Acquapendente

Infobox CityIT
img_coa = Acquapendente-Stemma.png official_name = Comune di Acquapendente
region = Lazio
province = Viterbo (VT)
elevation_m = 420
area_total_km2 = 120.28
population_as_of = December 31, 2004
population_total = 5771
population_density_km2 = 48,12
timezone = CET, UTC+1
coordinates = coord|42|44|N|11|51|E
frazioni = Torre Alfina, Trevinano
telephone = 0763
postalcode = 01021
gentilic =Aquesiani
saint = St. Hermes
day = August 28
mayor = Alberto Bambini
website = [http://www.comuneacquapendente.it/ www.comuneacquapendente.it]

Acquapendente is a city in the province of Viterbo, in Lazio (Italy). Acquapendente is an important centre for agricultural production of legumes and wine, and has a tradition in pottery craftmanship.

History

The area of modern Acquapendente was settled by Etruscans and Roman times, as findings have showed. However, the first historical document of the modern city date from the 9th century AD, with a burg named "Farisa" or "Arisa" along the Via Francigena. In 964 a document of Emperor Otto I contains for the first time the name "Acquapendentem". The name of the city, meaning "Pending Water", stems from the presence of several small waterfalls forming the Paglia, a stream setting the boundary between Lazio and Tuscany.

The city was later part of the March of Tuscany and, from the end of the 14th century and beginning of the 15th, it was part of the commune of Siena. In 1449 it become an independent centre within the Papal States

The Diocese of Acquapendente was under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Orvieto until 1649, after the War of Castro.

Acquapendente was also the birthplace of the anatomist Hieronymus Fabricius.

Main sights

*The famous Cathedral of San Sepolcro (1149).
*The Watch Tower, a remain of the Imperial Castle.
*The church of St. Augustine (16th century)
*The church of St. Francis.
*The Castle of the "frazione" Torre Alfina, whose central tower ("Cassero") was built by the Lombard king Desiderius. The castle was captured by the Neapolitan condottiero Fabrizio Maramaldo in 1527, during the Siege of Rome, but the defenders retained gallantly the Cassero.
*The Castle of the "frazione" Trevinano (known from the 12th century).
*The Monte Rufeno Natural Reserve, 2 km north to the city, at 748 m of altitude. It has secular woods housing wildlife including, among the others, boars, eagle owls, turtles and beech martens.

External links

* [http://www.discoversoriano.com/festivals/february/acquapendente---sagra-della-fregnaccia.html Sagra della Fregnaccia in Acquapendente at Discover Soriano]
* [http://www.comuneacquapendente.it/ Official website]
* [http://www.paginesi.it/viterbo/acquapendente/index.htm Tourism page (in Italian)]
* [http://www.parks.it/riserva.monte.rufeno/ Monte Rufeno Natural Reserve]
* [http://www.tuscia360.it/scheda.php?l=en&q=acquapendente Tuscia 360 about Acquapendente] with VR panoramas of Pugnaloni
* [http://www.prolocoacquapendente.eu/ Acquapendente pro loco association (in Italian)]