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Monte San Biagio: the village in the Ausoni Mountains, cork oak forests and coriander sausage
Monte San Biagio sits on a hill in the Ausoni Mountains and the Lake Fondi Regional Park. It is on the northern border of what was once the Papal States. Its houses rest on bare rock, with narrow lanes that turn into steps in the climb up to the castle.
A castle with a surprising tower
The Lombards built the castle in the 7th century, on the remains of a Roman fortress or temple. With a trapezoidal ground plan, it had three towers, of which only two remain. One is circular, nestled among the houses. The other is the Triangular Tower, rising like a pyramid. Its shape makes it a rarity in Italy. From the castle there is a sweeping view of the Fondi Plain and the lake of the same name.
Inside the old town
Only one of the three original gates is still with us: Porta di San Rocco (St Roch). The church of the same name, probably dating from the 12th century, houses the statue of the saint, celebrated on August 16th. In the church of San Giovanni Battista (St John the Baptist) there is the polyptych by Cristoforo Scacco from 1500, "The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine," and the silver bust of San Biagio (St Blaise). The village was originally called Monticelli — it took its current name after the Unification of Italy, in honor of its patron saint, San Biagio.
The cork oak forest and the coriander sausage
The San Vito Cork Oak Forest Natural Monument is the largest cork oak forest in mainland Italy: 300 hectares of centuries-old cork oaks and holm oaks. Typical products of Monte San Biagio are the PAT (traditional food product label) coriander sausage and the Moscato di Terracina DOC wine.
