Onano is a small village in the north top corner of Tuscia, nestled in the countryside between the hills of Lake Bolsena and the Tuscan Maremma, in the border area of three regions, Lazio, Tuscany and Umbria and five provinces: Viterbo, Grosseto, Siena, Perugia. and Terni.
It reaches about a thousand souls in the winter but up to five thousands in the Summer months. It is rich in history: was born as a Roman castrum and was an important fortified village in the early Middle Ages. Many families fought for lands and estates: the Orvietani, the Monaldeschi della Cervara, the Sforza, but no matter what, like most of the region always under the influence of the Papal State. The municipal offices are located in one of the most beautiful buildings known as Palazzo Madama due to the french nickname that the Onanese gave to Madame Carlotta Denham Bousquet, emphyteute in Onano. Giuseppe Garibaldi and the young Eugenio Pacelli, later pope with the name of Pius XII, spent quite some time in the palace. Onano was also the birthplace of the artist and singer Lina Cavalieri, a world-famous soprano defined, in her time, the most beautiful woman in the world.
Onano today lives mainly on agriculture and precisely on aunique local product; the lentil of Onano. The cultivation of this legume has old roots that start as early as the end of the sixteenth century when the lentil of Onano was appreciated by none other than the papal court. The long tradition of excellence of the Onano lentil, very sweet and delicate and therefore excellent in soups or soups, has led it to be one of the traditional Italian special category of agri-food products, to the point of making it rightfully included in the sphere of Slow Food presidiums.
Onano awaits you with its characteristic village full of narrow streets and hospitable people for a quiet weekend or for a longer period.
Maurizio Di Giovancarlo / Tuscia Fotografia
