This image was taken in Tuscania, in the province of Viterbo in Lazio while walking and exploring the beautiful town of Tuscania. It is part of my documentation of Lazio and surrounding areas whilst I was Living there.

The architecture in Tuscania is a stunning blend of medieval, renaissance and Gothic styles. The narrow, cobblestone streets are lined with towering buildings made of local stone, boasting intricate facades and colorful shutters. 

The town’s centerpiece is the beautiful Santa Maria Maggiore church, with its ornate bell tower and intricate frescoes and just outside of the town centre is the stunning Etruscan church of San Pietro. Just like so many medieval Italian towns Tuscania is just wonderful. Literally every corner you turn there is something stunning that just… well almost assaults you.

There is something about the colours of the late summer afternoon just before the evening, which caresses the stone buildings in warm light, contrasted by the long shadows which usher in the end of the day. The history, the light, smells and vibrancy of the surrounding countryside.. it all teases the child in you and pokes you to explore and absorb this beautiful town.

The historic center of Tuscania currently stands on an area that has been populated since ancient times. The whole territory was then occupied for a long period by the Etruscans, which has been confirmed by the excavations of numerous necropolis around the acropolis and along the Marta river. The surrounding countryside is extremely fertile and equally picturesque, with rolling hills of deep greens and fields of sunflowers stretching as far as the eye can see. Tuscania is also known for its olive groves, the town is surrounded by these (which produce some of the best olive oil in Italy) along with vineyards producing some wonderful wine. 

A couple of these wines are:

“Aleatico di Gradoli“ 

A very special wine which is produced in the countryside around the town of Gradoli and Lake Bolsena. The history of this wine is more than 1,000 years old, as it was brought from Greece to this area by the Etruscans. At least 95% of the grapes used must be Aleatico grape, which gives this wine an intense red color with purple hues and a fresh, smooth, and fruity flavor. 

“Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone DOC”

Another famous and much-appreciated wine of this area which is produced in the areas around Montefiascone, Bolsena, San Lorenzo Nuovo, Gradoli, and Grotte di Castro. This clear and brilliant white wine features a full-bodied and harmonic flavor, and it is made from Trebbiano Toscano, Malvasia Bianca Toscana, and Rossetto grapes.

The unusual name of this wine comes from a legend that dates back to the 12th century.  In 1111, bishop Johannes Defuk was traveling to Rome, and since he was a great wine lover, he used to send his servant ahead, asking him to detect places where good wines were served. The servant had to write “est” (Latin for “there is”) if he found a good wine. So, when he got to Montefiascone and tasted the wine, he was so surprised about its goodness that he wrote “est” three times with six exclamation marks!

The cuisine of Tuscania is very rich and varied because it represents a mix of three regions, Lazio, Tuscany and Umbria. The most representative dish of this area is Acquacotta, a peasant recipe made with stale bread, potatoes, tomatoes and chicory. There are many types of handmade pasta, the likes of gnocchi, fettuccine or ”pasta straccia”, which are dressed with tasty and rich wild boar or hare sauces.There is also no shortage of pork and lamb cooked mainly on the grill, but the ”Pignattaccia” is perhaps the most famous. It is a mixture of meat and entrails of pork and beef cooked in the oven together with various vegetables.

This print is available from my store page here:

https://www.tomparsons.co.uk/classic-architecture-in-tuscania

This image is available as an A3 Fine art Gyclee print on A2 320 gsm photo rag rearl paper. Allowing for white border, framed with a black thin wooden frame, with a spacer and mounted to Kappa board.