Genazzano: Home to ancient nymphs
We love the east end of Lazio, beyond the Alban Hills where the Castelli Romani villages form a long line of beautiful views and delicious food and wine. Keep going and you run into Cave’, home to two beautiful museums bookending a gorge, and Prenestina, home to one of the best preserved Roman temples in Italy.
This time we drove a little farther, to 60 kilometers east of Rome. Genazzano, to our surprise, has the remains of a 11th century nymphaeum almost hidden from the street. Genazzano’s quaint Centro Storico leads to some beautiful churches and a restaurant dating back to the 19th century with a beautiful view of Genazzano’s surrounding forest.
And do you like cheese? Genazzano is famous for it. Tourists are at a minimum but adventure is not.
Things to do
1 • Nimfeo Bramante. At the arch entering Genazzano’s centro storico is a side street that leads downhill. After 50 meters, a small staircase descends into a forest where exists one of the great architectural mysteries in Lazio.
At the bottom of the staircase is the remains of what looks like an Ancient Roman temple. A wall stands 30 feet high with columns holding up 40-foot high arches. A giant well once filled with water now is full of debris.
This is a nymphaeum, an open-air temple designed for summer retreats and outdoor performances. Historians have never confirmed its origin but some theorize that the Colonnas, a family of wealthy Roman nobles, had it built in the early 15th century as a centerpiece for their vast garden. It was abandoned shortly after construction began and never finished.
However, many of the columns, arches and walls remain and offer glimpses of the life the Colonnas led.
Info: Via Pier Paolo Pasolini, 39-06-95-5791, www.ninfeobramante.it, comune.genazzano@pec.genazzano.org,
noon-11:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, 24 hours Saturday-Sunday, free.
2 • Santuario Madre del Buon Consiglio. At nearly the top of Genazzano’s hilly Centro Storico stands the beautiful church with a gleaming white facade and fresco over the ornate front door.
This church was built in 1356 but fell into ruin until 1467 when an aging widow put all her savings into restoring it. In the 15th century it became a destination for pilgrimages because legend has it that an image depicting the Madonna and Child miraculously detached itself from a wall of the
Santo Stefano Cathedral in Scutari, Albania, during the Ottomans’ siege. It miraculously wound up in this church in Genazzano.
The church was rebuilt in the 1980s and ‘90s and the only original part
that remains is the white marble portal. A famous painting of the Madonna and Child is behind bars, flowers and two lit candles.
Info: Corso Cardinali Vannutelli 2, 39-06-957-9002, 7 a.m.-12:45 p.m.,
3-6:45 p.m.
3 • Museum Atelier Castello Colonna. The 11th century castle dominates the town of Genazzano from Centro Storico. The Colonna family transformed it from a defensive fortress into a manor house.
Today it houses five different museums: Picture Gallery, Infiorata Museum, Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions, Archaeological Museum and Living Museum.
Info: Piazza San Nicola 4, 39-06-955-79203,
www.museumgrandtour.com/en/portfolio-item/colonna-castle-museum,
museo.guardreria@genazzano.org, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Genazzano cheese is best takeaway gift
Cheese from this town is famous in Lazio and served in alimentaris all over the area. Stop at any of the many little food shops in Genazzano and pick up a slice.
Genazzano cheese is a pecorino made from the milk of different sheep breeds: Comisana, Sardinian and Massese. Using methods dating back to the 17th century, it’s produced between September and May and matured for two-six months.
It’s straw yellow in color and sweet and savoury. It’s best served with broad beans, pears, honey and plum or sour cherry jam. It also goes well with Roman dishes such as cacio e pepe. Best yet, just eat it by the slice all by itself.
Where is it:
60 kilometers (35 miles) east of Rome.
How to get there: Trains leave Rome’s Termini station to Zagarolo. Journey takes 33 minutes. Change in Zagarolo to Cotral bus for 38-minute trip to Genazzano. Price is €1-€9.
For more information:
Tourist Association Pro Loco Genazzano, Via Martino 18-20,
39-06-957-8516,
Where to eat:
anticaosteriaterremoto.it, info@anticaosteriaterremoto.it,
12:30-2:30 p.m., 8-9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, Saturday, 12:30-2:30
p.m. Sunday.
