S. Venanzo (Terni province)

S. Venanzo lies on the first rise towards Mt. Peglia (where some very early Roman vestiges were found in 1999), on a back road connecting Monteleone di Orvieto (30 km W) to Marsciano (11 km E). The area is of geological interest, since it is the only volcanic outcrop anywhere in Umbria, and in fact the mineral venanzite, a form of lava said to be used in the construction industry — although I have yet to find confirmation of this in non-Umbrian sources — is named after the comune.

The parish church is modern and of no particular interest, but the plain exterior of S. Maria Liberatrice (14c) conceals a beautiful medieval fresco inside, that I haven't yet seen, unfortunately: churches in rural Italy, especially those with artistic treasures, are often only opened on special occasions.

A proper website will eventually appear here, since I've been to S. Venanzo: although the site will be small since my visit was brief. In the meanwhile, you may find it useful to read the May 16, 2004 entry of my diary, which includes a photo of S. Maria Liberatrice; for more complete summary information, see the sites in the navigation bar at the bottom of this page.

Frazioni

Like most of the comuni in Italy, San Venanzo includes in its territory some smaller towns and hamlets, of a few hundred inhabitants if that, with a certain administrative identity of their own: as elsewhere in Italy, these are referred to as the frazioni of the comune (singular: frazione, literally a "fraction"): a complete list of them follows.

Collelungo • Ospedaletto • Poggio Aquilone • Pornello • Ripalvella • Rotecastello • S. Marino • S. Vito in Monte