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| San Venanzo |
The town, of medieval origins, is located on the slopes of Monte Peglia. The name comes from Venanzio or Venanzo, a Roman soldier whose relics were venerated in the cathedral of Camerino. Legend has it that the young soldier was crossing Umbria on horseback and stopped on the slopes of Monte Peglia. There was no water in sight and he and his horse were thirsty so with the point of his sword he miraculously caused a spring of water to gush from the living rock.Volcanological museum of San VenanzoOne of three “miniature” volcanoes was active in this area 265,000 years ago. It was recently identified and led to the development of a type of scientific tourism with the opening of the Volcanological Museum housed near Villa Faina, a historical building in the heart of the town. The visitor’s center (Museo Vulcanologico) offers all the information needed to visit the volcanoesThe Volcanological ParkThe highlight of the Museum is “venanzite”, a volcanic rock, whose characteristics and composition make it the only one of its kind in the world. It can be seen in loco in an old quarry that is also the mainstay of the Volcanological Park which moves along a nature trail for around 2 Km along which the form and structure of the three old volcanoes can be reconstructed and the visitor can actually touch the lava products of their activity. It is a real Open-air Museum.The Green Heart of UmbriaThe environment is the most precious heritage in reviving a territory as spell-binding as this, 60 per cent of which is wooded. The colors and the silence of a welcoming natural ambience are there for those who love nature, a rapidly growing sector with a qualified network of family-run farm holiday accommodations located in old farm houses. The hamlets of San Venanzo have retained their historical charm: Rotecastello, a round fortification with a thirteenth-century air; San Vito in Monte, a place of worship for the Madonna of the Olive; Pornello, guarding the road that leads to Città della Pieve; Ripalvella, with its polygonal tower; Poggio Aquilone, a terrace onverlookin g the valley of the Fersinone stream, and where the eye sweeps up to Civitella dei Conti; Collelungo, with its squared stones and its medieval frescoes, including the Madonna della Luce; Ospedaletto, with its pine groves and lastly San Marino, the last outpost on the side of Orvieto.to seeArchaeological Area “Poggio delle Civitelle”Nature Park dell’Elmo Park of the Sette Frati Sette Frati Environmental Education Center The “Devil’s Hole” (Palaeolithic remains) Ossiferous breccia of Villafranchiano Shrine of the Madonna della Luce to enjoyThe “Sella di San Venanzo” (pork product)The typical pork products The wild woodland products and chestnuts Organically grown products Cuisine based on game the miraculous springCurative waters known for their “miracles” are at San Vito in Monte. Leo XIII visited them and the virtues of the spring of “la Madonnuccia” as it is known were extolled in the nineteenth century by the chemist G. Texeira |
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