Farnetta is a small village in the countryside of the Terre Arnolfe, 16 miles (≈26 km) northwest of the Italian city of

Terni Terni ( ; ; ) is a city in the southern portion of the region of Umbria, in Central Italy. It is near the border with Lazio. The city is the capital of the province of Terni, located in the plain of the Nera (Tiber), River Nera. It is northeast ...

, in the region of

Umbria Umbria ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region of central Italy. It includes Lake Trasimeno and Cascata delle Marmore, Marmore Falls, and is crossed by the Tiber. It is the only landlocked region on the Italian Peninsula, Apennine Peninsula. The re ...

central Italy Central Italy ( or ) is one of the five official statistical regions of Italy used by the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), a first-level NUTS region with code ITI, and a European Parliament constituency. It has 11,704,312 inhabita ...

. It is part of the comune of

Montecastrilli Montecastrilli is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Terni in the Italian region of Umbria, located about 50 km south of Perugia and about 15 km northwest of Terni Terni ( ; ; ) is a city in the southern portion of the reg ...

in the

province of Terni The province of Terni () is the smaller of the two provinces in the Umbria region of Italy, comprising one-third of both the area and population of the region. Its capital is the city of Terni. The province came into being in 1927, when it was ca ...

. It has a population of 278 as of 2024. Farnetta derives its name from the old Latin name ''Quercus Frainetto''. It is reputed to be one of Umbria's smallest villages. It has several farms and houses, and a church, dedicated to St Nicolaus, which has its origins in the 16th century but underwent heavy restoration in 1855-1870. The church has been designated by

Ministry of Culture (Italy) The Ministry of Culture () is the ministry of the Government of Italy in charge of national museums and maintenance of historical monuments. MiC's headquarters are located in the historic Collegio Romano Palace (via del Collegio Romano 27, in ...

(Soprintendenza). On a nearby hill are the remains of a Medieval

hill fort A hillfort is a type of fortification, fortified refuge or defended settlement located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typical of the late Bronze Age Europe, European Bronze Age and Iron Age Europe, Iron Age. So ...

known as Palombara, and the 10th-11th century Romanesque Church of San Lorenzo in Nifili. San Lorenzo was built on the remains of a Roman building, and incorporates large stone blocks from that building. The church is located on an important Roman road (Via Amerina) connecting Amelia to

Todi Todi (; ''Tuder'' in antiquity) is a town and ''comune'' (municipality) of the province of Perugia (region of Umbria) in central Italy. It is perched on a tall two-crested hill overlooking the east bank of the river Tiber, commanding distant view ...

and

Perugia Perugia ( , ; ; ) is the capital city of Umbria in central Italy, crossed by the River Tiber. The city is located about north of Rome and southeast of Florence. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area. It has 162,467 ...

History

It is likely that the area was also inhabited in the

Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

and throughout the Roman period. Close to the Roman roads Amerina and Flaminia, the area has numerous elements of early Roman infrastructure, indicating that it was extensively settled. The name of the village is traditionally connected to the toponym ''

Quercus frainetto ''Quercus frainetto'' (Synonym (taxonomy), synonyms ''Quercus conferta'', ''Quercus farnetto''), commonly known as the Hungarian oak, is a species of oak, native plant, native to southeastern Europe (parts of Italy, the Balkans, parts of Hungary, ...

'', which is a species of oak. The territory where Farnetta was constructed centuries later, was near the borders of three Roman cities:

Carsulae Carsulae is an archaeological site in the region of Umbria in central Italy. It is located approximately north of San Gemini, a small comune in the province of Terni. Origins and History Most historians fix the town's foundation about 220-219 ...

and Amelia. After the fall of the Roman empire, the territory was devastated by barbaric invasions and people moved to live in the oak forests. The village of Farnetta was likely founded in the 9th-10th century during the

encastellation Encastellation (sometimes castellation, which can also mean crenellation) is the process whereby the feudal kingdoms of Europe became dotted with castles, from which local lords could dominate the countryside of their fiefs and their neighbours', a ...

