The best cycling routes around Contigliano

Rieti - Historical and Natural Treasures of the Region Rieti, a passport to all the historical and natural treasures of the region. A historic center made up of architectural wonders and a history spanning centuries, reaching today: a small gem protected by perfectly preserved medieval walls, through which flows a river of brilliant crystalline colors. "Visit Rieti" tells of the historical figures who have made the city famous over time, of the unspoiled nature to be experienced and discovered, of Mount Terminillo, beloved in summer and winter alike, of the Sacred Valley with its sanctuaries chosen by Saint Francis, now a destination for pilgrimages of all ages, of the beautiful popular traditions and those of the table, of sports, dance, and culture that, year after year, bear the name of the city, an increasingly popular destination for national and international events. Rieti is all this and much more: it's what every tourist gives to the city with every visit, discovering aspects and places that can be experienced and viewed with different eyes each time, and feeling part of the beauty that characterizes it. Text / Source: Official Tourist Portal of the City of Rieti https://www.visitrieti.com/

Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta, Rieti The Cathedral of Saint Mary, Mother of God The Cathedral of Rieti, dedicated to Santa Maria Madre di Dio and commonly known as the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, was rebuilt on the foundations of the early Christian basilica, documented since the fifth century, between 1109 and 1225. The lower basilica, consecrated in 1157 and striking for its sober and composed forms, is divided into nine naves supported by columns made from the rubble of ancient Roman buildings, among which stands out a milestone of the consular salaria. The upper basilica, in which the architectural lines of the Romanesque plan have remained intact, demonstrates the radical changes resulting from the adaptation of liturgical norms and the change in tastes and styles. Of particular value is the decoration of the main portal, which interprets the motif of acanthus spirals, with clear classical assonance, reinterpreted in the Christian iconography of the Tree of Life. Text / Source: Official Tourist Portal of the City of Rieti https://www.visitrieti.com/2020/01/25/la-cattedrale-di-s-maria-madre-di-dio/

Umbilicus Italiæ - Centro d'Italia, Rieti / Geographical Center of Italy In Piazza San Rufo, Varronian tradition places the so-called Umbilicus Italiae, the geographical center of Italy, commemorated by a plaque. Piazza San Rufo is located amidst the imposing buildings of the historic center, which line the main streets Via Roma and Via Garibaldi. In the center of the square, a section of wall, a remnant of the Roman city's first city walls, can be seen beneath the pavement. The value of this area is commemorated by a plaque and a monument with a unique shape, located exactly in the center of the square and aptly called "la caciotta" (the caciotta) for its rounded and circular design. The work, created between the 1980s and 1990s following the city's twinning with the Georgian capital Tbilisi, appears to resemble the base of a column and features the design of the Italian peninsula on its surface, accompanied by the inscription "Umbilicus Italiae" (Umbilicus Italiae), which runs along half the circumference of the monument itself. Text / Source: Official Tourist Portal of the City of Rieti https://www.visitrieti.com/2020/01/25/rieti-umbilicus-italiae/

The three entrance portals to the cathedral and the bell tower maintain the original Romanesque style.

It is a little jewel between the medieval walls and the blue waters of the Velino River.

Going down via Roma you reach the Velino bridge, known however by the same name as the one demolished in the thirties and placed, a little below, on the river bed: Roman bridge.

The patronage “SANTA MARIA ASSUNTA” (in German: “Assumption”) of the Episcopal Church (Cathedral) of Rieti refers to one of the many memorial or festival days in honor of the Mother of God Mary. It goes back to the festival of her physical assumption into heaven, which the (Catholic) Church celebrates annually on August 15th. In the Orthodox churches the feast is called the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. In many rural areas it is customary for bundles of herbs to be collected by the population on this day and blessed during the festival service.

autumn in the Contiglianese area