Santa Maria di Galeria 2

If you travel north of Rome along the via Cassia, then turn off onto the via Braccianese at La Storta and travel a few kilometres through the farms to Santa Maria di Galeria you will come across the church of Santa Maria in Celsano and buildings surrounding it. But there is more to Santa Maria di Galeria than meets the eye.

And the reason that it isn't obvious to the casual visitor is that it is hidden away on a hilltop, surrounded by thick forest, and accessible only along a rough track.

Having found the correct turn-off, and navigated the mud and holes in the road you must park the car and walk up a steep path beside a sheer cliff. Soon you will come to the first gate protecting this old town.

A bit further on is the gate to the town itself. There was once no way in but through these two gates for surrounding the town on all sides is a cliff.

Inside the town there are buildings and rooms long abandoned but enough remains to give a distinct impression that somebody once lived here, many people, and that there was a lot of activity.

Over the years the inhabitants built new buildings and changed old ones. the building styles and materials changed over the years.

But it has been many years since any building and alterations were made and the trees have gradually taken over.

In fact it has been a great number of years since anybody lived here and some trees have had time to almost obliterate what was beneath.


In some places there are holes in walls the cause of which is uncertain.

Walking through the streets of this town has become more like a pleasant walk through a park.

Trees now grow where once people walked and where horses and carts carried their goods.

Moss and vines have made themselves at home.

An archway has become the home of a fantastic tree.

The tree seems to be announcing that it is the victor in this battle between man and nature.

Where once walls and gates attempted to keep human intruders out the intruders of nature have no problems at all.



Where once there were floors and roofs there are now blank walls.

A clock tower lost in time has lost its time and its tower is full of bats and bird nests.

Nature has created a landscape designer's dream.


an ancient brick arch filled in at some time when the inhabitants changed their mond about its need.

Looking through the forest surrounding this town are the farms that have been there for thousands of years.

And in the distance only a few kilometres away the hustle and bustle of suburban Rome, oblivious to the ghosts that live here on this hill top.