Il dolce dolore

The administrative centre of a very large municipal area, Sorano has a lot to offer artistically, archaeologically and environmentally. It’s a village of about 3,000 inhabitants in the province of Grosseto which stands on a tufaceous spur overlooking the valley of the Lente river. It is beautiful and unique landscape, rich in greenery, dominated by tuff, where one can find traces of its ancient past. Sorano and its surrounding area constitute a single, large open-air museum in which evidence of different eras and civilizations can be found and merged; a corner of the Maremma where history and nature have merged, creating beautiful scenery. The historic centre is a good example of medieval urbanisation. The old village, marked by the coat of arms and symbols of the Aldobrandeschi, Orsini and Lorena families, is closed to the south by the mighty Orsini Fortress and to the north by the Masso Leopoldino. After crossing under the Ferrini arch, you arrive at the Porta dei Merli from which you can reach the Lente river and access the ancient cave roads. The collegiate church of San Nicola di Bari dating back to at least the 12th century, and the small town hall of the Orsini family with a 15th century doorway, overlook the small square. On the west side of the village lies the Borgo neighbourhood, while on the east side you will find the Jewish ghetto and Casalino neighbourhood. The oldest agglomeration perched around the tuff rock today is called Masso Leopoldino, a panoramic terrace from which you can enjoy an impressive view of the town below. The mighty fortress was built by the Aldobrandeschi and enlarged by the Orsini. It was built in order to make Sorano the most imposing military bastion of a small but autonomous fief. Sorano manages to maintain its medieval atmosphere while emphasising the relationship between man and the earth.