Fabrica di Roma is a city in the province of Viterbo in the Italian region of Lazio.

Understand

Fabrica di Roma is 26 km from the city of Viterbo and roughly 300 metres above sea level. The Lago di Vico is also nearby. Local products include Viterbese peperino, also called grey tuff, a volcanic rock of which most of the old city of Fabrica di Roma is constructed. Red tuff and other volcanic rocks were also used by the ancient Faliscan and Etruscan people who called this area home before the arrival of the ancient Romans. The constructions of the Etruscan people are particularly notable, as they left behind very large necropoli (monumental tombs) in this area.

Though this area has been continuously inhabited since well into prehistoric times, the beginning of the written history of Fabrica di Roma itself can be dated to the 11th century, with the construction of the castle, referred to in a Papal bull of 1177, a particularly important milestone. Many Medieval buildings remain standing in Fabrica.

Climate

The local climate is known as temperate, with good air, partly a product of the dense vegetation in the area. The temperature varies by only about 15 °C between the coldest and warmest readings of the year.

Get in

By car

Fabrica di Roma is connected through the Provincial Road 26 Vignanellese to Vignanello, via the provincial road 27 Faleriense to Civita Castellana, through the provincial road 35 Ronciglionese to Carbognano, through the provincial road 65 Valleranese to Vallerano, and through the provincial road Corchianese 71 to Corchiano.

From Rome along the Cassia Bis (regional road 2a Via Cassia Veientana) to Monterosi, then right Ronciglione, at the junction of Trentamiglia right again to Fabrica di Roma.

From the A1, take the exit for Magliano Sabina, turn right at Borghetto and then right again to Fabrica di Roma.

By Flaminia to Civita Castellana, and then in Fabrica di Roma.

From Viterbo take Via Cassia Cimina and immediately after, the provincial road 65 "Valleranense".

By train

Fabrica di Roma has two railway stations near each other, but only one has service:

Station Fabrica di Roma (ATAC) along the railway Rome - Civita Castellana - Viterbo between the stations of Corchiano (Roma Nord) and Faleria.

As an alternative, from Civita Castellana station, you can take the provincial road 27 Faleriense and continue on road 74 (called Quartaccio).

Get around

The historic centre of Fabrica di Roma is easily explored on foot. To get to the archaeological site Falerii Novi you can drive on the provincial road 27 Faleriense direction Civita Castellana, or taking advantage of the urban service, times are visible from the municipality's website.

See

Chiesa Collegiare Fabrica

• Collegiate Church of St. Sylvester Pope (Chiesa Collegiata di San Silvestro Papa (Duomo Fabrica)). The earliest written record of this church dates back to 1177, but as it was in a list of properties of the monastery of St. Elijah, the building clearly was already in some state of completion already by then. Art historians have not come to agreement on who painted the apse and the two side niches (Madonna of the Rosary, the symbol of the sacraments with seven streams gushing from the cross, paintings that were covered, and partly restored in 1954). The only thing certain is the date of the murals, which is written in the main apse: 1556. Local tradition attributes them to Taddeo Zuccari, who worked on the decoration of the Palazzo Farnese at Caprarola, while others advance the name of Guido da Viterbo, but historian Cesare Verani attributes them to the brothers Bartholomew and Lorenzo Torresani, who were heavily influenced by the school of Raphael. In the apse you can admire the majestic Glory of the Blessed Redeemer surrounded by the symbols of the Passion, which is very reminiscent of that found in rooms in the Vatican painted by Raphael. In the drum below are represented: the Last Supper, with a background of perfectly constructed architectural scenes, the Crucifixion and the Flagellation. These frescoes were restored in 1955. Along the nave are the side altars with lively, expressive paintings by more recent and still anonymous authors: entering from the left are the Annunciation, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, St. Gaetano, St. Francis, St. Rose of Viterbo, the souls in purgatory and the Assumption. Under the main altar the body of St. Justin Martyr was preserved, covered with wax and moved to Rome on September 22, 1791. 

