Vetralla to Sutri
16.1 Miles; 8 Hours on the trail
(Cumulative: 216.3 Miles; 118.4 Hours on the trail)
The Wedding of the Tree (Lo Sposalizio dell’Albero) is an ancient & unique tradition celebrated every May 8th in Vetralla.
The ceremony symbolically reaffirms Vetralla’s historic claim & ownership rights over the Monte Fogliano forests which dates back to 1432 when Pope Eugene IV granted the land to Vetralla.
The “Bride & Groom” are a Turkey oak (bride) & an English oak (groom) which are carried by the locals to the Sant’Angel monastery to be wed.
The trees are symbolically decorated with spring flowers like primroses & daffodils including a white tulle bridal veil.
The mayor recites the formal marriage words & then signs a notarized document making the ceremony official.
According to the custom, should this annual ceremony ever not be held, then the rights to the forest revert to neighboring Viterbo
Today’s hike was mostly in forested areas.
After leaving Vetralla, we walked through extensive hazelnut groves.
Hazelnut trees were planted in the area replacing all the dense vineyards & wheat fields that were destroyed during WWII.
We passed the Orlando Towers located amidst monumental oak trees & hazelnut trees.
There are two funerary tower monuments from the Roman era dating back to the 1st Century BC & a bell tower belonging to a 10th Century Benedictine church Sancta Maria in Campis which is 16 meters high.
According to legend, Roland who was the valiant paladin of Charlemagne, King of the Franks, wandered these lands in medieval times searching for adventure & when he tired, he loved to rest with his comrades in the shade provided by the great oak trees growing near these towers.
Along with acres & acres of Hazelnut trees, we walked through forests filled with Chestnut trees.
Both Hazelnuts & Chestnuts are sold in local stores.
After the towers, we stopped in the charming town Capranica.
Capranica images:
After Capranica, we walked in a deep forest to Sutri.
According to legend, Sutri was founded by the god Saturn who was father of all the gods.
The Etruscan name for this town “Sutrinas” is said to have been derived from his name.
It has been written that Saturn conquered all the lands in Latium & hid here from his son Jupiter who eventually deposed him & then became the king of all gods.
Sutri’s Roman Amphitheatre (Anfiteatro Romano di Sutri) is a unique ancient arena carved directly out of a single hill of volcanic tufa rock without using a brick or masonry wall.
Unlike traditional Roman arenas which were built by stacking stone blocks or concrete which was the technique used to build the Colosseum in Rome, the Sutri Amphitheatre was built entirely by hollowing out the volcanic rock hill.
It was built approximately between the 1st Century BC to the 1st Century AD.
It features an elliptical arena measuring roughly 49 by 40 meters with three seating tiers capable of holding over 9,000 spectators which was a very sizeable public space for the inhabitants in ancient Sutrium.
Two gates on the ellipse’s opposite ends allowed access to the arena.
The main spectacle held here was gladiator fights.
Images from today’s trail:
