Easy hikes and walks around Zona Speciale di Conservazione Monte Cimino

A pearl in the heart of the town: during your visit to Soriano nel Cimino look for the beautiful church of Sant’Eutizio. The church, originally the Cathedral of Soriano, has a long history behind it: built during the medieval period, it has undergone numerous modifications over the centuries. The appearance that characterizes it today is the result of the interventions, desired by the Albani family, during the 1700s. The coat of arms of the important family is still visible today on the facade of the church. Do not be fooled by the simplicity of the exterior, when visiting the structure you will be greeted by enchanting surprises. Inside this ancient place of worship you can admire paintings and suggestive statues. Of notable artistic value is a marble oil jar, attributed to Andrea Bregno from the 15th century and a painting of the Madonna, attributed to Sebastiano Conca. The side chapels, which embellish the structure, are finely decorated. One of the most beautiful parts of the church of Sant’Eutizio is represented by the presbytery with decorations of Baroque art. A painting and a statue pay homage to Sant’Eutizio, a martyr in Christian history. (c) https://welcometosoriano.it/cosa-visitare/la-via-delle-chiese/chiesa-sant-eutizio/

The Cathedral dedicated to San Nicola di Bari, stands on the main square of Soriano. It was built in neoclassical style at the end of the eighteenth century based on a design by Giulio Camporese, to replace the parish church of Sant’Eutizio which, due to its modest size, was insufficient to accommodate the number of faithful. At the time of its construction, two pre-existing religious buildings were demolished and the ground was leveled. (c) https://sorianonelcimino.artecitta.it/chiesa-di-san-nicola-di-bari-duomo/

In the 14th century the city walls of Soriano were built, equipped with four gates, the main one being Porta del Ponte. Initially the gate was surrounded by a moat and equipped with a drawbridge; in the 18th century modifications were made to further embellish the building; destroyed due to the air raid of 1944, it was rebuilt maintaining the previous forms: the current arrangement shows the appearance of the one built in 1903 based on a design by Angelo Santocchi. (c) https://sorianonelcimino.artecitta.it/porta-del-ponte/

Soriano presents itself as a large center spread out on the top and sides of a hill immersed in the Selva Cimina. The medieval village develops around the Castle, built by Pope Nicholas III Orsini in the 13th century, and is made up of small houses and steep alleys. The Renaissance part, which develops all around, finds its maximum expression in the splendid Palazzo Albani-Chigi, dating back to the 16th century. The strategic position near the main ancient centers, along the Ferentana road that connected Ferento to Falerii, favored the presence of small inhabited centers already in the Etruscan era and, subsequently, Roman, as evidenced by numerous archaeological finds in the surrounding area. Between the 8th and 13th centuries, the presence of several monastic settlements was recorded, especially Benedictine, around which entire villages of artisans and farmers developed. In 1278 the Lordship of the Orsini began; the family completed the construction of the Rocca and Soriano was chosen by Pope Nicolò III Orsini as a summer residence. In the mid-14th century Paolo Orsini sold the castle, now considered a true fortress, to the Holy See. The Rocca experienced numerous vicissitudes, from the occupation of the Bretons, aligned with the antipope Clement VII, the Colonna and numerous captains of fortune, including Francesco Sforza and Nicolò Fortebraccio. Soriano was then the scene of an important pitched battle that saw the papal troops defeated by those of the Orsini, defeated in turn by Cesare Borgia. After various changes of ownership, the Rocca was purchased by the Altemps and then by the Albani who completed the Palazzo di Papacqua. In the 19th century the Rocca passed to the Chigi, and after several insurrectionary attempts, in 1870 Soriano was conquered and annexed to the Kingdom of Italy. (c) https://www.mytuscia.com/soriano-nel-cimino.html

What a wonderful place especially if you reach it by bike!

It is impossible not to know the beech forest if you are from the area

top of mount cimino

large beech forest with various paths to follow