Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Italy Rocchette Rocchettine
AO Edited

Rocchettine

This long-abandoned village sits across a narrow gorge from a still-inhabited settlement that was once its twin.

Rocchette, Italy

Added By
Jan Claus Di Blasio
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The ruins of the ancient fortress of Rocchettine   Ivano De Santis / Alamy Stock Photo
The walls of Rocchettine   LatiumMirabile / Atlas Obscura User
Architectural details inside the abandoned houses   LatiumMirabile / Atlas Obscura User
Ruins of a house in Rocchettine   LatiumMirabile / Atlas Obscura User
The restored church of San Lorenzo   LatiumMirabile / Atlas Obscura User
Walking inside Rocchettine   LatiumMirabile / Atlas Obscura User
Approaching the walls of Rocchettine   LatiumMirabile / Atlas Obscura User
Rocchette seen from Rocchettine   LatiumMirabile / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Historically, the narrow gorge of the Laia River represented a strategic route connecting the Italian regions of Lazio and Umbria, as well as the historical territory of Sabina with the Tiber River valley. In the 13th century two fortified settlements were built on either side of the gorge. Today one of those is the small village of Rocchette, while the other, Rocchettine, has become a ghost town.

Rocchettine was originally known as Rocca Guidonesca, perhaps named after the Guidoneschi family. Over time the population dwindled, and by the 1950s the settlement was completely uninhabited. Although its state of conservation is poor, it is still quite exciting to explore the empty village filled with the ruins of houses, walls, and towers. Several houses appear to have been built after the abandonment of the village, but little else is known of the fate of the community of Rocchettine. The only full building is the restored Church of San Lorenzo with its late-Baroque façade and bell tower. It is usually closed to the public.

On the other side of the river lies Rocchette in Sabina, originally known instead as Rocca Bertalda. Nowadays it is a quiet agricultural hamlet that is part of the nearby town of Torri in Sabina.

The history of the two settlements is closely tied to the fortunes of the church and the powerful nobility of Rome, such as the Savelli and the Orsini families. It is likely that the strategic importance of the site dwindled from the 18th century onwards.

Rocchettine was recently featured as a set in Il Nome della Rosa (The Name of the Rose), a 2018 television series produced by the Italian national broadcaster RAI, which featured John Turturro and Rupert Everett.

Related Tags

Villages Medieval Abandoned Ghost Towns Film Locations

Know Before You Go

Access to the abandoned village is free and easy. You can either walk a short trail from Rocchette in Sabina or drive the tarred road that crosses the gorge, take a left turn a hundred metres before Rocchette (as you are coming from Torri in Sabina), which leads you to the bridge below and then follow the road to the entrance of Rocchettine (which is visibile on the left).

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Italy: Roman Carbonara, Florentine Steak & Venetian Cocktails

Savor local cuisine across Rome, Florence & Venice.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

LatiumMirabile

Edited By

Michelle Cassidy

  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

May 18, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.discoversabina.com/two-fortresses-with-a-different-destiny-le-rocchette-and-le-rocchettine/
  • https://cineuropa.org/en/felaprofile/380512/
  • https://www.lazionascosto.it/citta-fantasma-borghi-abbandonati-del-lazio/rocchettine/
  • http://www.discoversabina.com/two-fortresses-with-a-different-destiny-le-rocchette-and-le-rocchettine/
  • https://cineuropa.org/en/felaprofile/380512/
  • https://www.lazionascosto.it/citta-fantasma-borghi-abbandonati-del-lazio/rocchettine/
Rocchettine
Via Torri-Rocchette
Rocchette, 02049
Italy
42.372578, 12.625837
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Santa Maria della Lode in Vescovio

Torri in Sabina, Italy

miles away

Eremo di San Cataldo (Hermitage of Saint Cataldus)

Cottanello, Italy

miles away

Dolina del Revotano

Province of Rieti, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Italy

Italy

Europe

Places 1,064
Stories 111

Nearby Places

Santa Maria della Lode in Vescovio

Torri in Sabina, Italy

miles away

Eremo di San Cataldo (Hermitage of Saint Cataldus)

Cottanello, Italy

miles away

Dolina del Revotano

Province of Rieti, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Italy

Italy

Europe

Places 1,064
Stories 111

Related Places

  • The old Kiosk saw mill

    Nipissing District, Ontario

    Kiosk Ghost Town

    All that remains of this former mill town is a ranger station and some crumbling buildings.

  • Borgo Fazio (administration building)

    Trapani, Italy

    Borgo Amerigo Fazio

    A never-inhabited village that was built as part of Mussolini's agricultural reforms.

  • East Haddam, Connecticut

    Johnsonville Village

    This picturesque Victorian ghost town was once a thriving mill community.

  • Abandoned Scar House Village

    North Yorkshire, England

    Abandoned Scar House Village

    The remains of a remote village that once housed over 1,200 dam workers and their families.

  • Some of the houses have blue and green walls.

    Al Madam, United Arab Emirates

    Buried Village of Al Madam

    An abandoned desert hamlet swallowed up by sand.

  • Abandoned graffitied building.

    Central Aguirre, Puerto Rico

    The Ruins of Central Aguirre

    This nearly abandoned "company town" is a ghost of Puerto Rico's once-lucrative sugar industry.

  • Film City

    Film City, Qatar

    Film City

    A creepy, deserted mock Arabian village can be found in the middle of the Qatari desert.

  • Al `Arish.

    Qatar

    Al `Arish

    An abandoned fishing village in pre-oil Qatar.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.