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Il libro di pietra: Poetry Carved Along the Lanes
The Stone Book is a unique literary itinerary in Lazio: contemporary poems, carved directly onto stone pages, are seamlessly integrated into the landscape. It is an invitation to walk slowly along the town’s lanes and read verses born from the experience of Italian and foreign poets — an open-air "urban museum" that transforms the village into a laboratory of thought and images set in stone.
How the idea came about
It all began in the 1980s, thanks to the creative vision of poet Giuseppe Bonaviri. The idea was simple yet powerful: to fix the words of the poet Ungaretti to the land they refer to. These are not celebratory monuments, but fragments of the soul set among the houses of Arpino and the paths leading up to the acropolis. Each inscription is designed to blend in with its surroundings, almost as if the verses had naturally emerged from the rock over the centuries.
What to see along the route
The itinerary winds through panoramic viewpoints and hidden corners of the village. The most beautiful thing is to read the verses while the wind of Ciociaria is rustling the leaves around you. The inscriptions are scattered across various strategic points, and present a range of languages and styles. The last one was placed on November 4, 2022, in Piazza Municipio. It is "Arpino is a great Town” (Arpino è una grande Città), with a dedication written and composed by Maestro Ennio Morricone.
Practical information
The walk is suitable for everyone, though comfortable shoes are recommended.
