Montecalvello
Montecalvello: history and territory
Montecalvello is a hamlet of the municipality of Viterbo, located about 21 km from the city and only 5 km from Grotte Santo Stefano, of which it was part until the suppression of administrative autonomy in 1928. The original nucleus of the austere medieval castle was built around the 13th century, while its owner, Alessandro Calvelli, is the origin of the name of the village. Over the centuries, the castle passed through many hands, including those of the Monaldeschi di Montecalvello, the Marquis Raimondi and Donna Olimpia Maidalchini in Pamphili. Today, the castle's ownership is private but the courtyard, the church and part of the internal buildings are freely visitable.
The castle of Montecalvello
The castle of Montecalvello is a large quadrilateral building, surrounded by massive towers. The entrance is located in the castle's courtyard, where the fountain and the small medieval village are also found. Once through a short gallery, you arrive at the parochial church of Santa Maria's square. The castle was used as a residence by contemporary art painter Balthus, who purchased it in 1970 and used it as a place of inspiration and creation until his death. Part of the scenes of Matteo Garrone's film "Tale of Tales" and the television series "Leonardo" were shot in the castle's courtyard in 2015 and 2020.
The church of San Rocco
The church of San Rocco is located at the entrance of the modern village of Montecalvello and is one of the first churches in Europe dedicated to the saint invoked against the plague. Inside the church is the statue of San Rocco, carried in procession during the patronal feast of August 16th.
Montecalvello is a place full of history and tradition, worth visiting to admire the beauty of the castle and to discover the origins of the church of San Rocco. The castle, although privately owned, has a visitable part that allows you to see the courtyard, the church and a view of the Macchie di Piantorena, a hill that once stood above an Etruscan-Roman village of Torena. The church of San Rocco, on the other hand, is one of the oldest places of worship in the area and represents an important historical and religious testimony. In general, Montecalvello is a place to visit to discover the culture and beauty of Italy, thanks to its strategic location and the richness of its territory.
