Collestatte

Perched on a hill on the Valnerina of Terni, dotted with hilltop villages, Collestatte looks towards the majestic Marmore Falls and Torre Orsina, with which it formed a single stronghold until 1627.

No longer an independent municipality since its incorporation in the Municipality of Terni in 1927, the village of Collestatte has a long story to tell, partly revealed by its beautiful and important historical-artistic testimonies.

While today its position is appreciated for the beautiful panorama it offers, in the Middle Ages, this location was crucial for the emergence of the first nucleus of what would later become a real castle. Similar to other centres in this territory, the village of Collestatte aggregated during the Middle Ages around a watchtower, built to control the viability of the area. Today, that same tower serves as the bell tower of the Church of San Pietro.

Collestatte remained dependent on Spoleto for a long time, even when it became a stronghold of the Orsini family towards the end of the 13th century. 

The other noble family that exercised feudal rights over Collestatte was the Manassei family, to whom we owe part of the reorganization of the urban layout of the village that took place between the 18th and 19th centuries. During this period, the Church of San Pietro was renovated (the building was connected to the medieval tower) and the square it overlooks underwent significant changes, giving rise to Palazzo Manassei and the twin palaces bearing the family name.

The Church of San Pietro preserves precious works of art, including a 16th century altarpiece, attributed by some to Lattanzio di Niccolò di Liberatore (son of the painter Niccolò di Liberatore, also known as dell’Alunno) and a baptismal font from the same century with the Orsini coat of arms. The village, however, has retained its original medieval layout: from the city walls to the underpasses, from the picturesque alleyways to the stone houses nestled under arches.

Other monuments of interest include the Church of the Holy Trinity (17th century) and Palazzo Magalotti (17th century). Outside the inhabited centre is the church of Santa Maria Meiana, dating back to the 11th century.