L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 16 L'Italo-Americano S utri sits in north- ern Lazio, in the Tuscia area of the Viterbo province, a b o u t 4 0 m i l e s north of Rome along the Via C a s s i a . T h e h i s t o r i c c o r e occupies a narrow ridge of volcanic tuff above ravines, which helps explain both its long settlement and its com- pact layout. Sutri is on the Via Francigena pilgrim route a n d h a s b e e n r e c o g n i z e d among Italy's "most beautiful villages." The name comes from Latin Sutrium, itself from an older Etruscan form o f t e n r e n d e r e d a s S u t h r i . Ancient sources placed the town on the southern Etr- uscan frontier; Livy called Sutrium, together with near- by Nepi, a "key" to Etruria, underscoring its position on the road that later became the Via Cassia. Rome took Sutrium after defeating Veii in the fourth century BC, los- ing and recapturing it in the wars that followed, and later establishing a Latin colony here. Sutri's medieval history matters well beyond local interest. In 728, the Lombard k i n g L i u t p r a n d a n d P o p e G r e g o r y I I r e a c h e d t h e Donation of Sutri, return- ing the town and several hill centers to papal control. In 1046, the Synod of Sutri, convened by Henry III, ended a papal schism by deposing or forcing the abdication of rival claimants, including Pope Gregory VI. A Lombard- era grave hoard known as the Sutri Treasure, found near the town in the 19th century and now in the British Muse- um, gives a concrete glimpse of the period's elites. The best way to under- s t a n d S u t r i i s t o w a l k i t s small regional archaeological park, 7 hectares at the foot of town along the Cassia. The park concentrates an unusual range of sites in a short cir- cuit: a Roman amphitheater entirely carved from the tuff; a band of rock-cut Etruscan tombs forming a roadside necropolis; the hypogeum l o n g i n t e r p r e t e d a s a M i t h r a e u m a n d l a t e r adapted as the Church of the Madonna del Parto; the 18th- century Villa Savorelli and grounds. The park is among Lazio's smallest protected areas and is managed with timed entry to the under- ground sanctuary. The amphitheater is the landmark: an elliptical arena cut directly into the bedrock with entrances at grade and galleries and seating sculpted f r o m t h e s a m e s t o n e . I t s scale is striking for a town this size, and it often hosts events that make use of the natural acoustics. Across the path, the necropolis shows dozens of chamber tombs on multiple levels, a quick sur- vey of Etruscan and Roman funerary carving along what was once the approach road. A f e w s t e p s a w a y , t h e Madonna del Parto occupies a long, columned chamber w i t h s i d e b e n c h e s , a x i a l niche, and water basin – fea- t u r e s t y p i c a l o f M i t h r a i c sanctuaries – later Christian- ized with frescoes and the Marian dedication. The space is small, cool, and still reads as a single excavated volume. In town, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta preserves a Romanesque bell tower (1207), a broad crypt, and a Cosmatesque marble floor, all hallmarks of the medieval workmanship seen across northern Lazio. The cathedral and park sit within minutes of each other, which m a k e s i t e a s y t o c o m b i n e them with a walk through the o l d s t r e e t s a n d t h e m a i n square. Food culture in Sutri cen- ters on beans and hazel- nuts from the surrounding countryside. The local Fagi- olo di Sutri, a large, creamy borlotto also known as Regi- na, appears fresh in season and dried through the year in soups and stews; a long-run- ning bean festival at the end of August or early September shows the crop in terracotta bowls. Other staples include ditalini alla militare (a bean- p a s t a d i s h ) a n d h a z e l n u t tozzetti. A persistent local l e g e n d t i e s t h e b e a n s t o Charlemagne's gout, which the festival literature enjoys repeating. Festivals punctuate Sutri's c a l e n d a r . T h e F e a s t o f Santa Dolcissima, Sutri's patron, falls on 16 September with religious processions a n d c o m m u n i t y e v e n t s ; around Christmas, a living N a t i v i t y i s s t a g e d i n t h e necropolis. Pilgrims and hik- ers know Sutri as a regular stop on the Via Francigena s t a g e s b e t w e e n V i t e r b o , Capranica, and the Cassia valley. L a N o t t e d e l l e C a n d e l e turns the medieval vil- lage of Vallera- n o ( V i t e r b o province, northern Lazio) i n t o a l u m i n o u s m a z e f o r one night in late August. The e v e n t b e g a n i n t h e m i d - 2 0 0 0 s a s t h e f i n a l e o f a small summer arts program and has grown into one of Tuscia's signature nights. Electric lights are dimmed, a n d t h e h i s t o r i c c e n t e r i s lined with real candles on window ledges, stairways, arches, wells, and tiny nich- es carved in the tuff, so visi- t o r s m o v e t h r o u g h a l l e y s and piazzas lit only by flame. What makes the evening special is how the town itself b e c o m e s t h e s t a g e : r e s i - d e n t s , a r t i s t s , a n d v o l u n - teers design installations for specific corners of the cen- ter, from simple patterns of votives to elaborate scenes t h a t u s e s h a d o w a n d w a l l texture. Musicians and per- f o r m e r s a p p e a r i n c o u r t - yards and church steps with mostly acoustic sets, so the sound blends gently with the environment. The route is self-guided and unhurried; y o u f o l l o w t h e g l o w , s t o p where an installation catch- es your eye, and continue t o w a r d t h e n e x t s q u a r e . With phones dimmed and traffic kept out, the architec- ture takes center stage, and details you might overlook in daylight – door knockers, lintels, the curve of an arch – become the focus. V a l l e r a n o m a n a g e s t h e flow with timed entry and ticketing, both to keep the experience safe and to pro- tect the fragile historic core. Expect lines at the gates and plan to arrive early; parking is set outside the center with s h u t t l e s o r s h o r t w a l k s uphill. The old streets are steep and paved in stone, so comfortable shoes are essen- tial. Because open flames are e v e r y w h e r e , v i s i t o r s a r e asked not to touch or move c a n d l e s a n d t o r e s p e c t roped-off areas. F o o d i s p a r t o f t h e evening, of course! Kiosks and small trattorias serve regional staples like porchet- t a , g r i l l e d m e a t s , l o c a l cheeses, and simple pasta, a l o n g s i d e w i n e s f r o m t h e nearby Cimini and Viterbo h i l l s . V a l l e r a n o i s a l s o k n o w n f o r i t s c h e s t n u t groves and an autumn chest- nut festival; in August, you will still see references to that heritage in sweets and liqueurs. "La Notte delle Candele" in Vallerano (Photo: Massimax/Dreamstime) Vallerano's Candle Festival: a community lights the old town Sutri: a small town with big history on the Via Cassia A beautiful view of medieval Sutri (Photo: Mgallar/Dreamstime) LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE TRADITIONS

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