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Borbona

A town known throughout the province for its famous “bean” which reminds us of its ancient agricultural and pastoral origins.

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Population

614

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Area

46,5 km²

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Altitude

760 m

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Where is it?

Borbona, situated 44 km. far away from Rieti, and inhabited by less than 600 people, rises 760 meters above sea level and extends for about 12 square kms.

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Its origins?

The origin of its toponym is uncertain. According to the local tradition it might derive from “Colle Borbona”, a hill on which the town was allegedly built, or from the name of the leader of the Macchialonesi, the founders of a castle near the village. In 1906, in the municipal area, the remains of several Roman settlements were identified, which seems to refute the hypothesis that Borbona was already inhabited at that time, although it was mentioned, for the first time, in a bull issued in 1153 by Pope Anastasio IV. Borbona was initially included in the Lombard Duchy of Spoleto and lonely afterwards it became part of the Kingdom of Naples until the 14th century when, by the concession of King Charles II of Anjou, it was annexed to the county of L’Aquila. In the early 16th century it became a fiefdom and came under the power of the Spanish Captain Pedro de Yicis until 1570 when it was bought by Margaret of Austria, daughter of Emperor Charles V. Following the sovereign’s death, Borbona was inherited by the Farnese family until the beginning of the 18th century, when it came under the dominion of the Bourbon dynasty. In 1703 a violent earthquake devastated the area and heavily damaged the historical-architectural heritage of Borbona, destroying the Parish Church, rebuilt in 1737 and famous for its splendid, gilded silver processional cross, embossed and adorned with beautiful polychrome enamels, recently transferred to the Diocesan Museum in Rieti.

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What to see?

Visiting Località La Lama, we find the monumental parish church of the Holy Cross and the precious Church of St. Anne. The interior of the parish church is enriched by the 18th century Baroque altar and the splendid image of the town's patron saint, St. Restituta. In addition to numerous paintings dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries, the church keeps an important relief, probably coming from the ancient medieval church. On the external façade, there is a late 16th century relief representing Baubo, coming from a fountain of the fortress. Of great importance is the church of St. Anne, which survived the earthquake of the 18th century. It was built at the end of the 15th century and then decorated and furnished, two centuries later, with wooden altars. A fresco depicting St. Anthony of Padua and St. Rocco has recently come to light, documenting the local Franciscan tradition. Next to the church is still visible the now unusable 17th century convent. Downstream, two other churches still keep several important memories: the Church of St. Joseph shows some suggestive medieval remains of the disappeared churches, together with a terracotta statue of Our Lady, attributed to Carlo dell'Aquila, dating back to the early, and the “Ecce Homo” by Ludovico Carracci. In the 16th century Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, restored in 1800, behind the altars stands a painting, attributed to Vincenzo Manenti and his workshop. Three small rural churches survive in the countryside surrounding the town, the Church of the Holy Cross alla Pineta, St. Michael the Archangel, and St. Restituta, a devotion place for Borbona inhabitants who in 1637, contributed to its restoration though a public fundraiser.