Between art and nature, in a place of boundless beauty, there is a small ancient village that has a very special charm. In a setting of luxuriant woods and fresh water sources, this charming village is home to monuments of great value and pretty little churches to visit.
And as summer approaches, when the days are longer than ever and the sun plunges with its rays into the medieval alleys, here comes to life a wonderful appointment with the past. Let’s go to the discovery of this corner of Italian paradise.
Acquasparta, an enchanting village
The small village of Acquasparta is one of the most suggestive pearls of Umbria: perched on a green hill overlooking the Valley of the Naia, is surrounded by unspoiled nature. Water is undoubtedly one of its hallmarks. Not far away are the sources of Amerino and Furapane, but also the sources of Sangemini and Fabia, and it is precisely from this that its name derives – from the Latin “Ad aquas partas”. The landscape is truly beautiful, with the Martani mountains as a backdrop to what looks like a postcard.
There are many paths that unwind from the town, crossing lush woods and fragrant olive groves that offer an incredible panorama. On the other hand, Acquasparta is also a very important stop along the Camino di San Francesco, thanks to its proximity to the Romita di Cesi – in this fascinating hermitage, San Francesco began the drafting of his famous Canticle of the Creatures. Between nature and spiritualitythere are therefore many surprises that await us in a village absolutely to be discovered.
The Acquasparta Renaissance, pure magic
Although the village has clear medieval origins, it was in the Renaissance that it experienced its golden age. At the end of the 16th century, the village of Acquasparta it became a duchy and was ceded to the Cesi family, which gave birth to some of the most beautiful buildings in the historic center. This is the case of Palazzo Cesi, an enchanting building that still houses splendid frescoes, or of the Cesia chapel, built inside the Church of Santa Cecilia – where the tombs of the most illustrious members of the family are found.
In 1603, Federico Cesi II founded his Accademia dei Lincei (among whose partners none other than Galileo Galilei stood out), which had its first headquarters in Palazzo Cesi. This was the first scientific academy in Europe, born from the love that Federico had from an early age for science and nature. Today, Acquasparta still celebrates the arrival in the village of this passionate scholar who has given so much to our country: he is the protagonist of the Renaissance partyone of the unmissable traditional events.
In June (this year the event is held from 11 to 26), the village dresses up for one historical re-enactment which attracts onlookers from all over Italy. Costume parades alternate with hilarious shows and entertainment for the little ones, always in the name of science. But there is also room for a challenge between districts, a real competition full of pathos that leads us to discover the traditions of Acquasparta. Even those gastronomicof course: tourists can in fact indulge in some typical local specialties, to be tasted together with a good wine.
The village where landscapes of waters, woods and olive groves blend