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Capranica on the Via Francigena: the village of churches and hazel groves
Capranica sits perched on a cliff along the northern Via Francigena, between the Cimini Mountains and the Sabatini Hills, in the Viterbo area of Tuscia. In the 1300s, Petrarch stayed here as a guest of the Lords of Anguillara. The surrounding area is heavily wooded, and the historic centre is mainly composed of 16th century houses and small palaces.
Anguillara Castle
The Anguillara family ruled Capranica from atop its castle, flanked by the Clock Tower, both located in the oldest part of town. The position was strategic: it was a link between southern and central Etruria, and a crucial crossroads through the Middle Ages.
Churches to discover in the centre and the plain
There are many churches to visit in Capranica, first and foremost the Cathedral of San Giovanni (St John), dating back to the 16th century. Rebuilt in the 1700s, it features a Romanesque bell tower, a single nave, and a Renaissance tabernacle. The Procession of the Most Holy Crucifix starts here, with a wooden statue from the 1500s carried along streets decorated for the May Flower festival (Infiorata). Also noteworthy are the Church of Santa maria (St Mary) with its late-Romanesque bell tower, and the Romanesque Church of San Francesco (St Francis), restored by Antonio Muñoz in 1927. Outside the walls is the Church of the Madonna del Piano (Our Lady of the Plain) — with a façade by Vignola — which in September hosts the Procession of the Cocciarelle.
Dining out
The town is renowned for its spelt polenta with truffle, and hazelnut desserts. This area also produces Tuscia DOP olive oil and Colli Cimini IGT wines.