times. The village was later part of the Terre Arnolfe, under the feudal rule of the Arnolfi family, and later subjected to

and

. The church of Farnetta was listed in the

Farfa Abbey Farfa Abbey () is a territorial abbey in northern Lazio, central Italy. In the Middle Ages, it was one of the richest and most famous abbeys in Italy. It belongs to the Benedictines, Benedictine Order and is located about from Rome, in the ''co ...

register in 1112. Following the fall of the Arnolfi rule, the territory of Farnetta passed under the jurisdiction of the comune of Todi, but again it was on the border with the territories of other cities. In medieval times, the small village was circled with stone walls to protect inhabitants from attacks by the nearby cities of Amelia and

Narni Narni () is an ancient hilltown and (municipality) of Umbria, in central Italy, with 19,252 inhabitants (2017). At an altitude of , it overhangs a narrow gorge of the River Nera in the province of Terni. It is very close to the geograp ...

. Farnetta became part of the

Papal States The Papal States ( ; ; ), officially the State of the Church, were a conglomeration of territories on the Italian peninsula under the direct sovereign rule of the pope from 756 to 1870. They were among the major states of Italy from the 8th c ...

in 1367, and it remained subject to them till 1860, apart for small periods of time (

Napoleonic era The Napoleonic era is a period in the history of France and history of Europe, Europe. It is generally classified as including the fourth and final stage of the French Revolution, the first being the National Assembly (French Revoluti ...

). It was in the religious jurisdiction of the bishop of Todi. In 1817, the administrative jurisdiction of Farnetta passed from Todi to Terni.

Main sights

Farnetta is 385 meters above sea level. Farnetta is located at the heart of a protected landscape area, with trails and cycling routes, in one of the most picturesque parts of Umbria, surrounded by green hills, medieval villages, castles, and fortresses. Its thousand-year-old history is deeply intertwined with the region’s rich culinary tradition and architectural heritage. Its historical center is surrounded by medieval walls. Part of them have been dismantled, leaving only short stretches and a few cylindrical towers that served as part of the castle's defenses. The church of San Nicolò (Nicolaus), in the old part of the village, was begun in the 16th century and completed in the 19th century by the Nevi family. It includes 17th- and 18th-century paintings. The small rural church of St. Lucia has been recently restored: this church dates back to 17th century and it is connected with the medieval cult of St. Lucy, patron saint of the blind and those suffering from eyes problems, and St. Apollonia, the patroness of dentistry and those suffering from toothache. The church includes an important oil painting from the 17th century. FarnettaMontecastrilliBorgo1.jpg, Farnetta FarnettaMontecastrilliSanNicolo2.jpg, San Nicolò FarnettaMontecastrilliSantaLucia4.jpg, Santa Lucia FarnettaMontecastrilliSanLorenzoInNifili06.jpg, San Lorenzo in Nifili FarnettaMontecastrilliTorreDellaPalombara2.jpg, Palombara Tower

Dunarobba Fossil Forest

The Fossil Forest of Dunarobba, 3 km from Farnetta, is one of the world's oldest forests. Two million years ago, the oceans withdrew from the area, leaving an ancient lake, Tiberino. Water runoff from the emerging hills and mountains carried large quantities of sediments which, along with tectonic movements, covered the forest's giant trees and preserved them.

San Lorenzo in Nifili

The listed Church of San Lorenzo (10th century) is located in the parish territory of Farnetta (2 km from Farnetta). This is described as 'almost unique for its architectural heritage and level of preservation' owing to its stone barrel vault, which runs the length of the nave and medieval frescoes. The church has been constructed over a Roman temple and a significant amount of Roman stone blocks and artefacts have been reused for the construction of this church.

Nevi Family Historic Palace

This country mansion was built by the Nevi family, a wealthy family of landowners since the 15th century. The mansion has the typical structure of Umbrian country estates, with stables and cellars on the ground floor, a private chapel frescoed for the family priests, and a slightly fortified structure to protect against brigand raids that plagued these territories until the 19th century. The mansion was built in 1672, and a significant part of Farnetta's history has passed through its walls.

