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Rocky settlement of Palazzolo

The settlement of Palazzolo is located in the municipal area of ​​Vasanello, north of this town and south-east of Bassano in Teverina.
Rising on a high tuff spur, surrounded by deep ravines, it is probably what remains of the ancient Castrum Amerinum.
It rose along the strategic Via Amerina, where it was probably an Etruscan or Faliscan pagus, but it played a significant role in the Middle Ages, from the 6th to the 14th century.
It was probably Palatium or Lombard Curtis.
From the 11th century onwards, the fortunes of the rock settlement are linked to the presence of the castrum, the cavities are evenly arranged along the perimeter of the fortification.
In 1397 it was completely razed to the ground by a contingent of Breton mercenaries.
There are a series of rock caves supported in the center by pillars, according to a pattern that is frequent even in religious settlements. The slopes of the plateau are occupied by thirty underground rooms which are largely accessible; to these should be added others of an indeterminable number that are unreachable or difficult to interpret due to their state of conservation. Of the thirty cavities, eighteen are located on the southern side and twelve on the northern one which, unlike the others, are also spread over several levels.
The first nucleus of cavities of the type with central pillar can be dated between the 9th and 13th centuries, occupies the central portion of the plateau, easily defensible thanks to the pre-existing main cut. The rock dwellings of the early Middle Ages were born in areas where there are exposed rocky fronts and within these areas the place that guaranteed the best water supply was chosen.
Most of them are composed of several rooms communicating through openings on the walls which, in most cases, seem to testify to a change in use.
The cavities located on the southern side which have masonry structures supporting the walls, which allow for a chronology of the change in use of the rooms, are of particular importance.