Arsoli is a small town located in the province of Rome, not far from the border between Lazio and Abruzzo. In particular, it is located on the eastern slopes of the Simbruini Mountains.

Arsoli: History

Luigi Pirandello spent his summers in this area, and he gave the village the nickname of “Little Paris”. The town’s origin, however, seems to be decidedly ancient: the territory of Arsoli was also under the control of the Equi. Due to its position, in a transit point towards Abruzzo, the area was also crossed by barbarian
hordes. Later came the followers of Saint Benedict: the Benedictine monastery of Saint Andrea was built in Arsoli. With the Benedictine monks came what we can call the Town Foundation Act: the General Privilege of Pope Gregory V of 28 June 997. Later, the village passed to the Zambeccari family, nobles from Bologna who were succeeded by the Massimo family in 1574. The Massimo family then adopted a series of measures for repopulation; over time, the urban fabric consolidated. Today, the medieval historic centre represents a treasure where we find numerous treasures to discover.

Arsoli: the village, what to see

The historic centre of Arsoli has maintained unchanged, over time, the beauty of the town.
The ancient village is dominated by the bulk of the Castello Massimo, whose origins date back to the Middle Ages. The castle is located in the highest part of the village and for a long time was owned by the Massimo family, the family that owned the town for a long time. Unfortunately, on the day of my visit, it was impossible to reach it, as the surrounding area was being renovated. Piazza Valeria is the heart: at one end there is a sixteenth-century octagonal fountain and at the other a Roman milestone from the ancient Via Valeria. Other monuments to see are the Parish Church of Santissimo Salvatore (16th century) and the chapel of San Rocco which preserves sixteenth-century frescoes and curious graffiti that tell local stories.

Arsoli: What to see in the surroundings

Not far from Arsoli, for mystery lovers, the area of ​​Vallinfreda is certainly interesting. In this area there is the “Grotta di Re Pipino”: according to a legend, this cave would guard an enormous treasure, hidden either by the king of France Pipino the Short during his descent into Italy or by a local lord named Pipino (during the period of the Saracen invasions). The surroundings of Arsoli also offer numerous other villages to discover: Roviano, Anticoli Corrado, Oricola with its castle, Riofreddo, Vallinfreda, and many others.
Some of these historic centres are located in the Lucretili Mountains, a mountain range that is part of the regional park of the same name; others are on the edge of the Simbruini Mountains and are always protected by a natural park.