A fortified medieval basilica on the Caelian Hill preserves extraordinary frescoes and one of Rome's most beautiful hidden cloisters.

Remnants of a 4th-century church with vivid medieval frescoes and ancient sarcophagi hide beneath this old basilica.

A semi-abandoned village destroyed by U.S. bombings during World War II dominates the valley of Turano.

This unusually shaped fortress houses a blend of centuries-old frescoes and modern art.

A deep mark on the remains of a Roman temple, believed to be left by a legendary warrior.

An 18th-century post box used to alert the church of sick and ailing foreign pilgrims.

A statue representing a lost Roman profession that was vandalized for centuries.

Legend said this huge, gnarled tree sheltered the saint during a storm.

A 17th-century doorway in a small Sabine village is a portal into the mysteries of alchemy.

This ancient trail climbs the mountain where a Latin League cult worshipped Jupiter, its main deity.

This medieval Italian village was transformed into an architectural marvel by the famous "Papessa" Donna Olimpia.

An abandoned 17th-century baroque hunting lodge with a wonderfully strange architectural plan.

The ruins of an abbey believed to have been founded by Charlemagne in the 9th century.

This park on the outskirts of Rome boasts two ancient Roman aqueducts and a medieval tower.

This beautiful park on the outskirts of Rome protects the ruins of two colossal ancient aqueducts.

The best preserved Paleochristian basilica in Rome hides a number of oddities and secrets.

A rather vulgar example of the transition from Latin to the Italian vernacular.

The city of Palestrina was built around this magnificent terraced sanctuary dedicated to the pagan goddess Fortuna.

This splendid mosaic embodies ancient Rome's fascination with the exotic allure of Egypt.

The second-highest village in Lazio has attracted artists for 400 years and is now a spectacular open-air art gallery.

A stunning fountain depicting a mythological she-goat carved directly into the rocks on the grounds of a Renaissance palace.

A lonesome Moai stands in a small Italian town some 9,000 miles away from its Easter Island brethren.

This ancient altar emerges from the thick forests to reveal the mysteries of Etruscan sacrificial rituals.

A fascinating assortment of cave dwellings, medieval ruins, and sarcophagi are being devoured by the forest.