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Piazza Sicilia in Caprarola: the Renaissance Square Dividing the Fortress from the Village
In Caprarola, Piazza Sicilia is an obligatory point of passage between the upper part of the village, dominated by Palazzo Farnese, and the medieval village that descends towards the valley. The square is located where the Via Dritta — the 16th-century main road commissioned by Alessandro Farnese — widens to accommodate the monumental entrance to the Fortress. The difference in level is resolved with a flight of steps connecting the two levels of the town.
The Design by Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola
The square is part of the urban plan designed by Vignola in the mid-16th century to connect the palace to the rest of the village and the community. The architect laid out a system of ramps, staircases and terraces that softened the change in level and accompanied those ascending to the Fortress. It is not just a practical solution: it is an urban scenography preparing people for their arrival at the palace.
The Belvedere Over Tuscia
From the square, there is a fine view of the Cimini Mountains, the woods surrounding Lake Vico and the landscape of the Viterbo area of Tuscia. It is a panoramic point often ignored by visitors, who go straight up to the palace, but it is worth stopping. The square is pedestrianised and accessible, and remains one of the few places where one can see the village and its monumental architecture all in one.
