San Lorenzo Nuovo is a village in the Province of Viterbo. It has just over 2000 inhabitants and is located a few kilometres north of Lake Bolsena.
San Lorenzo Nuovo City Guide
Tourist information
Met de Auto/Openbaar Vervoer naar San Lorenzo Nuovo
By car: The city is located at the intersection of the Sr2 from Rome and the SS74. From both Rome (145 km) and Viterbo (40 km) it can be easily reached by following the SR2 northwards.
Public transport from Viterbo: Take a Co.tral bus with final destination Acquapendente or Abbadia San Salvatore. Please check first if these buses also stop in San Lorenzo Nuovo, because this is not always the case.
Public transport from Rome: First take a Co.tral bus (from Saxa Rubra) or the FR3 train from Ostiense to Viterbo and then follow the directions above.
A brief history of San Lorenzo Nuovo
The present town centre was designed in its entirety between 1774 and 1779 by the architect Navone. This happened after the population in the original centre, which was closer to the lake, had had to flee from the swampy area because of malaria.
San Lorenzo
The history of San Lorenzo Nuovo begins with the ancient municipality of San Lorenzo, which was located a few kilometres outside the current town near the lake. In the 18th century, when the water level of the lake rose, the area became largely a marshland, which led to malaria decimating the population. All that remains of this original city are some ruins.
This ancient city was founded by a group of families who had fled the Etruscan-Roman city of Tiro, which had been destroyed by the barbarians.
In the 11th century, the town was bequeathed to the church by Countess Matilde di Canossa.
After a period as a free and independent city, in the 12th century San Lorenzo came under Orvieto, before falling back into the hands of the Pope in 1335.
San Lorenzo Nuovo
The new town, today’s San Lorenzo Nuovo, was founded in 1772 by order of Pope Clement XIV. The responsible architects, Andrea Dori (design) and Francesco Navona (execution), had to build an ideal city according to the values of the time.
Construction of the city was only completed during the reign of the next pope, Pius VI. In the San Lorenzo Martire Church there is a bust of this pope made by Canova.
In 1944, during bombing raids by the Allies, the town suffered heavy damage and a large number of casualties among the population.
Tourist attractions
Unlike most villages and towns in the area, the historical centre of the town is not of medieval origin, but can be called neo-classical. The most important church is the San Lorenzo Martire Church, built in the 18th century but containing many older works of art, in the central, octagonal Piazza Europa square. Outside the village is the Chiesa di Torano. (All places of interest San Lorenzo Nuovo.)
Events
The most important event in San Lorenzo Nuovo takes place once every 15 years. This happens on 14 September, when a 12th century wooden crucifix (the Santissimo Crocifisso) is carried through the streets of the city. The years that this happens, there are more events and festivals than usual in the town. The last time the Festone di San Lorenzo Nuovo (“Great Feast”) was held was in 2012. (Since it first took place in 1787, someone must have made a miscalculation).
The Sagra degli Gnocchi starts every year on August 10th and lasts for a few days.