Cortaccione: Burial Site, Waterworks and Railway Line

Roman archaeology, historic water management and the former Spoleto–Norcia railway line offer different perspectives on a trip to Cortaccione. If you are looking for a hotel, you can plan your outings around your interests: the approximately one-kilometre-long, almost level Giro dei Condotti is on a different scale from the 23.5-kilometre section of the former railway line, which is rated moderate. The length, route and rating show how varied the routes are.

Roman Archaeology and Historic Water Management

The Cortaccione-San Beroide archaeological site is protected and includes a Roman funerary enclosure measuring 39 × 37 metres. A funerary enclosure is a bounded burial area; its approximately equal sides create an almost square ground plan. The dimensions give a concrete idea of the site’s extent, while its designation links it to Roman burial culture.

The Ponte delle Torri is also connected with the history of water supply. For centuries, older conduits from Fosso di Cortaccione in the north and Patrico in the south carried water over the bridge into the city of Spoleto. According to one view, the Ponte delle Torri was built between the 13th and 14th centuries on an older Roman aqueduct that probably carried water from the springs of Cortaccione to Spoleto. The possible Roman origins and the conduits used over the centuries are distinct historical aspects.

Walk and Former Railway Line

The Giro dei Condotti is an approximately one-kilometre-long, almost level walking route from the Fortilizio dei Mulini to the Ponte Sanguineto. In places, it follows the route of the aqueducts to the Ponte delle Torri. This description therefore combines specific endpoints with a connection to the history of waterworks. Compared with the section of the former Spoleto–Norcia railway line, the walk is much shorter; the routes also differ in that the railway section is rated moderate.

The section of the former Spoleto–Norcia railway line from Spoleto to Sant’Anatolia di Narco is 23.5 kilometres long and rated moderate. The route passes tunnels and viaducts before reaching the large open area beyond the Ponte del Cortaccione. After the former Cortaccione stop, it runs through a short, unlined tunnel and then through a second, likewise short and unlined tunnel. It then continues uphill towards Matrignano. As access conditions may change, check them before planning a trip.

The first section of the former railway line climbs uphill along the slopes of Licina. Parts of it are surrounded by olive groves and native evergreen vegetation, including holm oaks and Aleppo pines. The sequence of ascent, cultivated land and evergreen vegetation describes a different aspect of the route from its tunnels and viaducts. You can consider these landscape features alongside the route without conflating them with the rating of the longer section.

The Ponte del Cortaccione

The Ponte del Cortaccione is a viaduct over the Cortaccione River. The structure, which is 70 metres high, is supported by four arches. These dimensions and its arched structure give the viaduct a distinctive profile among the engineering structures associated with the former railway line. In 2017, the Municipality of Spoleto installed a counting device at the bridge to record bicycle and pedestrian traffic on the Spoleto–Norcia route.

Discover more destinations: Marsciano, Petrignano, Castiglion Fosco, Fontignano, Casenove, Sigillo, Triponzo, Sant'enea

For the broader travel overview: Perugia.