Calcata

Calcata (locally Cargàta) is a comune and town in the Province of Viterbo in the Italian region Lazio, located 47 km (29 miles) north of Rome by car, overlooking the valley of Treja river. Calcata borders the following municipalities: Faleria, Magliano Romano, Mazzano Romano, Rignano Flaminio. In the 1930s, the hill town's fortified historic centre was condemned by the government for fear that the volcanic cliffs the ancient community was built upon would collapse. Local residents moved to nearby Calcata Nuova. In the 1960s, the emptied historical centre began to be repopulated by artists and hippies who squatted in its medieval stone and masonry structures. Many of the squatters eventually purchased their homes, the government reversed its condemnation order, and the residents of what had become an artistic community began restoring the ancient town. This trend has continued. The town has a thriving artistic community which was described in The New York Times in 2007 as what "may be the grooviest village in Italy, home to a wacky community of about 100 artists, bohemians, aging hippies and New Age types." The love of artists for this place, together with the interest of the inhabitants of nearby Rome, who come here to relax on weekends, has made this village one of the most enchanting and culturally vibrant in central Italy. The historical centre now includes restaurants, cafes, and art galleries.