchette
Ancient castle that still stands well preserved on a high hill, mentioned for the first time in a document from 1295 as belonging to the heirs of Zurcio Gottofredi. In 1339 it was restored by the no [...]
Castello di Gagliole
On top of Torraccio in the Middle Age stood the Gagliole castle; allegedly built by a certain Galliolo that would build in 1035 naming it after himself. More likely the castle's name comes from the [...]
Mulino di Santa Maria
On the left of Highway exit Massa Martana are clearly visible the remains of an old mill, which formerly belonged to the abbey of Santa Maria in Pantano, set on a substructure of the Roman era, belo [...]
Rocca di Bonaccorso
It is believed that the Rocca di Bonaccorso was erected towards the end of the year 1000 by the founder of the noble Massetana family of Bonaccorsi-Fonzi. It stood on the hill in front of the homony [...]

Villages

Rocchette
Malgrado che anche questo insediamento sia in avanzato stato di degrado, conserva tuttavia sufficienti elementi architettonici che danno un quadro d' insieme abbastanza leggibile della funzione dife [...]
Castelvecchio
The village is today very different from what must have appeared in the Middle Ages. Today only some ruins of the fortified village remain, hidden by vegetation. Literature attest it as one of the [...]
Castel Rinaldi
Medieval village built in 1160 by a certain "Rinaldo Duke of Calabria", Castel Rinaldi was part of the fief of the Arnolfi. Constantly part of Guelph, Castel Rinaldi was often the center of infighti [...]
Colpetrazzo
Castle built between 1300 and 1400, it still preserves its medieval structure. Of particular interest is the medieval main door near the small church of San Bernardino. Above the church of San Berna [...]
Mezzanelli
The castle of Mezzanelli has followed the fortunes of the various rulers who handled its political life. Once part of Terre Arnolfe, the castle was cited in documents from 1115 and 1118 (Earls Ridol [...]
Montignano
The origins of the Castle of Montignano date back to 962 when Otto I of Saxony was crowned in Milan as Emperor of Germany and King of  Italy by Pope John XII and he immediately tried to gain the lo [...]
Viepri
The fortified village of Viepri is wrapped in high hills, which ensured defense for centuries and still seem to hide it. Built after 1380 on the ruins of the demolished castle of Monte Schignano, it [...]
Villa San Faustino
The castle of Villa San Faustino was part of the Terre Arnolfe in the tenth and eleventh centuries (mentioned in documents of the abbey of Farfa 1115 and 1118). The castle, connected to the importan [...]
Zampani
In the thirteenth century the village of Zampani and its inhabitants were included in the territory of the Gagliole castle that stood on top of the hill now called Torracio. The castle was destroyed [...]

Abbeys

San Faustino Abbey
The abbey of San Faustino was edified on the remains of a R [...]
SS Fidenzio e Terenzio Abbey
It is believed that, in the 11th century, the nobles of Massa wanted the abbey of SS Fidenzio and Terenzio to be erected. The oldest building, however, dates back to the 9th or 10th century, when a [...]
Santa Maria di Viepri Abbey
Near Viepri stands the Abbey of Santa Maria. It was built around 1150 by the Lords of Castelvecchio. At the beginning of the 13th century it became the parish church of destroyed castle of Monte Sch [...]

Churches

Chiesa dell'Ascensione
  Old country church documented since the 13th century with the name Santa Maria de Podio. Afterwards it was known as Santa Maria de Castro and, after its restorati [...]
Chiesa di San Sebastiano
  The church of San Sebastiano, near Colpetrazzo, dates back to the 13thcentury. It has a nave and a semicircular apse. On the right inside wall is an interesting fresco dated 1449, which portrays
Chiesa di Sant' Ippolito
Church documented since the 13th century. Built in an elegant Romanesque style, it has a semicircular apse and is un [...]
Chiesa di Santa Maria della Pace
The church Santa Maria della Pace was edified in the 16th century round one of the many "mestare" which lined, and still line near the crossings, the most important way of the territory of Massa: th [...]
Chiesa di Sant’illuminata
The church of Santa Illuminata, surrounded by a wonderful atmosphere, according to tradition is erected over the tomb of the saint. The building dates back to the 1000s and from the same era is the ad
Madonna dell'acqua
Small church built near a stream, probably to decorate a majesty, with a 16th-century fresco depicting the Madonna and Child, on the left side of the front door. Restored in 1853 by Abbot Giuseppe [...]
San Pietro in Monte
It was built by the Benedictines in 1000 and suppressed at the end of the fourteenth century. The Abbey had jurisdiction over a large territory and at the dependencies of it [...]
San Pietro sopra le acque
Cardinal Marcello Lante wanted the church of San Pietro sopra le acque to be restored in 1608. It is, however, very old, actually the first news about it dates back to 1275. Remarkable are the woode [...]
San Valentino
Ancient rural church documented since the thirteenth century. One nave and facade of triangular shape; formerly also gave its name to a villa which in 1290 hosted 7 families. It's currently in ruins [...]
Sant'Arnaldo
Old, aisleless church, supplied with documentary evidence since the 13th century, reorganized during the following centuries.
Every year, on the second Sunday in September, an old religious fea [...]
Santa Maria delle Grazie
The church of Santa Maria delle Grazie is near the ancient route of the Via Flaminia. The current structure (end of XV century) was erected on a preexisting one, as suggested by numerous architectur [...]
Santa Maria in Pantano
Worth noting are also the frescos on the walls (photographs 1, 2). On the left one are some fragments of frescos and a beautiful wooden Crucifix from the 13th century; on the first column is a sinop [...]
Sant’Ilario
It is a very old country church, documented since the thirteenth century, with a single nave, a gabled roof and a semicircular apse. For a long time it was under the abbot of the monastery of San Pi [...]

Itineraries

Andar per Castelli….tra storia e leggenda (2)
9,2 Km – Itinerario fruibile in auto e in bici Il percorso inizia con la visita del centro storico di Massa Martana, (Itin [...]
Castles hopping….history and legends
9,2 Km – itinerary feasible by bicycle or motor vehicle. The tour begins with a visit to the historic center of M [...]
Monte il Cerchio
11 km  (7,8 km by car and 3,2 km trekking. Feasible also by bycicle An overall perspective of the natural and historical landscape can be obtained from the top of the Monte Il Cerch [...]

Accomodation

Country House
Bed & breakfast
holiday home
Historical residences
Hotels
Restaurants