The Farnetto Oak Forest

In the immediate surroundings of Farnetta lie the vast Farnetto oak forests, unique in Umbria. This species of oak, known for its large leaves, grows slowly. In the past, it was a vital resource for the local population, who used its wood for heating and fed its acorns to pigs, giving the meat a rich and delicious flavor. Today, these protected and safeguarded woodlands are a popular destination for beautiful walks and bike rides.

Culture

Farnetta is known for its Feast of

St. Rita Rita of Cascia, OSA (born Margherita Ferri Lotti; 1381 – 22 May 1457), was an Italian widow and Augustinian nun. After Rita's husband died, she joined a small community of nuns, who later became Augustinians, where she was known both for pr ...

, held the last week of May. During the feast, local residents organize a

trattoria A trattoria is an Italian eatery, generally less formal than a ''ristorante'' () but more formal than an '' osteria''. A trattoria rooted in tradition, typically, is without a printed menu, with casual service, wine sold by the decanter rathe ...

with traditional food. In the nearby medieval church of S. Lorenzo (st. Lawrence), on the 10th of August, every year, a historic religious feast is celebrated with local food and wine. Other medieval towns and villages are present near Farnetta:

(17 km), Sangemini, (10 km),

Spoleto Spoleto (, also , , ; ) is an ancient city in the Italian province of Perugia in east-central Umbria on a foothill of the Apennines. It is south of Trevi, north of Terni, southeast of Perugia; southeast of Florence; and north of Rome. H ...

(42 km),

(12 km) and

Orvieto Orvieto () is a city and ''comune'' in the Province of Terni, southwestern Umbria, Italy, situated on the flat summit of a large butte of volcanic tuff. The city rises dramatically above the almost-vertical faces of tuff cliffs that are compl ...

(38 km). Located about 35 km from Farnetta are the famous Marmore Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in Europe, created by the Romans in the 2nd century BC.

Transport

Farnetta is served by Bus Italia services to Terni (from the train station), Todi, Sangemini, Montecastrilli, Avigliano and Amelia.

Economy

Agriculture was important for Farnetta's rural development and poverty reduction. Today the village has made use of its past and created a tourist industry; many people enjoy ''agriturismi'' (farm holidays) in the area.

Demography

The population of the civil parish, recorded in the 2024 census, is 278. In the 13th century the population was about 500 (96 fireplaces).Corradi, M., (2005), ''Castrum Farnectae: le famiglie, la storia, le cronache di un castello umbro'', Del Gallo, Spoleto

List of people from Farnetta

* Angelo Nevi, Prior of the Comune di Montecastrilli in the 19th century.

References

* Alvi, G. B. (1765), ''Dizionario topografico tudertino'', manoscritto, Archivio Storico Comunale, Todi. * Alvi, G. B., ''Genealogie di famiglie tuderti'', Archivio Storico Comunale, Todi. * Cerquaglia, Z., (1999), ''Il comune di Montecastrilli: da Napoleone all'Unità d’Italia'', Ediart, Todi. * Cerquaglia, Z., (2002), ''Il Comune di Montecastrilli dall'Unità d'Italia alla Prima Guerra Mondiale'', Ediart, Todi. * Covino, R., (1999), ''Dal decentramento all'autonomia: la provincia di Terni dal 1927 al 1997'', Umbriagraf, Terni. * Contoli, L., Spada, F., (1974), ''Ricerche sulle Querce caducifiglie italiane: su alcune stazioni a Quercus Frainetto ten. in comune di Montecastrilli (Terni, Umbria)'', n. 147, Firenze, Istituto Botanico dell'Università, Webbia, 29: 81-86, 1974. * Corradi, M. ''De Castro Farnectae'', Amazon (Kindle Publishing), ISBN 979-8341008366, 2025. * Corradi, M. ''De Castro Farnectae: addedenda documentaria'', Amazon (Kindle Publishing), ISBN 979-8307514962, 2025.

Notes

External links

www.comune.montecastrilli.tr.it/

www.farnetta.it/
{{authority control Cities and towns in Umbria