Fiano Romano: Tiber Valley, Castello Orsini and Lucus Feroniae

Fiano Romano lies in the Tiber Valley and combines a distinctive river landscape with a Roman past, historic architecture and art. This combination can be seen at the bend in the Tiber near Santa Maria ad Pontem, at Castello Orsini and in the archaeological remains near Lucus Feroniae.

Between the Hills and the Tiber

The municipality covers hilly terrain as well as a broad, fertile plain on the right bank of the Tiber and extends over 41.41 square kilometres. At the bend in the Tiber near Santa Maria ad Pontem, the view looks out over the river as it extends towards Fiano. Over time, the deconsecrated church has hosted concerts, events and occasions of community interest.

Castello Orsini and the Roman Past

Castello Orsini stands on a rocky spur and combines a curtain wall, keep and palace. The circular mastio of Castello Orsini is 30 metres high, and its walls are approximately 2.70 metres thick. In the Sala dello Zodiaco, the castle features frescoes depicting the twelve constellations, as well as coats of arms belonging to families related to the Orsini. The coats of arms complement the constellations with a family connection. The rocky spur of Castello Orsini thus forms a spatial contrast to the excavated rooms on the banks of the Tiber in Fiano Romano. The complex combines fortification, palace and the decoration of the Sala dello Zodiaco.

The Villa dei Volusii near Lucus Feroniae was built around the middle of the 1st century BC by the senatorial family of the Volusii Saturnini. Excavations on the banks of the Tiber in Fiano Romano uncovered rooms from the Roman imperial period that belonged to a river port complex. The Roman remains extend from the villa of the Volusii Saturnini to the excavated rooms of the river port complex on the Tiber. The Museo Archeologico Lucus Feroniae is located in the surroundings of Fiano Romano.

Art and Visit Planning

The mural “Murale sulla occupazione delle terre e lotta per lo sviluppo”, immediately outside the historic centre of Fiano Romano, was created in 1972 by Ettore de Conciliis and Rocco Falciano. It honours the struggle of agricultural and industrial workers for social and ecological justice. With its creation date of 1972, the work is from a period contemporaneous with the significantly older Roman remains at Lucus Feroniae and on the banks of the Tiber.

Access to the Villa dei Volusii via the archaeological area of Lucus Feroniae is scheduled for the first and third Sunday of each month. Accordingly, visits should be planned for the first or third Sunday of the month.

More Places for Your Travel Plans

For your further travel planning, you can also discover these places: Castel Di Guido, San Vito Romano, Saracinesco, Casaccia, Santa Lucia, Anticoli Corrado, Colle di Fuori and Fiumicino.

To the main travel overview: Rome.