Northern Lazio

<< Lazio

Northern Lazio is occupied by the Province of Viterbo. This territory features some hills among a large rural area that stretches between the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Apennines, and includes the large Lake Bolsena. Many historic towns with interesting attractions are located in Northern Lazio.

Tarquinia

Tarquinia is a town in the Province of Viterbo which was once one of the largest and most powerful Etruscan cities. The last three kings of Rome were part of an Etruscan dynasty from Tarquinia, and together ruled the city between 616 BCE and 509 BCE. Tarquinia remained an important city for centuries, even after being conquered by Rome, but declined in the Middle Ages. The current town was founded in the Late Middle Ages and was originally called Corneto, before changing its name to Tarquinia in 1922. The town is now known for its rich archaeological heritage from the Etrsucan age.

✪ Monterozzi Necropolis

The Monterozzi Necropolis (Necropoli dei Monterozzi) is a large Etruscan necropolis located just outside Tarquinia. The area includes thousands of ancient tombs dating from the Iron Age to the Roman period. Some of these tombs feature well preserved frescoes, such as the Tomb of the Leopards (Tomba dei Leopardi) and the Tomb of the Augurs (Tomba degli Àuguri), while other house sarcophagi and sculptures.

National Archaeological Museum of Tarquinia

The National Archaeological Museum of Tarquinia (Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Tarquinia) is an archaeological museum housed in a Renaissance palace in Tarquinia. Its collection includes several Etruscan and Roman artifacts, along with other objects from the entire Mediterranean region. The museum also hosts numerous archaeological finds unearthed in the necropolis near the town.

Montalto di Castro

Montalto di Castro is a small town in the Province of Viterbo, known for hosting in its territory the ruins of the ancient Etruscan city of Vulci.

Archaeological Area of Vulci

Vulci was once of the largest and most powerful Etruscan cities. For centuries an important trading center that ruled over various nearby towns, its importance declined after it was conquered by Rome. Its archaeological area features the ruins of various structures, such as a temple, a villa, and several Etruscan tombs. The nearby Castello dell’Abbadia, a castle erected in the Late Middle Ages, houses an archaeological museum with objects unearthed in Vulci. Next to this castle is an ancient Roman bridge.

Tuscania

Tuscania is a small town located west of Viterbo. Originally an Etruscan settlement, eventually it came under Roman rule, and remained an important town for centuries. Tuscania was a free comune in the Late Middle Ages, but its importance later declined. Now it is known for its archaeological heritage.

National Archaeological Museum of Tuscania

The National Archaeological Museum of Tuscania (Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Tuscania) is an archaeological museum housing a rich collection of artifacts unearthed around Tuscania. Among these are several sarcophagi, sculptures, and various other objects found in nearby Etruscan tombs.

Lake Bolsena

Lake Bolsena (Lago di Bolsena) is the largest volcanic lake in Europe, located in the Province of Viterbo. The lake is a popular tourist attraction, surrounded by various small towns with numerous historic landmarks.

Basilica of Santa Cristina

The Basilica of Santa Cristina is a Romanesque church in Bolsena, erected during the Late Middle Ages. The church is known for being the site of a miracle in 1263 represented by Raphael in a painting in the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City. The basilica is adorned with various artworks and frescoes, and also houses a 15th-century funerary monument on top of a 4th-century sarcophagus.

Rocca dei Papi

The Rocca dei Papi is a medieval fortress located on top of a rock formation in Montefiascone, overlooking Lake Bolsena. The area was inhabited since the Iron Age, while the current fort was built in the 13th century on the site of some previous structures. Later expanded, the castle was visited by various popes. Now the fort serves as a museum and, together with the adjacent park, it offers a great view on Lake Bolsena.

Montefiascone Cathedral

Also known as: Cathedral of Santa Margherita (Cattedrale di Santa Margherita)

The Montefiascone Cathedral (Duomo di Montefiascone) is a historic church in Montefiascone, known for its large dome. The church was erected during the Renaissance, and later adorned with numerous Baroque decorations and frescoes.

Museum of Farnese Garments

The Museum of Farnese Garments (Museo del Costume Farnesiano) is a museum hosted in a Renaissance palace in Gradoli, a town located on the hills around Lake Bolsena. The museum features a large collection of reproductions of clothes, accessories, jewelry, weapons, and other historic objects.

