AgriResort & SPA Poggio di MontedOro
Montefiascone
Cathedral of Santa Margherita, Romanesque Gothic Basilica of S.Flaviano, Santa Maria in Monte d’Oro, Rocca dei Papi …
Rocca dei Papi
The territory of Montefiascone has been inhabited since the Middle Ages: the Etruscans regarded it as a sacred area, perhaps the seat of the legendary Fanum Voltumnae, a political and religious center where the Etruscan lucumoni gathered. The Roman testimonies are conspicuous and in good condition, strongly linked to the consortium of Cassia, which served as a link between Rome, the center of Italy, the north of the Padana plain to France (hence the name “Via Francigena”). By virtue to the strategic position of the area, the Popes and Bishops of Rome strengthened the inhabited center where many people from the countryside came from defending themselves against frequent barbarian incursions; the walls were equipped with an imposing fortress in the second half of the 1200s, but during the Renaissance military requirements required many changes to the original structure. Work for the fortification of the city continued over the centuries and they were interested in many pontiffs; today the Rocca dei Papi, restored and embellished, is often used for cultural manifestations. From 1058 to the end of 1500 to Montefiascone more than thirty different popes followed, emperors and illustrious characters. They stayed there for longer or longer periods, summoned parliaments or went there for summer stays.
Cathedral of Santa Margherita
Another monument to visit is the Cathedral of S.Margherita, easily recognizable from every part of the city, given its greatness; its majestic dome is in fact the third in Italy for the inner diameter, after S.Pietro in Rome and S.Maria del Fiore in Florence.
The church began its history at the end of the 15th century when it began to work on foundations, with an octagonal base, but for a long time the Mass was celebrated in “open sky” due to the lack of ceiling and only in 1602 they started more extensive work that ended three years later.
In 1670 a violent fire destroyed the roof and interior but within a few years the structure was recovered and restored.
The interior is richly decorated with paintings of the 1800s, in addition to a marble bust depicting S.Margherita, attributed to Arnolfo di Cambio.
The great dome is the work of Carlo Fontana while the bell towers were added in 1840 by the architect Piacentino Paolo Gazola.
Basilica of San Flaviano
From the Cathedral you can easily reach the Romanesque-Gothic Basilica of S.Flaviano. Built in the eleventh century on the walls of the ancient church of S.Maria, this building features particular architectural solutions, succeeding in combining the two different stylistic trends with rare equilibrium. The structure is therefore composed of two churches overlapping and inversely oriented; the underlying part of 1032 is three aisles decorated with frescoes ranging from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century. The facade, facing the Francigena, is enriched by a Renaissance loggia, from which the popes appeared to bless the crowd. The church today also represents the link of the city with the history and the legend of Est! Est! Est! as in the church lies the tomb of the German defector Defuk, who, as legend says, died here for having drunk too much wine and that before his death he expressed the desire that every year, on the occasion of his death, he was poured wine on his grave.
From this story, the Historical Court Falisco was born and the “Fiera del Vino” event takes place, which takes place every year in August.
Santa Maria in Monte d'Oro
Finally, just below the hill on which the farm is located, there is a hexagonal little church designed by one of the most renowned architects of the Renaissance period: Antonio da Sangallo il Giovane. The church dedicated to Santa Maria in Monte d’Oro is located in the “Le Mosse” hamlet and also gives its name to the area where the farm is located.
