Visit Civita Di Bagnoregio: "The Town That Is Dying"

Admire an astonishing panorama!

Between the Tiber Valley and Lake Bolsena you will find the Badlands Valley (Valle dei Calanchi).

The Badlands Valley is a wild area of beautiful nature that consists of two smaller hollows: “Il Fossato del Rio Torbido”, and “Il Fossato del Rio Chiaro”. This area is characterized by clay and tuff rocks with few flora species.

As you can see in the picture, nestled in the center of a beautiful landscape you will find Civita di Bagnoregio laying on the top of a hill.

Walk through a pedestrian cement bridge and reach Civita di Bagnoregio

Civita di Bagnoregio is well known as “il paese che muore” (the town that is dying). Indeed a strong and constant erosion is wearing out the plateau where the town is located year after year. The morphology of the ground, the action of water streams, and the deforestation are the main reasons for this steady and unstoppable erosion.

For this reason the village has been almost abounded during the centuries, and nowadays is inhabited by very few people, especially in winter. However, during the summer this evocative location draws hundreds of visitors from all over the world, and the town starts to live again after a period of hibernation.

The only way to reach Civita di Bagnoregio is the long cement bridge that you can see in the picture. Once you’ve walked through it you will get to the “Saint Mary door” (porta di Santa Maria), a beautiful medieval portal with two statues depicting two lions holding two human heads at their paws.

Have a tour across a beautiful medieval village

The city was founded by the Etruscan people 2.500 years ago, indeed the urban layout of the village is typically Etruscan. Buildings and monuments are from the Medieval and Renaissance era. From the Etruscan era you can still admire a necropolis area placed along the plateau where the town is located.

Walking across this beautiful hamlet you can find medieval houses, the Saint Donatus church, an old mill, and some bars and restaurants.

Find the Saint Donatus Church located in the town main square

The Saint Donatus Church, facing the main square of the town, is the religious center of Civita di Bagnoregio.

The church was found in the V Century A.C, and has been modified many times during the centuries. The structure of the building is Romanesque, and the facade, completed in 1547, is typical Renaissance. In the inside you can admire a beautiful fresco by Perugino school, and a wooden crucifix by Donatello school.