Isola Bisentina

Isola Bisentina is the largest island in Lake Bolsena. The island was inhabited by the Etruscans and the Romans, while now it houses a Renaissance church and a few smaller decorated chapels. On the island there is also a small hypogeum once used as a temple and then as a prison.

Bagnoregio

Bagnoregio is a small town located among the hills of the Province of Viterbo, best known for the medieval hamlet of Civita.

✪ Civita di Bagnoregio

Civita di Bagnoregio is a tiny hamlet located on top of a hill east of Bagnoregio. The village is one of the most famous sights in Northern Lazio and it is only accessible through a long footbridge. Due to its position on an eroding foundation, it has been nicknamed “the dying town” (la città che muore), but it also offers a great view on the surrounding region. Originally founded by the Etruscans, the hamlet now preserves its medieval appearance.

Bomarzo

Bomarzo is a tiny town located among the hills east of Viterbo, best known for its monumental gardens.

✪ Sacro Bosco of Bomarzo

Also known as: Park of the Monsters (Parco dei Mostri)

The Sacro Bosco is a 16th-century monumental garden near Bomarzo, and one of the main tourist attractions in Northern Lazio. The complex features numerous elaborate Mannerist sculptures depicting animals, monsters, and mythological creatures. The most famous attraction in the park is the sculpture of Orcus, an Etruscan and Roman god of the underworld depicted here with his mouth open.

Caprarola

Caprarola is a small town located among the hills of the Province of Viterbo, best known for hosting a large historic villa.

Villa Farnese

Villa Farnese is a large Renaissance villa erected in Caprarola during the 16th century by the Farnese family, considered one of the finest examples of Mannerist architecture. The palace has a pentagonal plan with a courtyard in the middle, and features numerous richly adorned halls with several eleborate frescoes and artworks. The villa also includes large decorated gardens.

Lake Vico

Lake Vico (Lago di Vico) is a volcanic lake in the Province of Viterbo, near Caprarola. The lake is surrounded by the Monti Cimini and dense forests, and it is a popular summer destination. Lake Vico and the nearby forests are part of a natural reserve.

Sutri

Sutri is a small town in the Province of Viterbo, located on top of a tuff hill. The town was once an important Etruscan center, and it was a strategically relevant fortified city in the Middle Ages. Sutri is known as one of the towns donated by the Lombard king Liutprand to Pope Gregory II in 728, which marked the first expansion of Papal territory beyond Rome. Sutri now features various archaeological remains.

Park of the Ancient City of Sutri

The Park of the Ancient City of Sutri (Parco dell’Antichissima Città di Sutri) is an archaeological area in Sutri which features the ruins of an ancient Roman amphitheater. The park also houses the Church of Madonna del Parto, which is carved inside the tuff and is probably a former Etruscan tomb or mithraeum.

Civita Castellana

Civita Castellana is a small town in the Province of Viterbo, erected on the site of the ancient city of Falerii, inhabited by the Falisci. After being abandoned and resettled nearby as Falerii Novi, the modern town was founded in the Middle Ages.

Forte Sangallo

Forte Sangallo is a Renaissance fort in Civita Castellana, erected between the 15th and 16th century. The well preserved fortress now houses an archaeological museum hosting numerous Faliscan objects unearthed around the city.

Civita Castellana Cathedral

Also known as: Cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore (Cattedrale di Santa Maria Maggiore)

The Civita Castellana Cathedral (Duomo di Civita Castellana) is the main church of the town, erected during the Late Middle Ages. Originally built in Romanesque style, it was later reworked with Baroque decorations. The church features various medieval artworks, while the main altar consist of an elaborate Roman sarcophagus from the 4th century.

Archaeological Area of Falerii Novi

Falerii was an ancient city inhabited by the Falisci, an Italic people that lived in Northern Lazio. After being destroyed by the Romans, the settlement was moved a few kilometers west to Falerii Novi. The ruins of Falerii Novi are located between the municipalities of Civita Castellana and Fabrica di Roma, and feature the remains of the city walls and a few other structures. A medieval abbey is located among the ruins.