Acquapendente

Acquapendente is a city and comune in the province of Viterbo, in Lazio (Italy). Acquapendente is a centre for the agricultural production of vegetables and wine, and has a tradition of pottery craftsmanship. History The area of modern Acquapendente was settled by Etruscans in Roman times, as archaeological finds have shown. However, the first historical document of the modern city dates from the 9th century AD, with a town named Farisa or Arisa along the Via Francigena. A document from Emperor Otto I, dated 964, contains the first recorded use of the name Acquapendentem. The name of the city, meaning "Hanging Water", stems from the presence of several small waterfalls forming the Paglia, a stream setting the boundary between Lazio and Tuscany. Acquapendente was the first stop in Italy in the travels of Saint Roch in the early 14th century; the saint supposedly spent several days in the hospital there curing plague victims. The city was later part of the March of Tuscany and, from the end of the 14th century and beginning of the 15th, it was part of the commune (later Republic) of Siena. In 1449 it became an independent centre within the Papal States. Geography Located in the north of the Lazio, near the borders with Tuscany and Umbria, the municipality of Acquapendente borders with Allerona (TR), Castel Giorgio (TR), Castel Viscardo (TR), Grotte di Castro, Onano, Proceno, San Lorenzo Nuovo, San Casciano dei Bagni (SI) and Sorano (GR). Main sights Acquapendente Cathedral (1149). The Watch Tower, a remain of the Imperial Castle. The church of St. Augustine (16th century). The church of St. Francis. The Castle of the frazione Torre Alfina, whose central tower (Cassero) was built by the Lombard king Desiderius. The castle was captured by the Neapolitan condottiero Fabrizio Maramaldo in 1527, during the Siege of Rome, but the defenders gallantly retained the Cassero. The Castle of the frazione Trevinano (known from the 12th century). The Monte Rufeno Natural Reserve, 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north of the city, at an elevation of 748 metres (2,454 ft). It has spectacular woods housing wildlife including among others boars, eagle owls, turtles and beech martens. POW camp from World War II Personalities Hieronymus Fabricius (1537–1619), anatomist References External links Media related to Acquapendente at Wikimedia Commons Sagra della Fregnaccia in Acquapendente at Discover Soriano Official website Tourism page (Italian) Monte Rufeno Natural Reserve Tuscia 360 about Acquapendente with VR panoramas of Pugnaloni Acquapendente pro loco association (Italian)