Holiday Apartment in Gavignano: History, Churches and Maccaruni

Gavignano Between Palazzo, Churches and Regional Cuisine

Gavignano is a small town on a promontory between the Rio and Sacco rivers. The narrow, winding streets lead up to the Palazzo Baronale, which developed from a military outpost into a fortified castle and then into a palace built around the keep. In 1198, the future Pope Innocent III was born in the castle of Gavignano. Anyone looking for a holiday apartment in Gavignano can combine historic townscapes, religious buildings and regional cuisine here.

Since June 2007, four rooms in the Palazzo Baronale have housed the Museo della Civiltà Contadina. It is a cultural, scientific and educational institution that preserves and presents tangible and intangible evidence of local life, customs and traditions. There are access ramps in the ground-floor rooms. On a monitor, you can view recordings of the exhibitions in the upper rooms. In this way, the museum connects the history of the town with insights into everyday life there.

The religious buildings also give Gavignano a variety of historical accents. In the Santuario Madonna delle Grazie, the chapel and altar were decorated with precious marble and frescoes between 1907 and 1909. The very old Chiesa di San Rocco was redesigned and extended several times. It has two chapels: the one on the left is dedicated to the Madonna delle Grazie, and the one on the right to Saint Roch.

The Chiesa del Calvario was consecrated in 1763 and replaced a series of chapels dedicated to the mysteries of Christ’s Passion. It stands on the summit of the hill; its simple classical façade faces Gavignano. At the same time, it is the final station of the Way of the Cross, “La Crocifissione”. This also allows you to plan your stay around a religious and architectural theme.

The ruins of the former Benedictine Abbey of Rossilli are located in the territory of Gavignano. The abbey was built around the year 1000 on the remains of a Roman villa. The church of the former abbey has three naves and a Romanesque bell tower.

Maccaruni Gavignanesi, a traditional first course and a very thin egg pasta, is part of the local cuisine. The recipe can be traced back to the year 1500. The pasta is cooked in a traditional copper vessel over the fireplace. At the beginning of August, the Sagra dei Maccaruni Gavignanesi takes place over three days and serves very thin, hand-cut macaroni. For planning your trip, this regional speciality therefore provides as specific a point of reference as the town’s architectural history.

Near Gavignano lies the Fonte Meo spring, also known as Gabinia. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was restored and fitted with three bronze spouts at the feet of a statue of the goddess Hebe in a small temple. The “Verso Gorga” route is part of the historic itinerary “La Via Latina”. When choosing your holiday apartment, you can therefore focus your days on historic buildings, religious sites, regional cuisine or a themed route.

More Destinations to Compare

If you would like to compare Gavignano with other destinations, you can also view Anguillara Sabazia, Tivoli Terme, Nazzano, Castel Di Guido, Spinaceto, Isola Farnese, Rocca Di Papa and Riano.

For the broader travel overview: Rome.