Viterbo

Over the centuries, the city of Viterbo has dominated the vast territory of the heart of the ancient civilization of the Etruscans, in a very picturesque landscape where the volcanic rocks, tufo and peperino, excavated from the ravines form high grounds on which inhabited centers are entrenched, furrowed from rivers and streams, rich in woods and olive groves. An area in which evidence of Etruscan, Roman, and Medieval Eras coexist everywhere.
In fact, the settlement was at first the power of the Etruscans, then of strategic importance in the Roman Era, until becoming a bastion against barbarian invasions in the Imperial Era, and was, however, always an important junction for trade that took place along Via Cassia.
Then, since the Early Middle Ages the city has been the capital of the Roman Tuscia, as appears evident in the numerous buildings and remains of the era.
The impressive city wall, mostly intact, constructed between the 11th and 12th centuries, at the end became the city bishop's headquarters, surrounded by the historic center. Because of its proximity to Rome it was often chosen as a Papal residence. In the buildings and in the numerous towers that mark the urban fabric of the historic center the alternating sequences of the very hard disputes between local noble families can be read, the biggest protagonists being the Gatti and Di Vico families that animated for all of the Middle Ages until the late 1500's.
In this era the papacy imposed a lasting pacification, after which there were no more important interventions in the urbanistic order of the city, which became capital of the province in 1927.
We will point out briefly the characteristics of some of the main monuments you will meet in one of the possible itineraries, nevertheless our advice to visitors is to wander about the Medieval quarters, becoming influence by the atmosphere that is still relatively intact, from the beautiful details of the ancient architecture, going down the alleyways an letting yourself be surprised by the improvisational openings onto beautiful squares with important monuments.
From Piazza Plebiscito we take Via di San Lorenzo that has at its base eight rows of Etruscan blocks and unwinds going upward in the medieval fabric until the Ponte del Duomo (Duomo Bridge) that joined the city with the old castle. Going beyond the bridge, we find to the right Palazzo Farnese, renaissance but with elements of the 14th century, for arriving where the most beautiful piazza of Viterbo opens up: Piazza San Lorenzo.
In this piazza we find the Cathedral, but the image that dominates is that of Palazzo dei Papi (Papal Palace) and of the splendid, piercing Gothic loggia leaning on top of the large arch supported in keys by a unique, strong central pillar. At the center of the loggia, in correspondence with the pillar beneath, there is a 15th century fountain. From the loggia, dominates the panorama of the Faulle Valley and the lower city.
We mention S. Maria Nuova again, one of the oldest churches in the city, founded in 1080. From the austere Romanesque façade on the left edge sticks out the characteristic stone pulpit from which S. Thomas of Aquinas preached; Alessandri Palace, example of a distinguished 13th century residence with very solid walls, rich in ornaments and sculptures of an even more pure Lombard style, the enormous balconies the large arch, the not large, asymetrical windows; the 14th century Casa Poscia, with its characteristic outdoor stairway; finally Piazza della Rocca, constructed in the 14th century by Cardinal Albornoz, then redone several times until the middle of the 1500's.
It is here that is the home to the national Museo Archaeologico (Archaeological Museum), full of finds joined together in accurately reconstructed environments using some original elements.