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Hermitage of Sant’Egidio in Norcia

Hermitage of Sant’Egidio in Norcia

Type
Ruins or archaeological site
Municipality
Norcia (PG)
Website
iluoghidelsilenzio.it

Source: site database, © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

The Hermitage of Sant’Egidio (Eremo di Sant’Egidio), also known as Sant'Egidio della valle, is a complex of ruins in the municipality of Norcia, in the Valnerina. What remains are a small Romanesque church and the attached hermitage, once a place of pilgrimage, in an inlet at the head of the valley that ends at the foot of Biselli. Today the site is hard to read, partly buried and wrapped in dense vegetation.

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On the map

Points from the site database. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors · Protomaps.

History of the Hermitage of Sant’Egidio

The presence of hermits here probably dates back to very early times. The dedication to Sant'Egidio (Saint Giles) recurs quite often among the hermitages of the Valnerina. The place was also called "de valle Orseggia" or "de valle Orsci", names that allude to the bear, present on the mountains around Norcia until the 17th century.

In 1244 the church depended on the hermitage of San Biagio di Campi, occupied by Augustinian monks. It later passed to the Benedictines of San Benedetto in Norcia. When the hermitage was abandoned is not known.

What to see at the Hermitage of Sant’Egidio

The remains of the church and the hermitage, built at different times, can be seen. The oldest core, probably the church, is made of limestone blocks of very varied sizes, joined without mortar. It may date from the 9th–10th century. The eastern part seems the most recent, perhaps linked to the Benedictine phase: the stones are roughly hewn and joined with mortar.

A 16th-century statue of Sant'Egidio, from the old hermitage, is kept on the first altar on the right in the church of Sant'Apollinare.

Visiting the Hermitage of Sant’Egidio

The remains are partly buried and covered by vegetation, so it is best to ask about the condition of the site before setting out. The site is on a loop route that starts from the former SS 320 Valnerina road, at the Biselli tunnel. It passes through Biselli, the Cortignori valley, the hermitage, the Cascinella and Forsivo.

Where the Hermitage of Sant’Egidio is located

The hermitage stands on a knoll, to the left of the old road that climbed the Cortignori valley toward the Biselli Castle in Norcia. It lies between the two promontories on which Forsivo and Cortigno stand. On military maps the place is marked as Casali Sant'Egidio.

Around the Hermitage of Sant’Egidio in Norcia

Nearby Biselli has a castle, described on the page for the Castello di Biselli (Norcia). Forsivo is a hamlet of Norcia and overlooks the Corno valley, above Biselli. Its village, a hilltop castle, has been largely compromised by time and earthquakes. After the climb beyond the village, high meadows above a thousand meters are reached.

Frequently asked questions

What period is the Hermitage of Sant’Egidio in Norcia from?

The oldest core, probably the church, is built of limestone blocks without mortar and may date from the 9th–10th century. A more recent eastern part is perhaps linked to the Benedictine phase. In 1244 the church already depended on the hermitage of San Biagio di Campi; when it was abandoned is not known.

What remains of the Hermitage of Sant’Egidio today?

The ruins of the church and the hermitage remain, partly buried and wrapped in dense vegetation, which makes the complex hard to read. The masonry shows different building phases. A 16th-century statue of Sant'Egidio from the hermitage is instead kept on the first altar on the right in the church of Sant'Apollinare.

Why is the hermitage also called "de valle Orseggia"?

The site is also recorded as de valle Orseggia or de valle Orsci. These names allude to the presence of the bear, documented on the mountains around Norcia until the 17th century. On military maps, by contrast, the place is marked as Casali Sant'Egidio, a name worth knowing when consulting maps.

Is the Hermitage of Sant’Egidio in Norcia the same as the one at Castellonalto?

No. The one in Norcia stands between Forsivo and Cortigno, in the valley that climbs to Biselli. There is, however, another hermitage with the same name at Castellonalto di Ferentillo (TR), in a fold of Monte Beretta: it too is reduced to ruins, but it is in another municipality.

Nearby

What to see nearby

Where to eat

Straight-line distances.