Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Taktsang Lhakhang, also known as the “Tiger’s Nest”.
Bhutan • 11 days, 10 nights
Festivals & Temples of Bhutan
from
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The ‘Old Secretariat’ government building in New Delhi.
The 'Old Secretariat'
This set is inspired by a Roman arena.
Bozdağ Film Platolari
The Sea Water Distilling Plant.
Sea Water Distilling Plant
Contemplative paths.
Ayo Rock Formations
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
The truth is out there—somewhere.
The Truth Is Out There at the Dreamland Resort (or Should We Say ‘Area 51?’)
19 days ago
Edward Payson Weston
How the 6-Day Race Became an American Spectator Obsession
20 days ago
Alresford Spy Toilet
This Public Bathroom in a Sleepy English Village Was an Epicenter for Cold War Espionage
22 days ago
Manhattan Well
The Manhattan Well: How Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton United to Solve a Murder Mystery
23 days ago

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 Rieti Eremo di San Leonardo (San Leonardo Hermitage)
AO Edited

Eremo di San Leonardo (San Leonardo Hermitage)

This small hermitage is located along an ancient route that connected the Tiber and Rieti valleys.

Rieti, Italy

Added By
Jan Claus Di Blasio
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The hermit’s house seen from inside the cave with the well on the lower left   LatiumMirabile / Atlas Obscura User
The hermit’s house seen from inside the cave with the well on the lower left   LatiumMirabile / Atlas Obscura User
The ruins of the hermit’s house.   LatiumMirabile / Atlas Obscura User
The ciborium.   LatiumMirabile / Atlas Obscura User
The remains of the fresco on the cave wall.   LatiumMirabile / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Built entirely in limestone rock and a short distance from the small medieval town of Roccantica, the hermitage known locally as Eremo di San Leonardo is yet another fascinating example of rural devotion in the region.

Its history is largely unknown and has been mostly undocumented until recently, but is believed to have existed during the Middle Ages. 

Nowadays, visitors can climb the steps that lead to the complex and will see the ruins of the hermit's house, constructed on two levels with traces of a small oven. The cultic site is instead located inside the cave, and its most noticeable details are the ciborium that covers the altar, a small well that collects water, and a fresco from the mid-15th century representing Saint Leonard and Saint Catherine of Alexandria. In front of the ruins of the small building is a terrace that provides a view of the valley below.

The hermitage and a hermit is cited in documentation from the late 18th-century. Though the site seems remote and forlorn, in the past the valley provided a natural passage through the mountains connecting the valley of the Tiber with the valley of Rieti.

Below the hermitage, the trail leads to the ruins of an abandoned mill. 

Related Tags

Hermitage History & Culture Design Religion Sacred Spaces

Know Before You Go

A 1h30 marked trail leads from Roccantica to the hermitage. The trail continues on to the Devil's Wells (Pozze del Diavolo) or to the karstic sinkhole of the Revotano.

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

Published

May 6, 2021

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Eremo di San Leonardo (San Leonardo Hermitage)
Rieti, 02040
Italy
42.31215, 12.705515

Nearby Places

Dolina del Revotano

Province of Rieti, Italy

miles away

Lombard Tower

Catino, Italy

miles away

Santa Maria della Lode in Vescovio

Torri in Sabina, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Rieti

Rieti

Italy

Places 4

Nearby Places

Dolina del Revotano

Province of Rieti, Italy

miles away

Lombard Tower

Catino, Italy

miles away

Santa Maria della Lode in Vescovio

Torri in Sabina, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Rieti

Rieti

Italy

Places 4

Related Places

  • Detail of the 16th-century Compianto.

    Raiano, Italy

    Eremo di Saint Venantius (Hermitage of Saint Venantius)

    A holy stone inside this spectacular hermitage is said to have healing properties.

  • Kailashnath Mahadev

    Sanga, Nepal

    Kailashnath Mahadev Statue

    Nepal is home to the world’s tallest Shiva statue.

  • Mya Thein Tan Pagoda

    Min Kun, Myanmar (Burma)

    Mya Thein Tan Pagoda

    This magnificent white pagoda was constructed to resemble a sacred Buddhist mountain.

  • Mahakal Mandir

    Darjeeling, India

    Mahakal Mandir

    At this unique temple in Darjeeling, Hindu and Buddhist practices co-exist harmoniously.

  • Wooden Bridge at Monda just 5km from Bhaderwah town.

    Bhaderwah, India

    Wooden Bridges of Bhaderwah

    These bridges were designed to guide the soul on its spiritual journey to heaven.

  • Sinsedong Seven-story Brick Pagoda

    Andong, South Korea

    Sinsedong Seven-Story Brick Pagoda

    The largest and oldest brick pagoda in Korea.

  • Missiri Mosque

    Fréjus, France

    Missiri Mosque

    This mosque was based on Sub-Saharan Islamic architecture and created for the Senegalese Tirailleurs.

  • Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park

    Sedona, Arizona

    Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park

    This 24-acre park offers a place for meditation in the midst of Sedona's iconic red rocks.

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.