Tourism Rieti - Italy

Rieti: Tourism information Rieti

Rieti (Latin: Reate) is a city in Lazio, Italy, with a population of 47.332. It is the capital of Rieti Province and the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rieti.
The city is placed on a small hilltop commanding a wide plain, at the southern edge of an ancient lake, and by the side of a river (to be known as Mellinus and later Velino). Today only the small lakes of Ripasottile and Cantalice remain of the original basin.

Rieti history

Ancient era
Reate was originally a major site of the Sabine nation. After the Roman conquest, carried out by Manius Curius Dentatus in late 3rd century BC, the village became a strategic point in the early Italic road network, dominating the "salt" track (Via Salaria) that joined Rome to the Adriatic Sea across the Appennine mountains.
Through a deep cut in the limestone at the northern edge of the valley, Curius Dentatus made the water of the lake flow away in the Nera river. The wide area once occupied by the lake turned into a fertile plain, and the land was split by surveyors into square allotments, in the shape of a regular grid. The town itself was re-founded on the basis of orthogonal axes, and was fortified with strong walls all around. A stone bridge was laid across the Velino river, and a great viaduct was built to lead people and carts from the Salaria road up to the southern door of the town.
Roman Reate deserved several quotations in the Latin literature thanks to its flourishing soil, its valued asses, and some peculiarities of the surroundings, such as wandering islands, roaming sources and hollow-subsurfaced fields. Cicero tells about litigation between Reate and Interamna for the lake drainage, and refers to the country houses (villae) that his friend Q. Axius owned in the plain.

Middle Ages
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire Rieti suffered destruction by Barbarians, but never ceased to be an important gastaldate during the Lombard domination, as part of the Duchy of Spoleto. Under the Franks, it was capital of county. In the 9th and 10th centuries, it was sacked by the Saracens and, in 1149, by the Norman king Roger II of Sicily.
The city was rebuilt with the help of the Roman commune, and from 1198 was also a free commune, of Guelph orientation, with a podestà of its own.
As a favourite Papal seat, Rieti was the place of important historical events: Constance of Hauteville married here by proxy Emperor Henry VI (1185); in the cathedral, in 1289, Charles I of Anjou was crowned King of Apulia, Sicily and Jerusalem by Pope Nicholas I. Pope Gregory IX celebrated here the canonization of St. Dominic (1234).

Late Middle Ages and modern era
After the Papal seat had been moved to Avignon, Rieti was conquered by the King of Naples, while inner struggles between Guelphs and Ghibellines began. In 1354 it was captured back by Cardinal Albornoz, and later was a feudal seignory of the Alfani family within the Papal States. A plan to dry more of the surrounding plain was carried out in the following century, but this led to quarrels with the city of Terni.
Rieti was province capital of the Papal States from 1816 to 1860. After the unification of Italy, it was initially part of Abruzzi, being annexed to Lazio in 1923. It became the provincial capital on January 2, 1923.

Rieti: Main sights

The downtown of the ancient Sabine and Roman city was crowded with buildings, including baths (thermae). Unfortunately, only scarce remains were found during excavations in 19th and 20th century: the foundations of a large temple, the stone floor of the main square (forum), walls from private houses, concrete vaults, statues and pottery items. The most striking remains are the stone bridge across the Velino river and the viaduct.
Piazza San Rufo is traditionally considered to be the exact centre of Italy (Latin Umbilicus Italiae).

Other sights include:

the Cathedral, started in 1109 over a pre-existing basilica, was consecrated in 1225 and almost entirely rebuilt in 1639. It has a stunning Romanesque bell tower from 1252. The entrance portico leads to a noteworthy portal from the 13th century. The interior, on Latin cross plan with one nave and two aisles, has mainly Baroque decorations. Notable is a statue of St. Barbara by Giannantonio Mari (1657), probably designed by Bernini. Other art pieces include a fresco by Antoniazzo Romano and canvases from 16th and 17th centuries. The crypt corresponds to the most ancient part of the church, consecrated in 1157. The Baptistery has an elegant baptismal font from the 15th century.
the Palazzo Vescovile ("Bishops Palace"), whose construction was begun in 1283. Noteworthy are the loggia and eight Renaissance-style windows from 1532. The lower floor is occupied by the so-called "Volte del Vescovado", a great portico with two naves of Gothic arcades. The Grand Hall houses the Diocese Gallery.
the Palazzo Comunale ("Town Hall", 13th century, rebuilt in the 18th century), facing Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, a square corresponding to the ancient Roman forum. The Palace houses the Town Museum which hosts works by Antoniazzo Romano, Antonio Canova, Bertel Thorwaldsen.
the Palazzo del Governo, with a noble loggia from 1596.
the Bishop's Arch, a bridge built by Boniface VIII.
the church of St. Peter Martyr (13th century), with luxurious golden Baroque decorations. It has a Presentation of Christ to the Temple by Giovanni Battista Gaulli.
Palazzo Vicentini, attributed to Giuliano da Sangallo the Younger.
the Walls, dating from the first half of the 13th century, with carachteristical rounded and square towers.
the Gothic church of Sant'Agostino (13th century, restored in the 18th century). The portal has a fresco of Madonna with Child and St. Augustin and St. Nicholas (1354), of Senese school.
Santa Maria in Vescovio, a church built in the 8th century and subsequently modified to the current 12th century Romanesque appearance. The interior has a single nave and frescoes from the late 13th-early 14th centuries, depicting the Last Judgement and scenes from the Old and New Testament.
the church of St. Francis (begun in 1245, radically restored in 1636). The interior has a single nave. The original frescoes from the 14th-15th centuries are now in the Diocese Museum and in the Palazzo Vescovile.
the late Renaissance Palazzo Vecchiarelli, designed by Carlo Maderno.

Also interesting are the sights in the Lake Lungo and Ripasottile Natural Preserve, and the Mount Terminillo.

Rieti localities:
AMATRICE Antrodoco Ascrea Belmonte In Sabina Borbona Borgo Velino Borgorose Cantalice Cantalupo In Sabina Casaprota Casperia Castel Di Tora Castel Sant''angelo Castelnuovo Di Farfa Cittaducale Cittareale Collalto Sabino Colle Di Tora Collegiove Collevecchio Colli Sul Velino Concerviano Configni CONTIGLIANO Cottanello Fara In Sabina Fiamignano Forano Frasso Sabino GRECCIO Labro Leonessa Longone Sabino MAGLIANO SABINA Marcetelli MICIGLIANO Mompeo Montasola Monte San Giovanni In Sabina MONTEBUONO Monteleone Sabino Montenero Sabino Montopoli Di Sabina Morro Reatino Nespolo Orvinio Paganico Sabino Pescorocchiano Petrella Salto Poggio Bustone Poggio Catino Poggio Mirteto Poggio Moiano Poggio Nativo Poggio San Lorenzo Posta Pozzaglia Sabino RIETI RIVODUTRI Rocca Sinibalda Roccantica Salisano Scandriglia Selci Stimigliano TARANO Toffia Torri In Sabina Torricella In Sabina Turania Vacone Varco Sabino

Part of the information regarding the history, the art, the traditions and the events of the province of present Rieti on this page is drawn from the situated one www.wikipedia.org respecting the GNU Free Documentation License.