Poli among Frescoes, Forest Paths and Festivals

Historic Centre and Palaces

Poli reveals its character particularly clearly in the historic centre. It lies as a “fuso d’acropoli” on a tuff ridge. A main road running lengthwise through the town and more than thirty narrow lanes arranged in a herringbone pattern define this unusual townscape. Anyone interested in Italian architecture, organically evolved settlement forms and historic details will find a place here whose structure itself becomes part of the travel experience.

One of the notable buildings is Palazzo Conti. The medieval fortress was converted into a baronial palace in the 16th century. Its interiors are completely decorated with frescoes; these include the entrance hall, the courtyard, the loggia and the apartments of Torquato I and Lotario II. Palazzo Conti in Poli is also part of the regional network of buildings recognised in Lazio as historic residences.

Palazzo Pelliccioni also draws attention to Poli’s representative side. The historic building in the centre contains a hall of around 60 square metres that is completely decorated. There are also two rooms with painted wooden ceilings. The different room designs make the palace a focal point in its own right for visitors who wish to compare interior architecture and historic domestic culture.

Churches, Chapels and Preserved Art

The Chiesa Arcipretale di San Pietro Apostolo was built from 1603 to 1609 and consecrated on 2 October 1734. Its bell tower is 39 metres high, designed in the Baroque style and built between 1603 and 1607. One of the five bells bears twelve figures depicting popes from the Conti family. In this specific detail, architectural history and family history are brought together.

The Cappella della Pietà was built entirely at the expense of Violante Farnese, the wife of Torquato I Conti, Duke of Poli. The chapel takes its name from a marble Pietà group by Adriano Schirati. According to its architectural features, the Church of Sant’Antonio Abate dates from the 14th century and has a single-nave layout.

The Museo Civico del Territorio is located in the former Chiesa di San Giovanni. The church was partly built into the natural rock, probably dates from the late 14th century and is decorated with frescoes from the 15th and 16th centuries. Further traces of art history can be found in Santa Maria del Peschio, a small rural church outside the town centre at the Fosso dei Maiori. Periodic rites for blessing the fields took place there. A fresco depicting the enthroned Madonna and Child together with a saint has been preserved; the frescoes belong to the artistic tradition of the early 15th century.

The Cappella Rosa was built as a funerary chapel in 1857. Its decoration includes illusionistically painted architectural elements as well as panels depicting landscapes and various types of trees. Vascaccia offers a different perspective on historic infrastructure: the largely underground, rectangular cistern has walls preserved up to 1.80 metres high.

Forest, Paths and Panoramic Views

The Bosco della Riserva consists mainly of high-trunk oak forest. Poli’s network of paths includes hiking and cycling trails through nature, passing springs and panoramic viewpoints as well as landscapes with diverse flora and fauna. This combination appeals to travellers who do not want to plan culture and physical activity separately, but instead wish to combine historic sites with experiences in nature.

A path from Colle Corvia in the area of Poli leads through a wooded landscape and offers panoramic views of the Monti Prenestini. Along the way, it reaches the Grotta del Mortale, an ancient Roman-era cistern. Another hiking trail to Guadagnolo begins at Piazza Mons. G. Cascioli in Poli. It crosses wooded terrain along the historic Tratturo Poli–Guadagnolo and leads to Guadagnolo or to the Santuario della Mentorella. For personal planning, both nature trails and historic route connections are therefore part of the local range of excursion destinations.

Festivals and Rural Cuisine

The events calendar is also connected with the town’s history and local everyday life. The Festa di Sant’Eustachio takes place on the Sunday after 20 September and is one of the historic reenactments in the Lazio region. The Festa dell’Ospitalità includes tastings of traditional dishes from rural cuisine. Together with the palaces, churches, frescoes and forest paths, this creates a diverse picture of Poli: the town is suitable for trip planning in which you can explore architecture, landscapes, paths and culinary traditions at different paces.

Further Destinations

Marino, Artena, Castagnola, Frattocchie, Tolfa, Ottavia, Santa Marinella, Castel San Pietro Romano

To the overview of higher-level destinations: Rome.