From Rome to Vetralla: Sixty Years of Italian Adventures
Guest Author: Mary Jane Cryan, Expert on the Tuscia Region
This week, I am delighted to introduce historian Mary Jane Cryan. Our paths crossed in 2019, in an extraordinary setting: aboard The World, where we were both giving a series of lectures. Our weeklong journey took us from Siracusa in Sicily to Valetta in Malta, and finally to Cagliari in Sardinia, where we disembarked (and where I also had the thrilling opportunity to meet one of my history heroes, Ross King, who was just boarding).
Mary Jane is also a writer and journalist with a number of books under her belt. I didn’t know it then, but Mary Jane’s expertise on Tuscia, a part of the northern Lazio region, an hour or so north of Rome, would prove invaluable to me when I embarked upon creating my novel, In The Garden of Monsters. She gave me a lot of great information about the Parco dei Mostri, or Monster Park, in a little valley below the town of Bomarzo. Her substack, The Painted Palazzo, is a must-read for any lover of Italy.
I was curious how she—an American—ended up living in Vetralla, and I’m pleased to share her story with you all.
From Rome to Vetralla: Sixty Years of Italian Adventures
by guest author, Mary Jane Cryan
When I landed at Rome’s Fiumicino airport on September 8, 1965, along with two suitcases - the kind without wheels - I could not imagine that I would still be here in 2024. Sixty years have passed in a flash for time has a different rhythm when we are doing what we love, especially when we call Italy home. Thanks to a very lengthy bibliography I have proof that all these years have actually gone by and were very interesting and productive.
As a non-fiction writer and journalist I have spent a lot of time delving into archives and unearthing documents containing interesting curiosities and true stories of the people who lived here before us. The discoveries are then offered to a larger audience making this fascinating area of central Italy - known as Tuscia, Etruria and Northern Lazio - more familiar to readers worldwide
Peer-reviewed papers and books are fine for university classes but it takes years for any new information to trickle down to the curious general public. Uncovering curiosities and true stories attracts foreign visitors to a region they probably would never have known. A fascinating travel essay with great photos online or in a travel magazine will create instant curiosity and entice the reader to want to discover more and to visit that locality personally. In today’s world we are trying to support a more sustainable tourism by discovering alternatives to the art cities of Rome, Venice and Florence which are being suffocated by mass tourism. Knowledge gives the visitor many choices. Why visit one of the many fake Disneyland-style destinations when you can “become” Indiana Jones and climb the Etruscan Pyramid that has recently been discovered near Bomarzo? Why visit the usual crowded tourist sites that have been Instagrammed to death when there is so much more to discover and enjoy.
During my first 35 years living in Italy I taught at international schools in Rome and Genoa, completed a Doctorate, published articles in the international press and authored several best-selling guidebooks. Then curiosity prompted me to delve into local Italian and Vatican archives during summer holidays. The results included dozens of articles, papers for conferences and several books on diverse subjects including Risorgimento military history and the travel diaries of Cardinal Henry Stuart. The thrill of discovering a box of “Strictly Confidential” military dispatches from 1860 or being the first person to open a travel diary dated 1776 and feel the sand particles still attached to the thick paper is an exciting moment for any researcher.
In the Perestroika period (1987-90), I spent a few years as a trailing wife in Moscow and also scouted out information and cultural news as a staff writer for Russia’s first Western-style magazine. When we returned to Rome, it was time to look for a larger house, and the search brought us to the historic center of Vetralla and the restoration of a two-storey section of a huge palazzo with a magical terrace.
Why Vetralla? Although only one hour north of our Roman apartment, the town was very much off the radar back in the 1990s and the only one of the area’s 60 towns without a historic castle (destroyed by Allied bombs in January 1944) but with historic ties to the English crown as the 1512 plaque with Henry VIII’s coat of arms in the city hall declares. But it was the perfect fit for a curious researcher and family. My daughters were delighted with the ancient washhouse below the building, the terrace sunsets, and views of Monte Argentario in Tuscany, 100 kilometres north. We made friends with our new neighbors who chatted in the sun-filled piazza – aptly named Piazza del Sole.
Working with original documents and using modern communications is a winning combination. A way to highlight this area of central Italy and make it more accessible. Publishing articles and books about the area’s curiosities and true history definitely attracts foreign visitors and increases tourism. If you know something about a place you will want to come and discover it for yourself.
