Penna in Teverina (Tr)
History
With just over a thousand inhabitants, it is the smallest in Umbria in terms of surface area.
Its name derives from “pinna”, meaning summit or peak, referring to the hill on which the village stands.
Numerous artifacts from the Roman era testify to its ancient location, approximately 60 km from the current village.
It is a rich and fertile area, populated in ancient times by wealthy inhabitants who were lovers of good food.
The first written sources mentioning Penna in its current location date back to the 12th century. The Orsini and Colonna families vied for control of the settlement in the subsequent centuries.
In 1492, Stefano Colonna entrusted the town to the jurisdiction of Amelia. Later, in 1502, Colonna returned it to the Orsini family, who ruled over it until the extinction of the lineage in the 18th century.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Penna passed to the Marquises Del Gallo di Roccagiovine.
From 1963, it acquired its current name by adding its toponym linked to the Tiber River.
Address: Penna in Teverina, 05028 Penna in Teverina TR
Phone: 0744 993326
Culture
Among narrow alleys and steep stairs, one can appreciate the original structure of the medieval village. Access is through the Civic Gate, leading to Piazza di San Valentino, where the parish church of Santa Maria della Neve stands. Mentioned at least since 1276, nothing remains of the original construction. It was expanded and completely renovated in the 16th and 17th centuries. The inscription on the portal bears the date 1651. Further restoration and alterations occurred in the post-war period.
Next to the church, in Piazza San Valentino at number 31, in a place characterized by a beautiful doorway, there is a large animated Nativity scene, visible all year round, spread over an area of 27 square meters with over 200 figurines. Its visit is accompanied by a soundtrack written by Riccardo Cocciante and narrated by Alberto Lori.
Palazzo Orsini boasts a beautiful Italian-style garden, and on its facade, you can still see the coats of arms of the two families to which it belonged: the crushed rose of the Orsini and the eel of the Anguillara.
In another property, once belonging to the Orsini and now owned by the Marquises of Del Gallo di Roccagiovine, at the entrance of the villa, the busts of the “Mammalocchi” appear majestically. These are original travertine marble columns by Pirro Ligorio, the creator of the gardens of Villa D’Este in Tivoli and the fantastic figures of the Sacro Bosco in Bomarzo.
In the vicinity, near Castiglioni, you can see the remains of a Roman bridge over the Tiber, and in the countryside, the remains of a Roman villa at Pennavecchia.
Nature
The Path of Light
Penna in Teverina, specifically the area of Solfatara, is a stop on the Path of Light, an event that takes place every year in May/June. It is a religious pilgrimage along the Via Amerina, which sees the participation of hundreds of pilgrims each year.
