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Chinese imperial boat

The Chinese Imperial Boat Hidden in the Woods of the Cimini Mountains

Tra i boschi rigogliosi della Tuscia Viterbese, c’è un luogo che ha il potere di trasportare il visitatore in un’altra dimensione spazio-temporale. Si tratta della Tenuta Sant’Egidio in cui i resti della sorprendente Chiesa della Santissima Trinità custodiscono una preziosa Barca Imperiale Cinese in marmo.
Table of contents:
  1. Where the boat is located
  2. L’amore per la Cina
  3. Extraordinary meeting
  4. The promise of conservation
  5. Brotherhood and respect between peoples

La Tenuta di Sant’Egidio

La Tenuta Sant’Egidio è un’area privata di circa 130 ettari sul versante Nord-Est del Monte Cimino, divenuta, per volontà dei proprietari, un educational forest. Passeggiando per i boschi della tenuta è possibile ammirare monumental oak and beech trees, caves, springs and rocky outcrops. E poi all’improvviso i resti delle mura di una chiesa, la Santissima Trinità, risalente al secolo XIII e per secoli eremo di monaci. Insieme a ciò che resta dell’antica chiesa una striking and alienating Chinese imperial boat in white marble. Ma come è arrivata qui questa barca e perché?

I Benedetti e l’Amore per la Cina

La Barca Imperiale Cinese è giunta in Italia grazie all’Italian entrepreneur-philanthropist Eugenio Benedetti, padre di Azzurra Benedetti, l’attuale presidente dell’Associazione GEA da cui è nata l’idea del bosco didattico. Eugenio, soprannominato “il nuovo Marco Polo”, era in love with the People's Republic of China e per molti anni ha viaggiato in tutto il paese, contribuendo alla sua rinascita economica e culturale. Una delle sue operazioni più famose è stata l’apertura di 34 cave di marmo sui monti dell’Hebei e dell’Honan, tutt’oggi funzionanti, da cui viene estratto uno dei marmi più belli del mondo. Nel 1965 Eugenio ebbe anche l’opportunità di conoscere l’Last Chinese Emperor Pu Yikey character in unravelling the mystery of the Viterbo imperial boat.

An extraordinary meeting

Ormai declassato a semplice cittadino e nominato capo dei Giardini del Palazzo Imperiale d’Estate di Pechino, Pu Yi incaricò Eugenio di salvare e restaurare la barca costruita nel 1865 in occasione del sessantesimo compleanno dell’imperatrice Ci Xi, sua madre. La barca è ancora oggi ormeggiata sul fiume Kunming al Palazzo di Pechino. Nella Cina antica le barche erano true masterpieces of craftsmanshipused to transport precious goods along the rivers and canals of the vast Chinese empire. The imperial boat was a symbol of respect, power and elegance.

Restoration and Conservation

L’operazione di conservazione riuscì e fu molto apprezzata dal governo cinese; Eugenio per i suoi 75 anni ricevette in dono, come ringraziamento per il suo operato, 100 tonnes of white marble composed of 3,000 hand-carved and chiselled pieces. The material was used for costruire una riproduzione in scale 1:3 della barca dell’imperatrice Ci Xi, come segno d’amore dalla Cina all’Italia. La barca imperiale fu poi posizionata all’interno della tenuta, dove Eugenio ha espresso la volontà di essere sepolto quando arriverà il suo momento.

Symbol of brotherhood between peoples

Ecco quindi spiegato il mistero. La barca imperiale cinese della Tenuta Sant’Egidio è più di un semplice monumento; è un homage to brotherhood between different cultures, un simbolo di pace e collaborazione tra popoli. Ma, soprattutto, è la rappresentazione dell’amore di un figlio verso la madre e dell’interconnessione tra culture apparentemente lontane tra loro. La barca imperiale in marmo nel cuore della Tuscia Viterbese è una precious testimony to historyan indelible memory of great modern characters. A historical memory to be preserved and handed down to future generations.

in Territorio, Uncategorized Posted by elena@enfasia.it
castle legends

Legends, Folklore and Magic of Torre Alfina Castle

C’era una volta un castello abbarbicato sulla cima di un colle, con ai suoi piedi un bosco incantato. Sembra l’inizio di una favola Disney o di un racconto fantasy, ma altro non è che la storia del Castello di Torre Alfina.

