Corchiano: Gorges, Rock Necropolis and Art

Natural Monument and Historic Paths

Corchiano reveals its distinctive character where natural landscapes, archaeology and historic paths meet. The Forre di Corchiano are a 42-hectare natural monument. A section of the Via Amerina runs through the landscape of the Forre di Corchiano, connecting the natural setting with an important historic route. The CAI 136B Forre di Corchiano hiking trail is classified as difficulty level E. For guided tours of the path through the Forre di Corchiano, contact is made by telephone using the designated numbers. When choosing your hotel, you can therefore classify Corchiano according to the focus you want for your trip – between landscape, history and art.

Another link between landscape and the past is the Via Cava di Sant'Egidio. It is a burial path carved into the tuff between the town of Corchiano and its rock necropolis. The Madonna del Soccorso necropolis comprises around ten chamber tombs. Its hypogea have rectangular vestibules with flat ceilings and give the archaeological heritage a clearly recognisable architectural form.

Churches with Frescoes and Renaissance Art

Among the notable historic buildings is the Church of Madonna del Soccorso. It is a Renaissance building dating from the 15th century, attributed to Giuliano da Sangallo, and was declared a national monument in 1902. The Basilica di San Biagio contains a cycle of votive frescoes executed by Lorenzo da Viterbo around 1468. The Church of Madonna delle Grazie has an altar with two columns and gilded capitals; numerous frescoes are located around the high altar. The Church of Sant'Antonio contains frescoes depicting Saint Athanasius and Saint Anthony, as well as a 1548 painting of the Crucifixion created by the Torresani.

Palaces, Fountains and Contemporary Culture

The Palazzo del Comune Vecchio also preserves several historical layers. Its walls feature 16th-century sacred frescoes attributed to Alessandro from the Torresani family of painters. The palazzo also preserves a fragment of a Roman sarcophagus depicting the myth of Aeneas and the founding of Rome. The multi-jet Fontana Farnese stands in Piazza IV Novembre in the historic centre of Corchiano. This creates a diverse cultural theme for your travel planning, bringing together sacred painting, the Renaissance, Roman visual imagery and public space.

A more recent cultural venue is the Galleria delle Arti “Gabriella Ferri”. It was inaugurated in 2015 in the Forre nature park behind the Teatro Fescennino. The gallery hosts cultural events and displays stage costumes, photographs, personal belongings, paintings, writings and poems.

Traditions and Local Specialities

The Presepe Vivente of Corchiano is part of the Monumento Naturale delle Forre; it takes place from 25 December to 6 January. It has been an open-air theatre performance staged by the residents of Corchiano for more than 50 years. In 2025, the eighth edition of the Festa del Croccante took place, a food event featuring hazelnuts from Corchiano.

Other Places for Your Trip to Italy

Vitorchiano, Civita, San Martino Al Cimino, Villa San Giovanni In Tuscia, Fastello, Arlena Di Castro, Cava and Montefiascone.

For the overarching travel overview: Viterbo.