Once joined to Bagnoregio itself, Civita, the citadel, is THE perfect Platonic ideal of a small, ancient Etruscan town in northern Lazio made real.
Of course, the town rests on a soft tufa rock outcropping, and here too ancient inhabitants tunneled beneath it and so over time much of it has gradually fallen away. Unlike many larger ones however, the only access now is the steep path across and up the concrete bridge – rather incongruous against the ancient town. There are no cars and everything is transported in to Civita by what look like golf buggies or by donkeys, adding to the peace and quiet.
The population of Civita? About 20, swelled only by the influx of visitors. As you wander the cobbled streets you are overwhelmed by the age and beauty of the buildings which seem to be outgrowths of the tufa bluff itself.
In the piazza by the church of San Donato, you may find a local sitting on the step passing the time of day with the postman before he sets off again on his bike, his dog in hot pursuit. Further along an old lady sits outside her house, she welcomes each passer by to see her garden and the stunning views that abound.
As you explore the small streets you realize just how precarious the life of Civita is… at the end of each laneway you are faced with a sheer drop! One can only hope that the preservation efforts of this beautiful little town will succeed.
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This note and photos are by June and Doug Porter, their entry for the Readers’ Note Contest. Many thanks!
