Tom`s travels: Monterano (08/12/2019)

On another weekend from Rome, we took a day trip to visit the town of Monterano to the northwest of the capital, close to Lake Bracciano. After catching the train we got off in Manziana and from there started walking in the direction of our destination. We crossed through the center of Manziana and then reached the town of Canale Monterano which we also passed through in order to reach Monterano, a few kilometers to the west. Canale Monterano is in fact the modern town of Monterano that sprung up following the slow abandonment of the old town. This process was carried over gradually over a few centuries and the final blow came in 1770 when the town was hit by a malaria epidemic and later assaulted by the troops of the French army. After leaving Canale Monterano we followed a trail taking us through the forest and down where the small Cascata Della Diosilla is set. This little waterfall feeds a small river that goes through the Riserva Naturale Regionale Monterano, a whole nature reserve surrounding the ancient town. A little further on we then reached the Zolfatara, an area of volcanic activity that gives off sulfurous steam creating a small lake. The smell was obviously quite strong but the sight was worth it. The stream coming out of the ground also helped warm us up as we passed by. From there we then followed the trail further and passed through a via cava, an ancient Etruscan way dug out of the rock. This area has in fact been inhabited since ancient Etruscan times and is rich in such archaeological treasures. At the end of the trail we then finally reached the ancient town of Monterano. Today it is a ghost town and a popular attraction due to its proximity to Rome and for having been the backdrop of a few movies. From its Etruscan past, it then grew during the Middle Ages until it reached its highest splendor during the 17th century, then a slow decline started due to the area being mostly exploited for the sulfur mines present around it. Then, as mentioned, the diseases and foreign occupation sanctioned the end of the town and its depopulation until it became a ghost town. As we approached the ruins, we came across the large structure of the aqueduct, built in Roman times, that brought water to the town throughout its history. Next to it stands the ruins of the Ducal Palace, once a castle belonging to the Orsini family which was later transformed into a palace by the Altieri family which made the town grow during the 17th century. The development of the castle into a palace saw the hands of the famous sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini who also sculpted a fountain with a lion, now in the town of Canale Monterano, and whose replica stands attached to the ruins of the palace, in its original location. We entered the ruins of the palace and climbed to the terraces to admire the old town and the surrounding landscape. Despite the cloudy weather, the view was still great and gave it a more authentic atmosphere of old and abandoned. From there we then reached the western end of town where a large open field held the ruins of the church of San Bonaventura with the replica of Bernini's fountain, now in Canale Monterano, standing in front of it. We then walked through the church's ruins and admired the interior filled with vegetation growing among the crumbling chapels. After that, we then walked back through the ruins of the ancient town and decided to head back through the trail we had followed previously. After walking back through Canale Monterano and reaching Manziana shortly after we caught the next train back to Rome.