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Murales in Rocca di Papa: An Open-Air Gallery in the Medieval Village of the Castelli Romani
It all started with Miro Fondi, a painter born in Rocca di Papa, a shopkeeper that had a store in Piazza Duomo and an enormous passion for his town. Between the 1970s and 1980s he began painting on the walls along lanes in the historic centre, then invited artist friends to do the same. The mural route was thus born, with no urban plan or public tenders: a painter who knew everyone and convinced everyone. Fondi died in 2003, but the project survived beyond his death.
The Bavarese Quarter
The murals are mostly to be found in the Bavarese quarter, the oldest part of the town, with steep lanes climbing towards the papal fortress. There are dozens of works, and new ones arrive every year. There is a common thread: Rocca di Papa itself. Scenes of daily life, views of the town, vanished trades, popular festivals. The artists have incorporated the very surface of the wall into the compositions — cracks, exposed stone, pipes become part of the work. RoccArte, an open-air painting competition with the prize "Miro: A Life for Art", has been held here since 2010.
The Route
The route starts from the Church of the Crucifix, and climbs up the steps and small squares with views over the valley. The route is self-guided, and can be done independently, but guided tours are also organised through the Municipality. Rocca di Papa stands 680 metres above sea level, the highest village in the Castelli Romani.
