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Stroncone

Stroncone
Founded in the 10th century, the town has a very picturesque appearance: set on a hill (451 metres high) and surrounded by splendid olive groves, it preserves parts of the medieval walls, towers and houses dating back to 1400s and 1500s.
Firstly property of the Abbey of Farfa, Stroncone suffered many actions of destruction during the struggle against Narni; passed under the dominion of the Papal State, it was rebuilt by order of Pope Innocenzo III.
Become a powerful castle, it was visited by Pope Pio II in 1463.
The town was devastated in 1527 by the Lanzichenecchi of Conestabile di Borbone. Papal rule continued until the formation of the Kingdom of Italy.
Coming into the town through a medieval gate one can see the church of S. Giovanni, with frescoes by the School of the Zuccari, and going up the narrow alleys of the town, one arrives at the church of S. Nicolò, which has a Romanesque portal from 1171, decorated with a Byzantine bas-relief; in the sacristy can be admired a tavola by Rinaldo da Calvi.
Very interesting is also the Commune Palace, where is preserved an important archive containing parchments, anthem-books and coins.
In the surroundings are to be visited the remains of the Abbey of S. Benedetto in Fundis – founded in 771 by Anza, Adelchi's mother – and the church of S. Francesco: the tradition reports that it was founded by the Saint himself, as well as the enclosed convent, in 1213; with a 12th century portal, it has a portico containing in a chapel an important fresco by Tiberio d'Assisi, "Madonna in trono e quattro santi" (1509).
Inside the church there is a wooden statue of S. Sebastiano by the School of Rizzo, and fragments of some frescoes.
At few kilometres from Stroncone there is a beautiful place called I Prati, a highland at almost 1000 metres of elevation, with facilities for tourists: here one can enjoy the magnificent century-old chestnut grove of Cimitelle and the beautiful view of the Terni and Rieti valleys.