Spoleto's Surroundings

If we momentarily leave the noble age-old Monteluco behind we instantly find another world well worth more than the odd page or chapter. There are the famous, celebrated Clitumnus springs, not to mention the ancient picturesque townships and villages dotting the coutryside, such as Eggi, Bazzano, Poreta, San Giacomo and many others. Many such centres have continued developing over the recent years into truly residential areas on the tops and sides of hills in the immediate vicinity of Spoleto. Torricella is a sweet village nestled into the green of the woods just beyond the Capucin convent; Collicelli is a small quiet hill-top village in farm land going towards the hamlet of Margnano; Vallocchia was founded in relatively recent times with lovely terrace work amidst the chestnut trees and along the very first part of the road for Norcia. Collerisana well deserves a special mention. Its name meaning "the laughing hill" speaks for itself. It can be reached by going up via della Madonna di Loreto (to the right of the church). Collerisana dates back to ancient times and has always been renowned for its position and the salubrious nature of the air. It was also the scene of a small part of local history. It was from this hill on the morning of 17 September 1860 (Third War of Independence)that the Piedmontese under General Brignone fired their cannons against Spoleto so that the Pope's soldiers would surrender. It was the surrender and not the destruction of the city because the cannons were not very "intelligent" back then. They fired for sure, but not very often !