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The ancient holm oak of Poggio San Lorenzo: the giant tree that watches over the Baths of Titus
In the locality of Capo Farfa, in the Sabina area near Rieti, a centuries-old holm oak grows next to the remains of what were according to tradition the Baths of Emperor Titus. We are in Poggio San Lorenzo, a stone's throw from the Via Salaria and along the Way of St Francis in Lazio. The locals are convinced it is the largest holm oak in Europe — "l'erecione," they call it in the local dialect.
The tree held up by concrete columns
The trunk measures 4.55 m in circumference, it reaches a height of 16 m, and the canopy spreads 29 m wide. Its estimated age is between 300 and 400 years. As early as the 1920s, the horizontal branches had become so long and heavy that the owner had concrete columns built to prevent them from breaking. If reinforcements were already needed a century ago, it means the tree was already enormous. Botany experts give an oak a maximum lifespan of five centuries — and this one is at least three centuries old.
Roman remains at the foot of the oak
At the foot of the tree, remains of Roman-era walls can be seen. According to tradition, these form part of the tomb of Petronius Arbiter, an identification that is deeply rooted among the locals. It is probably from here that the legend of the tree's thousand-year age originates. Not far away, the remains of the Baths of Emperor Titus can also be found.
How to get there
The holm oak can be reached with a walk of about 2 hours, along a path suitable for all ages and abilities.
