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Torri in Sabina: Forum Novum and Rocchette in the Laia Gorge
Torri in Sabina, situated 66 kilometres from Rome, in the province of Rieti, is first documented in the year 747 AD in the Regesto di Farfa (Farfa Register). The historic heart of the area is the Church of Santa Maria della Lode in Vescovio, which served as the Cathedral of the entire Sabina region until 1733. It stands directly above Forum Novum: this was a Roman administrative and commercial complex, comprising a basilica, amphitheatre, thermal baths, and an aqueduct, which has been systematically excavated since the 1990s.
The cathedral, the frescoes, and the crypt
The interior of the church features 13th- and 14th-century frescoes depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments, as well as a Last Judgement. The bell tower is five stories high, and is adorned with mullioned and three-light windows. Beneath the presbytery lies an 11th-century semi-annular crypt.
Rocchette and Rocchettine
In the gorge carved by the Laia River, the twin fortresses of Rocchette and Rocchettine face each other, originally built to control the strategic trade route between Rieti and the Tiber Valley. While Rocchette remains partially inhabited, Rocchettine is completely abandoned; however, its Church of San Lorenzo (St Lawrence) is well preserved, and is a pilgrimage destination on 10 August every year.
Local gastronomy
Traditional culinary products of Torri in Sabina include the Fallone—a typical savoury turnover stuffed with fresh garden vegetables—and the renowned Sabina DOP extra virgin olive oil.
