Montefiascone

Montefiascone is perhaps not the most charming and interesting place to visit, but there are two reasons to go there: The cathedral and the wine.

The Montefiascone Cathedral or Basilica of Santa Margherita (Duomo di Montefiascone; Basilica Cattedrale di Santa Margherita) was built when Pope Urban V instituted the Diocese of Montefiascone (14th century). A terrible fire on the night of Good Friday 1670 destroyed the roof of the cathedral and part of its interior. After the fire, reconstruction took place and the new dome was opened on 16 December 1674. The dome, with a diameter of 27 metres, is one of the largest in Italy.

Besides a marble statue and some relics of Saint Margaret of Antioch, the cathedral contains the relics of Saint Lucia Filippini and the tomb of Cardinal Marco Antonio Barbarigo, and also a well-known wooden cross.

Est! Est!! Est!!! is the legendary peculiar name of a white wine from Montefiascone. The popular story is that in the 12th century a German Bishop (Johann Flugger?) was traveling to Rome and sent his prelate ahead to check the quality of the local wines. If the wine was good, the prelate was to write “Est” (it is) on the door of the inn. In Montefiascone he was so impressed with the wine that he wrote “Est! Est!! Est!!!”. Today, they still produce and sell a white wine labeled “Est! Est!! Est!!!” but it really should be renamed “Erat! Erat!! Erat!!!” (“it was”).

More photos will be added after my next visit.