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Montebuono

Montebuono is a pleasant village offering an amazing view over the Monti Cimini, the Soratte, to the Monti Sabini. Its name recalls the good quality of its constantly mild climate and its excellent olive oil.

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Population

890

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Area

19,6 km²

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Altitude

325 m

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Where is it?

Montebuono is a small medieval village perched on the Sabine hills at 325 m. above sea level, 65 km. away from Rome and 41 km. from Rieti. In its historic center and in the farmhouses scattered in the surrounding countryside live approximately 880 inhabitants forming an active and lively community on a social and cultural level.

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Its origins?

Montebuono has Roman origins, as suggested by its urban structure, typical of the Roman castrum, and as evidenced by a series of finds, including some cisterns and the remains of a villa that probably belonged to Marcus Agrippa, son-in-law of Emperor Octavian Augustus. On that villa was built the Romanesque church of San Pietro ad Muricentum, which stands just outside the village, along the provincial road that leads to Magliano Sabina. The foundation of Montebuono probably took place between the end of the 12th century and the first decades of the 13th century, when it was necessary to gather the population scattered around the territory. In the 1300s the castle of Montebuono was part of the Committee of Tarano for a short period of time but the end of the century it was violently occupied by Luca Savelli who was then forced to return it to the Holy See. It was under the dominion of the Orsini and the Savelli families, until the end of the 16th century, when Pope Sixtus V deprived the princes of the feudal rights and established a Mayor resident in Collevecchio. In 1817, with the definitive reorganization of the territorial structure of the Rieti delegation, Montebuono was included in the district of Poggio Mirteto and, together with Cicignano, Collevecchio, Fianello, Foglia, San Polo and Tarano, it became part of the governorate of Calvi. Subsequently, when Calvi was separated from the district of Poggio Mirteto, it passed under the direct government of Mirtense, and was then included in the province of Rieti in 1927.

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What to see?

The visit to the historic center of Montebuono starts from the main viewpoint from which visitors can admire the immensity of the surrounding landscape. Two rustic villas of Roman origin testify to the ancient history of this area. The aforementioned church of St. Peter, called "ad Muricentum" or "ad Centum murum", is certainly unmissable due to the presence of numerous Roman remains that characterize and delimit it. Tto enjoy a complete view of the village, we suggest to reach the sanctuary dedicated to San Benedetto which is located on top of the mountain bearing the same name, that overlooks Montebuono. Going even higher, along the way, take a rest under the foliage of the trees and also enjoy a picnic in this specially equipped area. The church of Santa Maria Assunta, located near the castle of Fianello, was erected on the remains of a rustic Roman villa, has early medieval origins and is particularly interesting for the Romanesque crypt divided into three small aisles covered by cross vaults.