Ronciglione

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Comune di Ronciglione
Municipal coat of arms
Country	Italy
Region	Lazio
Province	Viterbo (VT)
Mayor	Alfredo Giancarlo Bianchini

Elevation	441 m
Area	52,28 km²
Population
- Total (as of December 31, 2004)	8,177
- Density	143/km²
Time zone	CET, UTC+1
Coordinates	42°17′N 12°12′E
Gentilic	Rinciglionesi
Dialing code	0761
Postal code	01037
Frazioni	Lago di Vico
Patron	St. Bartholomew
- Day	[August 24]]
Website: www.comune.ronciglione.vt.it

<noinclude> Ronciglione is a city in the province of Viterbo, Lazio (central Italy), c. 20 km from Viterbo. The city is located in the Cimini mountains, over two tufa scarps, on the SE slope of the former volcano crater now housing the Vico's Lake.

The city's economy is based largely on agriculture, with production of nuts, chestnuts and wine.

1 History
2 Main sights
3 Culture
4 External links

[edit] History

The most ancient document mentioning Ronciglione dates to 1103. An historian from 16th century Orvieto set its foundation around 1045, due to the Prefetti of Vico. Later it was a possession of the Anguillara, a Guelph family of Rome. Pope Paul II conqered it to the Papal States in 1465.

In 1526 Ronciglione became a possession of the Farnese, and lived its period of greatest splendour: its industries included manifactures of copper, iron, paper, weapons and others. Ended in 1649 the Farnese seignory and bought back by Pope Innocent X, in 1728 it received the status of city by Pope Benedict XIII.

The Ronciglionesi took active part in the Roman Republic of 1798-1799: the French troops, however, crushed the revolt and burnt the city on July 20, 1799.

[edit] Main sights

Ronciglione has one of the most beautiful mediaeval burgs of central Italy.

The city monuments include:

The Castle, originally built in the High Middle Ages, with the characteristical angle rounded towers.
The Cathedral, a Baroque edifice designed by Pietro da Cortona, rebuilt by Carlo Rainaldi between 1671and 1695. The belfry is from 1734. It houses a Tryptych of Christ by the Viterbese painer Gabriele di Francesco (15th century).
The church of Santa Maria della Provvidenza (11th century), restored in Baroque style, although still retaining a three-floors Romanesque belfry. The interior, with a single nave, houses some frescoes from th 15th century.
The ruins of the church of St. Andrew (12th-13th centuries), with a notable belfry from 1436.

A view of the Mediaeval burg of Ronciglione.
Santa Maria della Pace, a church began in 1581 and variously attributed to Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola or Rainaldi. It houses paintings by Sebastiano Conca, Cavalier d'Arpino and a tabernacle by Sansovino.
The suggestive basilica church of Sant'Eusebio, along the Via Cassia, 3 km in direction of Rome. Located on a wide alture, it was built by monks ascpaed from Palestine in the 7th and 8th centuries. Traces of the ancient coenoby and the belfry can still be seen. The interior of the current edifice has a nave with aisles of irregular dimensions, with 12th-13th centuries frescoes and a Madonna with Child from the 15th century. It is dedicated to St. Eusebius, bishop of the nearby Sutri.

[edit] Culture

Ronciglione is famous for its Carnival, one of the most important in the Lazio. It was born as a derivative of the Renaissance Carnival of Rome. It has typical "empty races" in which the horses are left to run without riders. The cities are divided into 9 contrades which contend for the "Palio of the Manna".