It all stems from a watchtower from the Longobard era known as the Casseroaround which, in the Middle Ages, a castle was built. A centre of power, loved, guarded and almost worshipped by the noble families who reigned there, it was transformed over the centuries to become a majestic Renaissance fortress. Uno dei momenti più significativi nella storia del castello è legato a Edoardo Cahen d’Anvers, che ad inizio ‘900 restaurò il castello e il Bosco del Sasseto at its feet, transforming it into a magical private garden, complete with a labyrinth of paths and hidden passages.

Table of contents:
  1. The Village of Torre Alfina
  2. The ghosts of the castle
  3. Folk tales and stories
  4. The mystic Marquis Cahen

The Charm of the Borgo

Ancora oggi il castello veglia sul borgo di Torre Alfina. Sviluppatosi intorno al torrione del Cassero, il borgo è articolato come una typical medieval town with narrow streets, stone houses e atmosfere che sembrano catapultare il visitatore in un’altra epoca. La sua piazza principale offre una vista spettacolare del castello e il torrione sembra essere visibile ovunque dal borgo. Gli abitanti da sempre attribuiscono una Powerful symbolism at the Cassero Tower tanto da essere associata alle streghe (“torre delle streghe, n’dò se và, se vede”).

Ghosts of the Castle

Around the Castle of Torre Alfina, circulate various legends and mysteries che contribuiscono a rendere il luogo ancora più affascinante. Il più famoso è quello della Lady Restless, uno spirito che si aggira inquieto per le stanze e i giardini dell’antica dimora. Non si conosce la sua identità ma sembra essere particolarmente legata al cortile interno del castello, dove ha lasciato le sue orme indelebili. Ma le sale storiche del castello sembrano offrire riparo ad un altro ghost named Generoso. Questo spirito viene descritto come benevolo ma incline a scherzi. Gli abitanti del borgo sostengono che durante i giorni di nebbia, Generoso si diverta a rendere il castello invisibile dal paese, aggiungendo un tocco di mistero all’atmosfera circostante.

Folklore of the Enchanted Forest

Local legends also tell of fantastic creatures that populate the paths of the Sasseto Forest. From generation to generation, stories of men turned into werewolves dopo aver bevuto l’acqua della Fontanella del Lupo, un ceppo cavo sempre pieno di acqua. Si parla di a witch, mother creator and protector of all woodland creatures. And again, the reason for the area's characteristic moss-covered lava boulders is thought to be the work of devils and witches, che con riti notturni impediscono alla vegetazione di crescere, creando un’atmosfera unica e misteriosa nel resto del bosco circostante.

Mystical place for Marquis Cahen

The Castle of Torre Alfina was beloved home of Marquis Edward Cahen who chose the Bosco del Sasseto as his burial place. He had a neo-Gothic mausoleum built there, now called the Fairy Temple. The lanes and paths in the forest were the subject of constant care and attention da parte del nobile e delle sue guardie. Ai residenti del borgo non era permesso accedervi per paura che l’uomo potesse danneggiare questo gioiello naturale. Si dice che un giorno un bambino fu colto dalle guardie a rubare castagne e nella foga di fuggire cadde perdendo il bottino. Il giorno dopo le guardie si presentarono a casa del piccolo ladro con un cesto pieno di marroni, gentilmente offerto dal marchese di Cahen.

Oggi il Castello di Torre Alfina è registered in the Italian Register of Historic Houses of Excellence e il 29 Settembre 2023 è stato insignito della prestigiosa Corona d’Oro di Residenze d’Epoca. Il Borgo dal 2007 è entrato a far parte dei Borghi più Belli d’Italia. Per secoli, il castello, il borgo e il bosco tutto intorno hanno stimolato l’immaginazione delle persone con la loro insondabile aura di magia e mistero. Gli stessi abitanti del posto sono devoted to these places and the enchanted creatures that seem to inhabit them. Visitors cannot fail to be fascinated by the magical mysticism of this hidden gem in the heart of Tuscia.

in Storia e Mistero Posted by elena@enfasia.it
The Castle Wheel

The Mysterious Object: The Wheel of Torre Alfina Castle

In a hidden room of the castle is an enigmatic vertically mounted iron wheel. What is it and what was the wheel of Torre Alfina Castle used for?

Objects used in past eras often appear mysterious and intriguing to our contemporary eyes. Beneath the appearance of simple artefacts are often hidden ingenious and innovative solutions that have marked the history and daily lives of people. One of these fascinating objects is the large Iron wheel of the Torre Alfina Castleobject that played a key role in the distribution of water in the rooms of theancient dwelling.

