Collalto Sabino
A spiritual place, listed among the “Borghi più belli d’Italia” (Most beautiful villages in Italy), steeped in history and surrounded by the medieval atmosphere of its castle and fortresses that guard the borders separating Lazio and Abruzzo.
Population
391
Area
22,2 km²
Altitude
980 m
Where is it?
Collalto Sabino stands out on a hill at 1000 m. above sea level, 40 minutes away from Rieti and just 50 minutes from Rome. This medieval village, surrounded by beech and chestnut woods, is part of the Monti Navegna and Cervia Nature Reserve and offers a breathtaking view over Gran Sasso, Monte Velino and Monte Terminillo.
What to see?
The visitor's attention is certainly attracted by the Castle of Collalto that overlooks the Piana del Cavaliere (Plain of the Knight). Since the 1400s, and for long centuries, the castle has represented a defensive bulwark and impregnable fortress guarding the border of the Papal State. Its architectural structure has been remodeled several times, through several periodical renovations carried out in 1700, at the end of the 19th century and in the 1930s, but nevertheless, watchtowers and loopholes are still visible. Its crenellated walls offer a spectacular view over the surrounding mountains of Lazio and Abruzzo, namely Monte Terminillo, Gran Sasso and Majella. Visits to the castle are currently forbidden, but the medieval nucleus of Collalto is no less interesting, with its narrow paved alleys and the stone portals of the houses. The town's main square, named after Vittorio Emanuele II, is adorned with a wonderful octagonal fountain, but Palazzo Latini, recently renovated, and 11th-century church of Santa Lucia, hosting a splendid fresco dating back to 1500, also deserve a visit. Just outside the town, the Convent of Santa Maria and its splendid portal appear in all their beauty to visitor, who can still admire the ruins of the ancient castle of Montagliano, probably founded around the 9th century and subsequently ceded to the Abbey of Farfa, before being definitely abandoned in the late 1600s.
