Charming little palace, Civitella Cesi

Civitella Cesi is a small and charming village in the Tuscia area of the Viterbo region, located in the municipality of Blera, in the Province of Viterbo. The village stands on a tuff hill about 180 metres above sea level, in a panoramic position overlooking the valley of the Mignone River. The surrounding area is characterized by woodlands, pastures and deep valleys, giving the landscape particular naturalistic interest.

The origins of the area are very ancient and date back to the Etruscan period. Near the village are important archaeological remains, including the ancient Etruscan settlement of San Giovenale and numerous necropolises, attesting to the presence of populations settled in the area many centuries before the medieval village was founded.

During the Middle Ages, the village was a small fortified centre and, over the centuries, came under the control of several Roman noble families. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the fief became part of the Torlonia family’s possessions, contributing to the repopulation and development of the village.

The name Civitella Cesi embodies the history of the village itself. The term Civitella derives from the Latin civitas and means “small city” or “small fortified settlement,” recalling the ancient function of the settlement as a compact and defended inhabited centre. The addition of Cesi refers to the noble Roman Cesi family, which held possessions and wielded influence in this territory.