Tuscia / Etruria was virgin territory for a journalist-historian and with access to archives in Rome and London provided me with enough “fodder” for another dozen or so books about this area. While we scoured salvage dealers for tiles and antique fireplaces to restore the old palazzo, I also visited local Renaissance gardens and castles, getting to know their welcoming owners. The many layers of history came alive: Etruscan sites, Roman theatres where plays and operas are performed on summer evenings, and the majestic villas of papal families such as the Farnese were open to the public, as were numerous terme (baths). Until recently, the only books giving attention to this part of central Italy were for those interested in archeology, and the first to write about this area were explorers such as George Dennis and Elizabeth Hamilton Gray. We discovered that there was so much more.
With the beginning of the internet my audience widened thanks to the creation in 2000 of a prize-winning website www.elegantetruria.com, the first English language source of information about this area north of Rome. Life flows more slowly here, and there is more time for family, friendships, studies, and values, which are difficult to cultivate in big cities.
Slowly, over the past 20 years, there has been an awakening interest in tourism. Local politicians have begun to realize that it is the “petroleum” of the area and actually answer emails now. People flock from abroad and from Rome to enjoy the lifestyle, ancient villages, great food and wine, centuries-old festivals and the extraordinary natural landscapes. Trekkers, pilgrims and nature lovers fill the country lanes on weekend hikes, pilgrims from abroad walk or bike the Via Francigena to Rome. There are many thermal spas in the area making it a romantic weekend destination for couples and for those in need of a good hot soak - as Michelangelo and his papal friends did hundreds of years ago. What were once private castles or gardens are now open to the public, and the many agritourism and elegant boutique hotels and villas welcome guests from around the world.
To learn more about Mary Jane Cryan, visit her at:
Substack: The Painted Palazzo
Instagram MaryVetralla
Website: www.elegantetruria.com
A few copies of Mary Jane’s books are available in the USA: Etruria—travel,history, itineraries in Central Italy and The Irish and English in Italy’s Risorgimento.
YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A MARY JANE CRYAN EBOOK
In The Painted Palace, Mary Jane Cryan offers a unique insider view of life in the historic town of Vetralla and the sprawling former noble residence of the Piatti family. Cryan, a passionate researcher, traces the lives of the palace's former owners and residents. The Piatti family, industrialists from Piedmont, purchased the Vetralla palace in 1893, restructuring it into a grand edifice with 85 rooms, including annexes such as cantinas, gardens, workshops, and stables. Lavishly frescoed inside and out, the palace became a symbol of opulence.
Cryan highlights the lives of the wealthy proprietors, who owned estates including Bisentina Island on Lake Bolsena and Villa Carpegna in Rome. The palace has seen a variety of uses over the years, from a club for Fascist party members to a refuge for homeless families during WWII, and now, individual apartments for foreign residents. Among the notable figures connected with Palazzo Piatti are sculptor Pietro Canonica and opera singer Olga Matteini. Cryan also explores the “Secret Gardens” and lesser-known monuments in the surrounding Tuscia area, including the ancient Roman theatre at Ferento and the “Boston Michelangelo” fresco in Vetralla's Church of San Pietro.
This giveaway closed at midnight ET on 06/09/24. Winners will be notified within 48 hours of the giveaway closing and announced in my next newsletter/post.
Important to Note: You must be 18+ and a United States resident (pesky international laws make it tricky to do giveaways worldwide). If you are someone who loves to read the rules, you can find the obligatory info here.
There’s Still Time!
If you haven’t entered yet, my publisher, MIRA Books, is giving away a copy of IN THE GARDEN OF MONSTERS. Go here to throw your hat into the ring for it by May 31. And of course, if you want to just go ahead and help a gal out by pre-ordering it, you can at this link.
My first novel, Feast of Sorrow, is the story of Apicius, the ancient gourmand whose name is on the oldest known cookbook. He died in the most bizarre way, and I tell the tale of how he got there. It’s a Kindle Daily deal for $1.99 for May only!
What’s Bringing Me Joy This Week
These laughing turtles. Sound required.
This BBC clip is incredible, from the bad Italian-to-English translation on the box to the people eating spaghetti for the first time.
Ten years ago, one of my friends treated me to see Lady Gaga in concert. We had insane floor seats where we could walk around the stage as she performed. It was one of the best concerts I’ve ever seen (and I’ve seen many hundred). Her Chromatica Ball is out on HBO right now, and it’s mesmerizing to watch.
If you love food and love Italy, and haven’t read THE CHEF’S SECRET or FEAST OF SORROW, click the links to learn where to buy your copy! 🍒🍗🍷 And now you can pre-order IN THE GARDEN OF MONSTERS!
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Mary Jane's posts have really opened my eyes about an area I was completely unfamiliar with, even having been to Rome countless times over the past decade. Even today, I mentioned Tuscia to an American friend and they had never heard of it. She's been quite the pioneer in championing this fascinating place. So glad you had her do a guest post!