🏰 Cellere – The Secret Heart of Alta Tuscia

✨ On a tuff hill, among chestnut woods and legends, Cellere preserves its ancient soul: a village suspended between Etruria and the Middle Ages, where every stone tells stories of power, faith, and rebellion.

📜 From the Origins to the Duchy of Castro

The roots of Cellere go far back: the village was already mentioned in 738 A.D. as Cellulis.Over the centuries, it passed under Viterbo and Toscania, then became part of the Duchy of Castro ruled by the Farnese (from the 14th century until 1649). After the Duchy’s destruction, it returned under the Papal States until the annexation to the Kingdom of Italy.

👉 The structure of the village still reveals the Etruscan imprint of the so-called “spur settlements”: narrow, elongated, and protected by the valleys around it.

🏛️ Architecture and Symbols

⛪ Church of Sant’Egidio Abate – masterpiece by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, with a central plan. Every September 1st, the patron feast is celebrated with the traditional Sant’Egidio biscuits.

🏯 Rocca Farnese – from fortress to noble residence, once a symbol of Farnese power, connected to the village by the evocative Ponte della Rocca.

🗡️ Museum of Brigandage – an immersive journey dedicated to the legendary brigand Domenico Tiburzi, featuring installations, documents, and rebellious tales.

🌳 Park of the Timone Springs – wild and unspoiled nature, perfect for walking, trekking, or horseback riding.

🌿 Hamlets and Legends

• Pianiano – a medieval hamlet nestled among chestnut woods, with perfectly preserved walls and legends evoking Etruscan tombs and the cult of the goddess Diana.

• Monte di Cellere – at 562 m, it dominates the valley and is the source of the Arrone stream.

🎉 Events and Traditions

Cellere thrives all year long with collective rituals and authentic flavors:

🌼 Al di là del giardino (May) – flower and plant exhibition.🍲 May 1st Festival – walks, folk games, and traditional dishes.🐴 Cellere between nature and tradition (September) – typical product fairs and equestrian shows.⭐ Living Nativity Scene – every Christmas, the village turns into Bethlehem.

🍷 Flavors of Alta Tuscia

Cellere is the land of Canino DOP extra virgin olive oil, rustic soups such as acquacotta, spicy lombrichelli pasta, farmer’s bruschette, and local DOC wines.A harmony of tastes that speaks of the simplicity and strength of the Tuscia.

✨ Why Visit Cellere

Cellere is a place where history, nature, and traditions intertwine into a unique story:

• Etruscan memories, Farnese grandeur, and the myth of brigandage.

• A village that welcomes with authenticity.

• A landscape that combines tuff hills, woods, and untouched panoramas.

“Walking through Cellere means leafing through the pages of a book that has never ceased to be written: here Tuscia reveals its truest soul, between rebellions, faith, and silences that speak.”