Castel Viscardo - art, accomodation, events, ecc.

Castello

Castel Viscardo, which lies 13 Km. from Orvieto and at an altitude of 507 m., developed around an ancient Castle of the Dukes of Montevecchio which was a fortress of the Monaldeschi family up to the sixteenth century and then a domain of the Spada Princes.
In 1936 an airport was installed on the neighbouring Alfina plateau, with hangars designed by Pier Luigi Nervi, where he first used a ribbed structure in reinforced concrete. The hangars were torn down at the end of the war, and the airport was closed. Not far off a runway for tourist and amateur flights and small planes is now functioning.
Of particular interest are the old kilns right outside the inhabited center, one of the few places where hand-made bricks and tiles are still produced.
By its very nature this production is limited and the products are in great demand. Of the four hamlets which belong to the commune, Monterubiaglio and Viceno both grew up around medieval fortresses. The other hamlets are Le Prese and Pianolungo.
The patron saint of Castel Viscardo is Saint Anthony of Padova, celebrated on August 27th in the course of the festivities of the Agosto Castellese which includes the "Sagra della Cannelletta" (wine top festival).