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BOLSENA (Etruscan)
The
Romans built this charming little town on the shore
of Lake Bolsena in the 3rd century BC, after the conquest of the Etruscan town
of Orvieto (Velzna). After the destruction of Velzna, the new town was rebuilt
near the lake. Its Latin name (Volsinii) probably derives from the original
Etruscan name of Orvieto. Situated on the Roman road Cassia, Volsinii soon
became a flourishing town thanks to its strategic position. At the end of the
Roman Empire, the town was slowly abandoned. In the Middle Ages Bolsena
attracted the attention of the Christian world because of a eucharistic miracle
which took place inside the basilica of Santa Cristina in 1263. This church was
already well known for holding the relics of Santa Cristina, a young virgin who
converted to Christianity. The Roman authorities killed her at the beginning of
the 4th century AD. The Basilica of Santa
Cristina with the catacombs and the Cappella del Miracolo is well worth a visit.
The relics of Cristina are kept under a small altar in a modern shrine. Also
interesting are the archaeological excavations at Poggio Moscini and the Rocca
dei Monaldeschi, a medieval castle which houses a nice museum with finds from
the Etruscan- Roman period to the Middle Ages. Lake of Bolsena and Bisentina Island
Testo: A.G.Tur. di Viterbo Fonte
dati e immagini Amm.ne Prov. & APT di Viterbo |
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Etruscans
and Romans
