Castel Madama: An archangel still hovers over this hill town
St. Michael the Archangel is the patron saint of Castel Madama and he is all over this town of 7,000 people 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Rome. His mosaics are in the town gardens. The church is named after him. Even a popular bar is. He looks over this town established in the 10th century on the slopes of the Prenistini Mountains.
It was ruled by Orsini, De’ Medici and Farnese families. In 1308, the Orsinis built a castle which plays a role in the town’s famous Renaissance parade called the Palio of Madama Margherita every July.
Castel Madama’s historical district is a delightful maze of winding, narrow alleys leading into beautiful piazzas and panoramic views. Do you like pears? Be sure to come here in July.
Things to do
1 • Collicelli Gardens. Start your tour here. At the base of the historical district, a long, broad walkway is lined with wooden benches and tables with chessboards as tabletops, all in the shade of a long line of olive trees. Elderly sit and chat.
Children play in a small playground. It’s a great place to sit and read or have a picnic lunch. At the end of the walkway, decorated with mosaics of St. Michael, is a temple also dedicated to the patron saint. Inside the temple is a large painting of St. Michael and a memorial to the town’s men who died in the world wars.
2 • Centro Storico. Go back down the walkway and go up Via Guglielmo Marconi into the historical district to Piazza Garibaldi. There’s a circular hedge surrounding a lovely fountain. It is in this piazza that in July the locals dress up in Renaissance garb and march in celebration of the visit of Madama Margarita of Austria in 1538. She was the illegitimate daughter of Holy Roman emperor Charles V.
From the top of the piazza, walk up Via Marco Corvisieri to Orsini Castle. Built in 1308, it put up Madama Margarita during her visit after she made it into a residence palace. The castle’s arched front door is 20 feet high with the town flag flying above it. It is under renovation and is available for tours via reservation.
Walk down tiny Vicolo San Lorenzo to the road where you have a spectacular panoramic view of the surrounding hills. It’s sprinkled with olive groves and houses.
Info: Orsini Castle, Piazza Madama 5, 39-339-222-2221
3. Chiesa di San Michele Archangelo. The original church dedicated to St. Michael was built in the 11th century. The present neoclassical church is on the same spot near the castle and completed in 1775. It features four columns and a bell tower above it.
Inside is a beautiful altarpiece of St. Michael and a canvas of St. Francis of Paola. St. Michael is famous for leading God’s angels in victory over Lucifer.
Info: Via del Castello 13, 39-07-74-448-306.
Spadona pear: The fruity pride of Castel Madama
According to legend, in the 19th century a Castel Madama peasant nicknamed de Stualetta grafted a common pear with a wild variety. What he produced was a small and longer pear than what they grew in Italy’s fields beyond. The Spadona pear is harvested early in Castel Madama, in July.
The town even has a Sagra della Pera Spadona to celebrate their prized fruit on the third Sunday of July, a tradition that goes back to 1958. You can see the difference. It’s longer and more oval than a regular pear.
The name comes from spada, the Italian word for “sword” in reference to the elongated shape. It’s so prized, it is recognized under Lazio’s protection of indigenous agricultural genetic resources.
Where is it:
25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Rome.
How to get there: Frequent trains leave Rome’s Tiburtina station for Castel Madama.
The 1-hour, 15-minute ride is € 4.
For more information:
Municipality of Castel Madama, Corso Cavour 34, 39-07-74-286-469.
Where to eat:
Ristorante Pizzeria Il Vecchio Borgo, Via Guglielmo Marconi 16, 39-07-74-524-218, 7:15-10 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, Monday, noon-10 p.m. Sunday. In Centro Storico, a charming, classy pizzeria with excellent, inexpensive pizzas starting at €5 and meat dishes starting at €10.
Dinner for two including a half liter of wine was € 27.50
