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Vetralla in the Viterbo region of Tuscia: the Via Francigena, castles, and the Marriage of the Tree
Vetralla is a town in the Viterbo region of Tuscia (Tuscia Viterbese) at the foot of Mount Fogliano, positioned along the northern route of the Via Francigena and the ancient Via Cassia. For centuries, this passage saw the transit of pilgrims, armies, and merchants. Its origins are Etruscan and Roman, but the face we see today is primarily medieval, stratified among churches, palaces, and pilgrimage routes.
What to see in the historic centre
The Church of St Francis was erected around the year 1000, on top of an earlier construction. It features a crypt entirely carved from tuff rock and frescoes dating from the 12th to the 17th century. The presbytery houses the white marble sarcophagus of Briobris Di Vico, son of the local lord, Giovanni II Di Vico. The Castle of the Di Vico family is also the place where Giacomo, the last of the lineage, was captured before being beheaded in Soriano nel Cimino in 1435. The Town Hall (Palazzo Comunale), built between 1731 and 1735 by Filippo Barigioni, is part of the Network of Historic Homes of Lazio.
The rite held every May 8th
The Marriage of the Tree (Sposalizio dell'Albero) is celebrated every year near the Convent of Sant'Angelo. The town’s mayor symbolically "marries" a Turkey oak from the Selva del Fogliano forest, pronouncing the traditional "I do". The rite dates back to 1470, and confirms Vetralla's right of possession over Mount Fogliano, donated by Pope Eugene IV in 1432. The "bride" tree is adorned with daffodils, primroses, and a white tulle veil.
