Poggio Catino, Rieti, Lazio, Italy

A typical Italian country home set in the historic Sabine hills, this property will appeal to those nature lovers among you! A 1- hour drive northeast of Rome, this newly-built structure, located on a hill-top, is nestled in the woods, from which the only intrusions are fresh air and birdsong.
Here you have the best of all worlds - a new structure, modeled on Italian country design, and immersed in mountain woodland. The gated private drive connected to the main road spirals up the hill, bordered by a fantastic stone wall and passing through the 1000- hectare property; obviously privacy is not a problem here. The particular area is called Poggio Catino.
This is a sparsely populated area, hosting mainly weekend, vacation homes for city dwellers from Italy's larger cities. If you appreciate all season activities such as mountain trekking and hiking, the surrounding woods offer extensive paths; the home design itself lends itself to eating al fresco and/or relaxing on the 60 square meter terrace, or spending cozy evenings before a warm fire.
Structurally, the property follows the Italian country model, built into the landscape on two levels, using natural materials such as wood and stone throughout. At the end of the driveway, you enter the house after passing through a terraced, green 1000 square meter garden, offering a panoramic view of the surrounding hills. The entrance is on level two, and leads into a huge, 150 square meter lounge with fireplace; this level also has a kitchen and terrace, three bedrooms, three bathrooms. The kitchen is large,warm and inviting, providing plenty of space for cooking and gathering. Garage and storage rooms are located on level one. Just outside level one on the lower green terrace is a hot tub. Since the house has multi-sided exposure, the living areas are filled with light, captured by oversized wooden windows which facilitate panoramic viewing. These windows are managed and protected by high-quality wooden shutters providing ample insulation. Wood is also noticeable in ceiling treatments as well as the flooring. Newly-built as it is, the house features the latest in heating, cooling, plumbing, and electrical systems. The extra large boiler can accommodate the hot water needs of owners and guests.
This wonderful property is in excellent condition and ready to welcome its new owners.

LOCATION

In the heart of the green Sabina, among thick
woods and olive groves, the small village of Poggio
Catino stands alone on a hill. The inhabited area is
located on the southwestern foothills of the Sabini
Mountains at an altitude of 387 meters. One of the
characteristics of this village is that it is divided into
two separate urban centers, and only 900 meters
away from each other. These are Catino and Poggio
Catino itself, belonging to the same municipality.

For those coming from Poggio Mirteto, Poggio
Catino appears immediately recognizable for the very
high and suggestive pentagonal tower dominating the
adjacent hamlet of Catino. The tower is the source of
many legends, some of which speak of ancient
misdeeds.

What to visit around Poggio Catino
In the hamlet of Catino which, as we said, is located
a short distance from Poggio Catino, we find the
picturesque ruins of the Rocca or Castello di Catino,
located overhanging the southern side of a deep
sinkhole. An excursion of about two hours will allow
you to reach the evocative Hermitage of San Michele,
hidden in a cave which, according to an ancient
legend, was the lair of a terrible dragon, defeated by
the same saint.
Within a handful of kilometers there are also the
medieval villages of Casperia and Roccantica,
among the most beautiful in Sabina. Finally, it should
be noted that near Roccantica is the limestone
chasm of Revotano, which visit can be combined with
that of Poggio Catino.

The origins of Poggio Catino

The origins of Poggio Catino date back to the end of
the seventh century AD, when migrations of groups
of families and Lombard clans settled in these lands,
building the first small towns and inhabited centers. In
any case, we know that the area where today's town
stands was already known in Roman times. In fact,
as is well known, the Romans built country
residences throughout the Sabina area. Testimony of

this are the Terme di Silla (known in English as
Sulla), located near the cemetery of Poggio Catino.
There is still no certainty that the spas had really
belonged to Silla but, in any case, we know with
certainty that the Roman presence in this area was
not just a passage.

The historic center
In the small historic center of Poggio Catino, both the
Church of Sant'Agostino and the Church of Santa
Maria dei Nobili are certainly worth a visit. Among the
other important monuments in the village we can
mention the Church of San Rocco dating back to the
fourteenth century. This single nave has a clock on
the facade. Inside we can observe the apse
decorated with 15th century frescoes. Palazzo
Oligiati is also interesting, where the municipality is
currently located. Finally, we mention the
aforementioned Terme di Silla near the cemetery