Table of contents:
  1. L’accesso all’acqua nelle dimore medievali
  2. Bathing culture during the Renaissance
  3. Testimonianza storica dell’ingegno umano

Water in Medieval Dwellings

In general, medieval castles and noble residences were equipped with wells, cisterns and decorative tanks, often located in inner courtyards or gardens. These structures served as domestic water access points. But in the Middle Ages, the need for water was limited almost exclusively to cooking. There were no plumbing or sewage systems. Toilets, when present, were either open seats directly on the moat or on holding tanks. Personal hygiene was an unknown concept. Only gentlemen indulged in the occasional bath in a basin and there were no real bathing rooms. The water distribution was therefore entrusted to servants who filled buckets or other containers and carried them to the kitchen or to the stately rooms to satisfy daily needs.

Renaissance and Bath Culture

It was not until the Renaissance period that a new functional bathroom concept. The increased care devoted to personal hygiene, the drive towards refinement and comfort for the environment dedicated to body practices, led to the need to create a mechanised water distribution system and more efficient.
So we come to the unravelling of our mystery. The large iron wheel of the Torre Alfina Castle is a flywheel, a heavy disc connected to a hand pump which allowed water to be drawn from the cistern located in the castle courtyard. By operating the large wheel, the water rose to fill other cisterns strategically placed on the towers. From here, using gravitational force, water flowed through an intricate system of pipes to reach all the rooms in the castle.

Testimony of Human Ingenuity

The flywheel of the Torre Alfina Castle remained in operation until 1960when the manual pump was replaced by an electric one. Despite this the distribution system remained unchanged and water continues to supply the castle rooms by cascading down from the castle towers. Today it represents a historical testimony to the power of human ingenuity of transforming an everyday object into a fundamental instrument of innovation. The preservation of objects no longer in use represents a tangible testimony of our historical and technological evolution. Keeping the memory of these objects alive, we preserve the link with our past. These objects are not mere relics, but bridges connecting the past to the future, offering valuable perspectives on our ever-evolving journey.

in Storia e Mistero Posted by elena@enfasia.it

The Lady Restless of Torre Alfina Castle

The Castle of Torre Alfina seems to be inhabited by the restless spirit of a mysterious lady who wanders the rooms and the garden without being able to find peace. Staff and visitors talk of apparitions and objects that move. And the Ghost Hunters also intervene.

Ancient dwellings are fascinating places in which the lives of mysterious characters and protagonists are intertwined. The majestic Torre Alfina Castle is a place rich in history and, apparently, inhabited by the spirit of a mysterious woman, nicknamed the 'Lady Restless'.

Table of contents:
  1. Evidence of moving objects
  2. Traces of presences in the castle
  3. Footprints in the garden
  4. Ghost hunters on the hunt for evidence

Moving Objects

It all stems from a series of direct testimonies of people who were allegedly witnesses of inexplicable events. The most recent was that of a married couple who had decided to stay overnight in the castle over Christmas. As a member of staff was about to open the door to their room, a crib with a very heavy glass bell on top suddenly shifted about 20 centimetres, crashing to the ground and shattering the bell into a thousand pieces.

Bell Apparitions and Unexplained Footsteps

But the evidence goes back even further. It is said that the staff who worked in the castle during the period of ownership Cahen (late 19th and early 20th century) would have witnessed even more disturbing events. Lilting footsteps in the old servants' corridor on the third level of the castle, without anyone arriving; the servants' call bell ringing inexplicably in the historic kitchen, without anyone having operated it. It even seems that a female figure was seen descending the 19th century staircase leading to the castle's main floor or suddenly materialise near the statue of the violin player.

Indelible Footprints in the Courtyard

And again. In November 2021, the castle gardener notices areas of grassless grass in the courtyard lawn, as if someone walking had left his footprint directly on the earth. Months pass, the grass dries up and only earth remains. The following spring, the grass is lush and green again, except along that mysterious walk, barren footprints that start in a corner of the courtyard and fade into nothingness.

Ghost Hunters speak

The interest aroused by these unexplained events also involved a team of Roman Ghost Hunters. The group installed cameras, a high-sensitivity recorder, a thermal imaging camera and an infrared and ultraviolet camera in the castle rooms. Although they did not record any striking paranormal events, the thermal camera seems to have detected athermal alteration on a chair of the ceremonial hall, although no one was seated there.

Like all historical residences, the Torre Alfina Castle remains a fascinating place full of enigmaswhere history, mystery and folklore intertwine in a unique atmosphere. We therefore look forward to a new manifestation of the Lady Without Peace, in the hope of discovering her identity, her story and thus being able to give her the longed-for eternal rest.

in Storia e Mistero Posted by elena@enfasia.it
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