Vallo di Nera

Archaeological evidence supports the thesis of the existence of remote settlements traceable to the indigenous peoples of this valley as early as the 8th century BC. In the period between the 4th and 2nd centuries B.C. began the historical era of Valdinarco and the subsequent Romanization, evidenced by archaeological findings.
Beginning in 1177 Vallo di Nera became a fief of the Germanic duke of Spoleto Corrado di Hursligen, and in 1217 Jacopo Capocci formally granted the inhabitants of Vallo di Nera possession of the Flezano Hill and the right to erect a castle there, in exchange for protection and defense from Spoleto.

But Vallo di Nera, because of its characteristic as an important strategic point of control of the road, was bitterly contested between the Church State and Spoleto, which succeeded in conquering it in the 13th century. Nature and culture found an authentic symbiosis in Vallo di Nera, expressed in the ancient name of the place Castrum Vallis, where Vallum could be traced as much to the fortified place along the valley as to the Lombard wald, forest. Thus Vallo di Nera still appears today a stone castle in the midst of the green woods that surround it.

The urban layout placed on the top of a rise is very compact and is characterized by flat ring roads and very steep radial ramps. The tall tower that towers over the side of the town is multiplied in the palombare towers, which are a distinctive feature of the Valnerina landscape.
These towers, originally built with defense functions, later played an important role in the agrarian economy of the area, as they allowed a vertical organization of functions: at the bottom the stable, above the dwelling, higher up the granaries and, at the top, the dovecote that provided manure for the fields and meat for the inhabitants.

Outside the walls lies the village "i casali" gentrified by 16th-century stores along the roads that connected Vallo di Nera with neighboring towns. The territory of high scenic and artistic value includes the castles and villas of Meggiano, Piedipaterno, Geppa, Paterno, Monte Fiorello, Piedilacosta, La Pieve, Le Campore, Bourbon, and Roccagelli. Vallo di Nera is entirely surrounded by walls and towers and preserves intact its medieval urban structure, with narrow alleys surmounted by arches. Worth mentioning are the Franciscan church of Santa Maria, which contains frescoes (also in the sacristy) of the Giotto school including the famous "Procession of the Whites" painted by Cola di Pietro da Camerino in 1401, the parish church of St. John the Baptist with frescoes by Jacopo Siculo, and the church of Santa Caterina attached to the former convent of the Franciscan tertiaries with remains of frescoes. The shepherds of Vallo di Nera are the ancient, and now famous, repositories of the oral tradition of the Valnerina made up of nursery rhymes, work songs, and hyperbolic tales, which deserve to be heard by those who want to discover the secrets of the Valnerina.

The House of Tales was founded as a research and documentation center with the aim of making this intangible heritage known.

Among the products of Vallo di Nera, cheese deserves a special place. Every year in June, Fior di Cacio takes place, a gastronomic kermis where it is possible to taste all the varieties of cheese from Vallo di Nera and the Valnerina. Other local delicacies include trout, truffles, honey and cured meats.

BY CAR

• From Rome-Terni: reach Terni via the A1 highway; follow signs for the Marmore Falls; SS 209 towards Norcia
• From Rome-Rieti: drive along the Salaria towards Ascoli Piceno; follow signs for Norcia; continue along the SS 209 towards Terni
• From Perugia-Spoleto: reach Spoleto via the SS Flaminia; walk the gallery of Eggi; continue towards Norcia
• From Ascoli Piceno - San Benedetto del Tronto: take the Salaria towards Rieti; follow signs for Norcia; continue along the SS 209 towards Terni

BY PLANE

• Perugia airport
• Rome Fiumicino Airport