Castello Massimo
The spectacular mole of the Castle dominates Arsoli with its powerful structures. In 1536 the Passamonti family from where commander of fortune Amico d'Arsoli was born, gave the fiefdom to the Zambeccaris who, because of serious economic problems, sold the castle to the old powerful Roman family of the Massimos in 1574. The purchase of the castle was recommended by San Filippo Neri, a close friend of the Massimos as witnessed by a tombstone situated inside the castle rooms.
In 1591 the castle and the village were besieged by bandit Marco Sciarra. Around 1670 Fabrizio Massimo, lord of Arsoli, built inside the manor a pharmacy, a theatre and authorised by the pope, also a market. In 1686 the Massimos were given the title of marquises and in 1733 they hosted king James 111 of England in the castle. Soon afterwards in 1744 the castle was besieged by the Spanish troops and partially sacked in 1798. In 1938 Umberto di Savoia, future king of Italy, lived there even if for a short time.
The castle dates back to the X century in its oldest structures even if because of the damage and the consequent rebuildings, it keeps not so much of the first old structures. One of the most considerable and important interventions was the one by architect Giacomo della Porta in the second half of the XVI century. Another great transformation was the one of 1874 created on the occasion of the III centenary of Arsoli's possession by the Massimo family.
The complex is developed on three floors, the basement, below the level of the hanging garden with "ogliara" (oil store room), "caciara" (cheese store room), oven, kitchen, prisons with torture equipment. The second noble floor, without any doubt the most interesting and only for visits and the third one with different rooms of scarce interest if we exclude the rooms where Garibaldi stayed with his officers.
By going through an old passage which the Lords still use today to reach the Church of SS. Salvatore and then a laced arch, we get to the lower part of the inside atrium from where are the stairs to the noble lodgings and stairs to the kitchen. But the carriage which carried the body of San Francesca Romana and the numerous animals' heads around the ceiling and old oil lamps reused today electrically attract the attention to this space. From the atrium start the stairs to the entrance main door on whose sides are two stone bas-reliefs, poles, halberds and other hunting trophies. The hall is lit by two big lights on the long wall overlooking the builtup area. The environment is very wide with frescoed walls and ceiling. The bright colours testify the excellent state of preservation.
The 1749 frescoes were made by Marco Benefial, a famous painter in the capital and in other piaces of the Papal State above all on behalf of Earl Niccolò Soderini related to the Massimo family (date and signature of the author can be seen in the scroll kept by hand by the Discord). A false marble inscription in an ornamental panel over the door shows the represented scenes. In the big scene at the centre of the vault the marriage between Perseus and Andromeda is celebrated with the presence of many divinities. From the hall we access the bedrooms, one of the right side, with a four-poster bed with parts of painted walls and big paintings on the walls representing other ancestors of the Family.
From the other side we can also get, one after the other intercommunicating, to another two rooms with four-poster beds which are certainly works of great masters in inlay and decoration to get to another frescoed environment.
The today called dining room was actually called room of the throne because here the Lord used to receive ambassadors in official form, administer justice and the fiefdom.
The walls, frescoed with Hercules' hard work, were made by Giovanni Antonio Macci in 1700 whereas the vault frescoes, dated 1557, initially attributed to Federico Zuccari, are today classified as works made together with older brother Taddeo. These represent groups of players and dancers together with war scenes. By going out of the room of the throne and going through a short stretch of the hall we enter the new Armoury created in 1885.
From the new armoury, by going through a room with decorated walls with plants and trees and an old billiards and an eagle hunted in the park some decades ago hanging on the ceiling, we arrive at the gentilitial chapel dedicated now to San Filippo Neri but already entitled to San Roberto. We eventually get to the hanging garden where it is possible to admire a beautiful fountain in the centre, different kinds of flowers and above all citrus fruit plants kept in huge terracotta vases with gentilitial coat of arms. By appearing at the balcony of this pretty green space it is possible to admire an Italian style garden and various fountains. Where the full vegetation leaves room to the countryside and olive groves, not very far from the alley is a little church, Santa Maria di Belmonte, with a Gothic façade built in 1853, still today used as a family chapel and tomb.

Other things to see
The town, with Roman age remains dating back to the Il century BC, was born around the year one thousand (997) and preserves the historical Medieval centre almost intact and its old alleys. The complex of the town palace and the church of Saint Bartholomew, one convent and church of Saint Bartholomew entrusted to the Franciscan fathers of the Third Regular Order, in its oldest nucleus dates back to, almost certainly, to the age when St. Francis of Assisi was in our lands and Subiaco. The church and convent underwent numerous restorations.
The present church of SS. Salvatore was built in 1580 by Giacomo della Porta, as a substitution of the previous one. It has a beautiful Transfiguration of Domenichino, a canvas by Marco Benefial, two canvases of the XVII century by an unknown artist. The little church of San Rocco, situated in the homonymous village of Arsoli, preserves a rich heritage of history and art in the frescoes covering the walls and the vault and in the many graffito and painted memories which can be read on the walls.
The Church of San Lorenzo dates back to the early XVI century and belonged to the rural churches situated outside the walls and around which the villages developed. The big complex which is by the church is the former Asilo San Filippo Neri (nursery school), founded in 1874 by Princess Francesca Lucchesi Palli in Massimo who sold all her jewels to ensure the Arsoli young people, nursery, elementary and embroidery school. The building project is by architect Fontana Arsoli and is situated on the border between Lazio and Abruzzo and is surrounded by places of great historical and artistic interest: Tivoli with its XII century churches, the temples of Vesta and Sibyl, the II century AD Amphitheatre, the Medieval palaces and three absolute wonders: Villa d'Este, Hadrian Villa and Gregorian Villa; Subiaco with the Benedictine monastery of Santa Scolastica, then the Sacro Speco, a monastery close to a big rock where Saint Benedict lived for some years. The Rocca Abbaziale (Abbatial Fortress) with frescoes of the XVI and XVIII century dominates Subiaco; Mandela and the Romitorio (Hermitage) of San Cosimato, a 1600 Franciscan convent on the Anio. The outskirts of Arsoli which are rich in landscapes and natural beauties such as the Park of Monti Simbruini and Lucretili, the Monte Livata, the Altopiani di Arcinazzo, the Karstic Grottoes of Pietrasecca, the Lago del Turano.

Palio dell’Amico (Amico's Palio)
The Palio (Horse-race) was born on 28th June 1997 together with the celebrations for the Millennium of Arsoli as a re-evocative event of the Medieval pomp and as a popular feast. The decree of the Palio fixes the celebration on the Sunday closer to 28 June recalling the birth of the community of Arsoli certified by the document of Regesto Sublacense dated 28 June 997. The Palio dell'Amico is based on the most famous Arsoli character in that century: Amico Passamonti Signore di Arsoli. The event which gave him glory was undoubtedly the fight in defence of the Republic of Florence attacked by Prince of Orange.
Only through deceit and betrayal was Amico d'Arsoli defeated and held prisoner in the famous battle of Gavinana on 3rd August 1530 and Fabrizio Maramaldo who already attacked Ferruccio's body, sold for 600 ducats the lord of Arsoli to Marzio Colonna, the enemy who killed him.
Amico's sword is a covered trophy of the Palio.

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