Vitorchiano is a small and ancient center in the vicinity of Viterbo. The village is characteristic for its alleys, arches and various very suggestive squares. It is located near the Cimini Mountains and is known for all the activities related to the extraction and processing of peperino, a gray sedimentary rock similar to tuff. Its landscape presents itself rich in woods with many streams still for the most part unspoiled. It has remained a perfect environment to house different species of wild animals.
The origins of the medieval village
The village was originally inhabited by the Etruscans and then you give Romans. In ancient times the city had been conquered by Viterbo but the citizens asked for help from Roma and they decided to submit to the big city. The affection for Rome meant that the village was nicknamed "fedele”Managing to earn some privileges.
The territory of Vitorchiano it is very faithful to ancient traditions and to the city of Rome for local customs. The Trappist nuns keep the graphic secrets of the holy cards that they still make today, in addition to the processing of peperino which is the main economic source of the country.
The city walls of Vitorchiano
To the south of the village of Vitorchiano are the walls that circumscribe the area. They were built around 1200, they are 250 meters long and at times interrupted by towers with a square base. In the central tower stands the Porta Romana, the only entrance in the center of the medieval village. As mentioned before, the area is famous for the processing of the peperino of which all the walls are built. Another curiosity is that they are edged with forked blackbirds. In the village of Vitorchiano there are many profferli, external stairs that lead to a balcony from which it is possible to access the houses; in many cases the balcony it is replaced with a large arch.
The historical center
You enter the historic center of Vitorchiano through the Porta Romana and immediately arrive in the first large square: Piazzale Umberto I. This is the only real access point to the oldest village; it is also the meeting between the new and the old Vitorchiano. The square is full of monuments. The bell tower of the Trinity Church, also called of Sant'Amanzio and the old one Church of St. John the Baptist. The latter dates back to the sixteenth century, and today it is used as a center for the cultural initiatives of the town.
You can also visit the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, the Casa del Podestà, Palazzo Comunale , House of the Rabbi, symbol of the Jewish community present since 1500. Moving away from the inhabited center you can find the Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie.
What to visit outside the historic center
In the surroundings of Vitorchiano, towards Bassano in Teverina, you can visit Lake Vadimone, famous for being the battlefield in which the Romans definitively defeated the Etruscans in the fourth century BC and due to its peculiarity of disappearing in some periods and suddenly reappearing in others.
In Vitorchiano there is also the Sacro Bosco o Park of the Monsters of Bomanzo where you can also see the huge Peperino statue of Moai. It is a six-meter-high reproduction of the monoliths with human features that are preserved on Easter Island in Polynesia.
Vitorchiano and its traditions
Vitorchiano is a town that respects traditions, let's see some of them. The patron è San Michele Arcangelo. It is celebrated on May 8 with an excursion around the town that ends at the Sanctuary. The first weekend of August takes place the Cavatello Festival where the cooks of the village make this delicious handmade pasta seasoned with tomato sauce and wild fennel. A country, therefore, rich in history and tradition that deserves to be discovered.