Chiesa Falleri Fabrica di Roma

• Church of Santa Maria in Falleri (Chiesa di Santa Maria in Falleri), ☏ +39 0761 569001, cultura@comune.fabricadiroma.vt.it. April to October: Sa Su 09:00-13:00; other times of year by appointment from the city's Office for Culture. In the fourth decade of the twelfth century, Cistercians from the monastery of S. Sulpice-en-Bugey founded the Abbey of Falleri in Falerii Novi. The building still reflects the Cistercian architecture with its tuff with regular inserts of granite and decorations of marble. Entering the church you notice immediately austerity and simplicity of the work. The sanctuary has three naves, with the central and highest double the height of the sides: all are singly illuminated. The nave consists of four spans of quadrangular shape, which are doubled on the sides. The church has a transept ending at the east with a choir made up of five apses. 
• Church of Santa Maria della Pietà (Chiesa di Santa Maria della Pietà). According to an old local tradition, the Church of Santa Maria della Pietà was built around a shrine depicting the Virgin and Child dating back probably to the middle of the 15th century. The decoration of the church extends through ten niches made of the same thickness as the wall. In the niches, the Nativity, the Virgin in Glory, the life of St. Andrew, St. Antonio Abate crowned by angels, St. Michael the Archangel and three saints, and one image that is no longer identifiable are depicted. The most important work is the one that is located to the right of the aisle. This fresco depicts St. Sylvester in his chair with scenes from his life and shows the year the works were created: 1560. Work was needed in the late 1960s to bring the frescoes to light. Painters Lorenzo and Alessandro Torresani are recognized as the creators of most of the paintings. The fresco depicting the Madonna and Child with Saints Anthony Abbot and Leonardo, which is enclosed in a frame of granite inserted in the second half of the 20th century, is particularly interesting. 
• Two small churches: Our Lady of Victory (Madonna della Vittoria) and Our Lady of Stradella (Madonna della Stradella). The church of Our Lady of Victory is dedicated to San Sebastian but is known by all as Our Lady of Victory since its interior contains an important tile with the image of the Savior probably repainted in the 1400s. The church shows a facade with a bell tower, with the center of the beautiful portal surmounted by a single oculus, and rises on some steep stairs carved into the lava stone. The interior has a single nave with covered ceiling trusses.
  The history of the Church of Our Lady of Stradella begins with the construction of a simple Marian shrine on the side of the road leading out of Fabrica, in order to protect the traveler. In effect, the Madonna of Stradella should be considered a church outside the city walls — that is, built outside the walls of the first centre of Fabrica. Therefore, it is possible that it may have been born as a small chapel that then, later, was transformed into the building that we know today. The plan is octagonal, the facade is simple, and the only decorative element in the interior is the wall painting of the altar, representing the Madonna and Child, a symbol of local 15th-century painting. 

Scorcio 1 Castello Rocca Fabrica

• The Castle La Rocca (Castello La Rocca). The castle, which is in the town centre, is always simply called La Rocca, as is the village surrounding it. Presumably built around 1000, it was rebuilt and enlarged in 1217 under the rule of the family of De Vico Prefects, powerful feudal lords of the Roman Tuscia. In 1539 it was sold to Pierluigi Farnese, and Cardinal Alessandro Farnese further improved the fortress, ordering the construction of the northern circular tower, completed by 1590. Hence the other name of the castle: Castello Farnese. The castle has a square shape, built on a spur of rock where you can still see the remains of the fortress on the western side; the side towards the village is surrounded by two powerful, angular circular towers and the square tower that dominates the landscape of Fabrica. 
• Falerii Novi, cultura@comune.fabricadiroma.vt.it. Falerii Novi is an archaeological site of an ancient Roman city, founded in 241 BC after the conquest of Veteres Falerii (now Civita Castellana), whose surviving inhabitants survivors were moved to this new urban area. The archaeological site is located on a road that could perhaps be the Via Annia, an alternate route of the Via Cassia; this road is approaches from the south coming from Nepet (now called Nepi), while its continuation north was certainly called via Amerina, the road leading to Amelia. The site is very impressive because through these remains, it is possible to reconstruct the original plan of the city, with its walls of 2,400 km perimeter still intact in some places, the turrets, the main gates giving access to the city, of which the one called Jupiter is the best preserved, and the remains of both the internal theatre and external amphitheatre. 
• Palazzo Cencelli. The Palazzo Cencelli (now Town Hall) was built in medieval times. Around the middle of the 18th century the wealthy Cencelli family had the building remodeled several times, and it still houses a fair number of the frescoes commissioned during this period. Adjacent to the palazzo, which houses the city's government, is a historic Italian-style garden, composed of box hedges, cypresses and gushing fountains. A wooden bridge connects the garden to the building. 

