The Belvedere of the Rock

What it is and where it is

In the beginning there was but a small wall, ancient protection of the town, but how much beauty stood out at its feet! It stood, and stands, overhanging the Obito ditch, poised between the Turano Valley and the historic center of Paganico Sabino. A privileged vantage point, too exciting to leave out. Here then, stone and metal structures have integrated the natural rocks and the ancient wall, creating a welcoming and safe space, although open to the void. It is precisely this feature that makes it resemble an eagle's nest, an ideal double of another nest spotted in the Obito Gorge and which seems to be inhabited again.

Why it is special

Paganico Sabino's Belvedere, unlike its peers, is not just an observation point. It is, in fact, an integral part of an itinerary that traverses the town in a tale of history and traditions. It starts from the rediscovered "Torre Portaia, " an ancient structure that stands near Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, and continues to the "Sapportu della Rocca," the gateway to the first encastellation that developed in the area. Would you like to know more about it? Don't worry, the walk is equipped with explanatory panels that allow the visitor to understand more about the culture of the place, inviting them to enter into the spirit of Paganico Sabino.

Not to be missed

Just a little piece of this spirit is made matter in the Belvedere. Inhabitants once used to throw old work tools they no longer used into the Obito Ravine. Today, the memory of those objects appears as decoration on the metal balustrade surrounding the belvedere. Thus, they too stand poised between village life and the abyss of oblivion.

A bit of history

In 2017, the pilot project "The Paths of our Culture," or the "creation of itineraries of local culture and traditions in the historic center of the Municipality of Paganico Sabino," was inaugurated, offering visitors a first educational tour inside the medieval village.

Curiosities

Popular culture, it is known, is made up of everyday elements but also supernatural, magical and religious ones. One could not forget this aspect in the Belvedere della Rocca! The stones that make it up have decorative hints here and there, shapes that resemble a snake and blend with the rocks and wall structures. It is the "Regolus," the king of snakes, who lies here petrified. A bit ironic since in life he was the one who petrified his victims! If you do not remember ever hearing of him, perhaps the other name by which he is known will sound more familiar: what you see here is a Basilisk.

The Belvedere of the Rock

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