Our introduction to the Orsini Castle in Soriano Nel Cimino was when we arrived at our hotel and opened the bedroom shutters. The castle was right in front of us and the rest of the little hill town radiated out from it. Whichever way we approached the town from the castle was the first sight we saw, certainly an impressive building.
Visiting Orsini Castle in Soriano Nel Cimino
If you’re in Soriano Nel Cimino then the Orsini Castle is at the top of the hill so it’s pretty easy to get to! There are plenty of parking areas in the town but the easiest is to park on the side of the road as you follow the one way route up the hill. The final route is for pedestrians only and is actually quite nice as you get to see the older buildings.
Be aware that the castle is only open at weekends and in low season I think it’s only open on Sundays.
There are plenty of Orsini castles in this region so if you’re searching for info, be sure to specify “in Soriano Nel Cimino”.
My Experience
Our visit to the Orsini castle in Soriano Nel Cimino was as part of a week long trip in the Italian hill country north of Rome, detailed in my travel blog here.
The walk up to the castle was steep but fascinating as there an amazing array of tiny streets and steps and so many of them were festooned with plants. Deb was in her element and probably preferred the walk to the gardens we’d just visited.
Once we got to the castle the guy explained a brief history and layout to us and let us get on with it. I climbed to the top of the tower while Deb stayed on the ground floor. It was four flights up a spiral staircase with no pauses as you couldn’t visit any of the rooms in the keep. Once on the roof the views were predictably amazing, you really could see for miles. After walking the circuit of the roof I carefully made my way down the stairs and we then visited the prison. This was a proper detention facility with single cells, no windows and a real sense of losing liberty, even though we knew the doors were open!
The tour continued with a visit to the armoury where there some mail armour and a few swords on display. There was an exhibition of WW1 memorabilia including some of the horrendous trench fighting weapons but we couldn’t read anything as it was all in Italian. Two rooms were dedicated to photography of the local area which was very good and gave us a couple of idea for other places to visit. We then left the castle and spent more time exploring the side streets before reaching the main square and having a coffee and cake.
Orsini Castle in Soriano Nel Cimino Photo Gallery
History
The Orsini Castle is the symbolic building of the whole of Soriano nel Cimino, where it stands over and dominates the entire medieval town. Built starting from the 13th century, it was later enlarged and modified over the centuries by the various families who owned it. In 1278, under the Lordship of the Orsini, construction was completed on the Castle and the Rocca (Fortress), which became the summer residence of Pope Nicholas lll, who died here in 1280. In the 19th century, ownership of the Castle and the feudal appurtenances was assigned to Alessandro Chigi, a pupil of the Albani, who in 1848 renounced his rights in favour of the Holy See. Starting from this time the Orsini Castle’s life as a dwelling ceased, with it becoming a prison facility first under the Holy See and then from 1870 under the Italian State.
It later became a maximum security prison, which was closed in the early nineties.
This transformation into a detention facility has in fact distorted the entire structure of the Castle. The works of art have given way to cells and large gates, creating a unique experience for visitors, far from the fairytale idea of a castle, but with the human and mysterious appearance of a fortress and protective building. After the prison closed, the complex suffered several vicissitudes. Today it is open to the public every Saturday and Sunday, and is home to permanent and temporary exhibitions.
References
The history above is copied from the local tourism site here.