Do

Porta di Giove in Falerii Novi

Palazzo Cencelli Fabrica

• Cedar Park (Parco dei cedri). A short walk from the historic centre, this is a huge green space of about 3 hectares, with a bike path that runs all around the park, playgrounds for children and relaxation areas for adults. The whole park was planted with cedars of Lebanon, whence the name. 
• Urban Trekking, cultura@comune.fabricadiroma.vt.it. To spend a pleasant day in Fabrica di Roma, one can begin by walking through the old town, concentrating on the area called La Rocca: the path starts from Piazza Duomo (the centre of the town) and runs through the middle of streets and lanes through which you can read the story of Fabrica di Roma, with the crests and the holy icons still imprinted on the old buildings and houses carved in gray tuff typical of Viterbo. The Urban Trekking path, which these long walks through the city are now called, proceeds to Via della Fontanella, then Piazza Marconi, Piazzetta della Cella (where the earliest houses of local antiquity had been constructed) until you return to Piazza Duomo and there rest a moment and then travel by car or by bus to the archaeological site of Falerii and visit the Gate of Jupiter and the Church of Santa Maria in Falerii (12th century), though perhaps this new tourist route is better to do the next day, if you'd like a more relaxed visit. 
• Area of Biodiversity. At an area simply called "la Selva" (a large oak forest; the name means "the Woods"), accessible from the bypass from the church, is the Area of Biodiversity. The area also functions as a picnic area and is a route for hikers and lovers of outdoor fitness and the path of GFMBK (Tour of Fabrica Mountain Bike). This area is close to the town centre and easily accessible. Crossing the route through the countryside to la Selva, you can see several Faliscan caves a short walk from the dirt road, the ancient hewn tunnel called "Lullurullu", and the shrine of "Madonnella the Furnaces" (Madonnella delle Fornaci, early nineteenth century). 
• Fabrica Giro Mountain Bike (GFMBK), cultura@comune.fabricadiroma.vt.it. This path, specifically created for lovers of this type of bicycle, is 45 km long and varies between high and low stretches of mountainous terrain. The path is signposted, and the starting area is on Via Materano. 
• Festival of St. Matthew and St. Justin (Festa di San Matteo e San Giustino). The Patron Saints of Fabrica di Roma are San Mateo and San Giustino, who are celebrated every year in a crescendo of events and performances that begin in the week in which 21 September falls. During the three or four days of festivities banquets are prepared, a Goods Fair takes place on the Sunday that falls in this period, and short plays and shows for children and adults are performed on the main streets. There are many outdoor tables and lots of participants. A feature strongly tied to the folk veneration of the patron saint is the "race" of the Icon of St. Matthew which is held on the evening of September 21. Those carrying the canopy with the statue of the saint sprint up the steep slopes that lead from the ring road from the church to Piazza Duomo, where they are greeted by thunderous applause from the crowd while a hail of fireworks descends from the Castello della Rocca to meet them. St. Justin, the second patron of Fabrica di Roma, is brought out on 22 September every five years in a casket with a wax body and relics, and is celebrated with the same solemn transportation as San Matteo: the same rituals, the same brotherhood of porters who lead him on the path between the historic centre and Via Roma, to the Church of Our Lady of Mercy. Within days of the festivities is the running of the carts that takes place the day of the patron saint in the middle of the afternoon and takes place on Via San Giorgio, where carts made by hand by the participants descend the ring road at breakneck speed from the church to Via Roma. 
• The Beer Festival (Festa della Birra), Piazza Madre Teresa di Calcutta – Loc. Vallette. Late August. The Beer Festival Fabrica di Roma was founded in 1997 and today is the most important festival during the end of the Viterbese summer season, with a number of participants that increases from year to year. Organized by a group of young people in close collaboration with the local administration, the Beer Festival Fabrica di Roma offers a show that has a great impact on the youth audience, and not only do the four days of the festival develop into a crescendo of performances, mostly by metal groups, but also, along with draft beers and various distinctive local dishes. (updated Mar 2019)

Buy

Throughout the region there are various stores selling clothing, household products and food. On Via Roma you can find a row of stores on both sides of the road.

Eat

In Fabrica di Roma and neighboring Faleri, there are many pubs, restaurants and pizzerias where you can eat well and cheaply. Here are a few:

• 1 Trattoria Antonella, Via IV Novembre n. 13, ☏ +39 0761 569437. Homemade desserts; fried mushrooms; mushrooms; gnocchi; homemade pasta; risotto with mushrooms; specialty meat; specialty mushrooms; seasonal specials. 
• 2 Pizzeria Fausta & Luciano, Viale Degli Eroi n. 44, ☏ +39 0761 569765. Dietetic cuisine; French fries; pizza slices; margherita pizza; takeaway pizzas; gluten-free pizzas; special pizzas; grilled chicken. 
• 3 Al Chiaro di Luna, Via Campo Sportivo 2/a, ☏ +39 0761568700. Pizzeria. 

Drink

Bars and pubs stay open until late starting the evening with a classic aperitif. Some of them also offer a taste of distinctive local foods.

Sleep

• 1 Giardino Bed & Breakfast, Via Matteotti 14, ☏ +39 0761 569759, info@giardinobeb.it. Bed and Breakfast. €40. (updated Oct 2014)
• 2 Hotel Falisco, Via Roma 61, ☏ +39 0761 569976, albergo@hotelfalisco.it. Hotel (3*) €60. (updated Oct 2014)
• 3 Hotel Aldero, Località Quartaccio, ☏ +39 0761 514757, info@aldero.it. Hotel (4*) €85. (updated Oct 2014)

Connect

The area of the historic downtown area is covered for about 200 meters from a Wi-Fi network which is completely free and accessible through a simple registration.

• 1 Ufficio Cultura, Via Alberto Cencelli, 20, ☏ +39 0761 569001, cultura@comune.fabricadiroma.vt.it. Tourist information center. 

Go next

Via Amerina

Excursions

As the crow flies Fabrica di Roma is well connected to the Natural Reserve of Monte Soratte, where you can organize multiple and various routes not only for experts of the mountain but also for any person who wants to come into direct contact with nature.

Itineraries

Close to Fabrica di Roma is the Via Amerina, a tourist route to do strictly on foot, great-historical-religious, since it represented at the dawn of the Roman Empire a major thoroughfare that connected most of the territory falisco.

The Via Amerina was part of the main "viae Pubblicae" Ager Faliscus, starting from the Via Cassia and via Falerii up to Amelia, in Umbria, with a distance of 90 km (56 miles).

Starting from Faleri Novi is a long walk that leads directly to Nepi and then from there you continue to the Holy City.