Looking up toward the upper section of Arrone, its medieval heart.
The interior of the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, which houses several works of art.
Picturesque corner of Arrone.
Walking up toward the medieval heart of Arrone.
Looking at Santa Maria Assunta and the lower part of town from the uphill path.
The Church of San Giovanni, with frescoes of the school of Filippo Lippi.
The clock tower, with an ancient olive tree on top.
Glimpses of the Umbria countryside from one of the tiny medieval streets.
View of the Valnerina countryside.
Another view of the Valnerina countryside, with a hilltop village in the distance.
Great architectural perspectives all around: looking up toward the "torre campanaria", the bell tower.
The ancient village of Arrone sits atop a hill in the Valnerina, the narrow and winding valley in Umbria that takes its name from the river Nera, which runs through it.
Arrone was founded in the 9th century by a local family, the Arroni, who built a fortress on a rocky hill rising above the left bank of the Nera river. Arrone was hardly alone: many hilltop villages and fortresses rose in the area after the fall of the Roman Empire made this rural territory subject to many invasions.
Arrone has well preserved its medieval look and layout with stone houses, old doorways, winding, tiny alleys and many ancient monuments, such as the Church of Santa Maria Assunta in the village’s lower section. The church was built at the beginning of the 16th century over a previous church from the 4th century. It features works of art by Giovanni da Spoleto, the school of Filippo Lippi and even a painting from Caravaggio’s school.
Walking up toward the upper section, the heart of medieval Arrone, known as “la Terra”, you will find another church, the small and simple 13th century San Giovanni Battista, which features works of art from the school of Filippo Lippi. The church also has a bell tower, where the group of the “Campanari di Arrone” (bell ringers of Arrone) have, since 2002, worked to preserve and promote the bell music tradition. There are many ways to ring the bells, which vary according to region and method; here, of course, they use the "Umbrian” method.
Another tower, the clock tower, has become the symbol of Arrone because of an ancient olive tree rising on top of it. This square tower is what remains of the fortress built by the Arroni. Parts of the ancient walls, built to defend the road which connected the territory of Rieti with that of Spoleto, are also still visible.
Arrone is part of the network “I borghi più belli d’Italia” (Italy’s most beautiful villages).
Where: Arrone is 120 km from Rome, 85 km from Perugia and 14 km from Terni.
For more information, click here (info in Italian).
