Norcia
Norcia, the birthplace of St. Benedict and the common European
The town of Norcia, founded by the broad and fertile valley of the Sabine S. School to 604 m. above sea level and subjected to Rome in 290 BC, is located in the most mountainous and picturesque Umbria, in the middle of a natural amphitheater of mountains of unparalleled beauty, now in the National Park of Monti Sibillini. It offers visitors all gathered in the medieval city walls from the characteristic heart-shaped, perfectly preserved.
The numerous resources, from cuisine to folk traditions, culture and art environment, a city of Norcia are versatile and make it particularly attractive in the eyes of every visitor.
The Basilica of St. Benedict with the crypt and the remains of the birthplace of Saints Benedict and Scholastica Gemini, the "Portico of measures", the Town Hall, the Castellina, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Silvermist, the Temple, historical buildings, churches scattered throughout the Roman and many other artistic treasures, including those held at the Civic and Diocesan Museum and the Port of Cryptoporticus Ascolana, and the large papers tell of a glorious past and lush.
Strong economic activity, based on the traditional "cold cuts" (ie the art of working the pig), for which he is known around the world, makes the city a true gastronomic heaven: reign there ham-branded IGP ( Protected Geographical Indication) and sausages, but also many varieties of cheese. Among the products prince of the table include blacks prized truffles (tuber melanosporum vittadini) in Norcia is home igp and lentils, which are considered the most tender and most renowned in Italy for centuries in advance of the method of organic farming, being cultivated without the use of additives to an altitude of 1300 meters in altitude at the foot of Mount Carrier. All these delicacies, of unquestionable authenticity, are put on display last weekend in February and March 1, at the "Exhibition of the Black Truffle of Norcia and Local Products", gastronomic festival of international renown.
As a significant destination, boasting qualified Norcia hotel equipment and above all defends an important and promising tourist vocation-sport, thanks to which it has made a name as a place of summer retreat for top-level sports clubs, to the best school free flight in Europe and for all specialties resorts to which were added as river rafting down the river as the Horn, and those in close contact with nature such as trekking with mules.
But Norcia is known primarily as the birthplace of St. Benedict (480), Principal Patron of Europe, an important link this with the founder of Western monasticism, which makes it unique in the European context and the importance of a strong historical identity, religious and cultural.