After the heat and pace of
Rome we decided on a leisurely intermediate day. One of the receptionists
suggested a trip comprising two hill top towns and a lake.
We set off for Viterbo, an hours drive North of our site. After a great lunch of local
specialties including vegetable soup and rabbit at a small Tratorria, which was cave like and hence pleasantly cool, we set off to explore. The rule of maintaining our contour (or slowly
walking up) through many little streets and squares was rewarded when the path suddenly opened up into a large
castle courtyard.
The castle was apparently started in the 8th century and was added to over time with many of the adjoining buildings being constructed round the 12th century. Some of
the arcade works was very ornate for stonework.
Although large from the
inside it does not give a real feel for its size until viewed from the outside
where it really does dominate the landscape.
What I also found interesting was a large column that can be seen in the
shot above and below that appears to support the middle of the arch. Why it is
there is a mystery as the wider large edges are unsupported (as you would expect
of an arch).
The contrast with the modern day sculpture of a large giant partly buried in the grass below the castle was very
effective. He was presumably a bad giant to be have been thrown off!
Just up the road is a large lake - Largo di Bolsena. You could spend a very pleasant day sailing around it and
visiting the islands. Apparently it is the largest lake of its kind in Europe. It is a flooded caldera of a volcano which last erupted as "recently" as 104 BC.
We called into a town on its
Eastern edge where there was yet another (albeit small) castle.
The views and setting sun
were a reminder that we had spent too long in Vertibo and needed to get a move
on.
That was a difficult ask
given the enticing village that sat just below the castle with its inviting
Taverna. Wine on the steps..
However, set off we did and
were rewarded by the sight of a staggeringly beautiful Ortibo perched on top of a large knoll with mostly vertical cliffs. The light was just right and really picked up the face of the
cathedral which seemed to sparkle.
Even from a distance of several kilometres it seems to be
lighter than the surrounding buildings.
As we got into the town and
meandered into what turned out to be a huge square atop the city where it became
progressively more clear why the building sparkled.
The face was decorated in
mosaic.
Even the ornate decorative columns of the façade were
covered in mosaic. No wondered it sparkled – the work
involved is hard to imaagine……
As the sun set and the cooler
air arrived others seemed to sparkle as well. We ate at the restaurant just
behind Helen while we looked up at the cathedral.
As we wondered back to the
car the warm light helped with the glow I know we all felt of a great day in
the country.
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