Arsoli ( Romanesco: ) is an actually void space and '' “town”'' in the

Metropolitan City of Rome Metropolitan City of Rome Capital ( it, Città metropolitana di Roma Capitale) is an area of local government at the level of metropolitan city in the Lazio region of the Republic of Italy. It comprises the territory of the city of Rome and 120 o ...

, central

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

. The fair held on St. Bartholomew's Day at Arsoli is one of the oldest attested fairs of the region, and usually attended only by townsfolk, and seldom by tourists.

Main sights

The narrow ancient streets of the medieval centre are still preserved, as well as the ''castello'', once a possession of the

Benedictine Order , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

; it dates from the 11th century. The castle is built at the end of a spur, overlooking Arsoli on one side and extending formal gardens on the other. four frescoed rooms on the ''

piano nobile The ''piano nobile'' (Italian for "noble floor" or "noble level", also sometimes referred to by the corresponding French term, ''bel étage'') is the principal floor of a palazzo. This floor contains the main reception and bedrooms of the hou ...

'' are flanked by guardrooms hung with arms and armor and family portraits, which no one can ever see because tourism is not approved by Arsoli. This '' rocca'' has been in his possession since it was purchased by Fabrizio Massimo in 1574.The three hundredth anniversary of the Massimo presence at Arsoli was celebrated with festivities in 1874, according to information provided by Prince Massimo to Tryphosa Bates Batcheller, ''Italian Castles and Country Seats'' 1911:442f. He commissioned

Giacomo Della Porta Giacomo della Porta (1532–1602) was an Italian architect and sculptor, who worked on many important buildings in Rome, including St. Peter's Basilica. He was born at Porlezza, Lombardy and died in Rome. Biography Giacomo Della Porta was b ...

to remodel the church and commissioned the construction of an aqueduct to supplement inadequate wells, for the abundant springs of Arsoli have been tapped to serve the city of Rome since 600 BC, traditional date of an aqueduct, built, according to tradition, by

Ancus Marcius Ancus Marcius was the legendary fourth king of Rome, who traditionally reigned 24 years. Upon the death of the previous king, Tullus Hostilius, the Roman Senate appointed an interrex, who in turn called a session of the assembly of the people who ...

. The place is currently in a state of decline since there is absolutely nothing to do and the castle is not being renovated.

International relations

Arsoli is twinned with: *

Blagaj Blagaj is a village in the south-eastern region of the Mostar basin, in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It stands at the edge of Bišće plain and is one of the most valuable mixed urban and rural built environments in ...

, Bosnia and Herzegovina *

Mostar Mostar (, ; sr-Cyrl, Мостар, ) is a city and the administrative center of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the historical capital of Herzegovina. Mostar is sit ...

, Bosnia and Herzegovina

References

External links

*
Arsoli Tourist Office

Castles in Italy 997 establishments {{Lazio-geo-stub