By Alexandra Redisch in Narni, Italy
Civitas Narniae was what the Romans called it, so I suppose that means I can tell people I’ve been to Narnia. Although nowadays the town goes by the name of Narni. Located about an hour and a half’s drive from Rome, Narni is a place I’d really like to return to. C. S. Lewis loved the name so much he used it for his imaginary world, thus putting Narni on the map, so to speak. This, then, is the real Narnia.
Thing is, the real Narni is just as magical as C. S. Lewis’ version. Granted, there are no talking beavers, no fauns, no witches and certainly no lions, but there are symbolical mysteries that give Dan Brown’s books a run for their money, especially in Narni Sotterranea (Narni underground).
In the 1970s, three young men from Narni started thinking about the old tales they had heard, and about the old St. Dominic monastery having been used for hundreds of years before being closed. Rumours abounded of terrible things having happened there, but the elder locals refused to talk about it. So one night, during a medieval festival, the three men began digging through the walls of the old monastery. Under cover of the loud music, they managed to make a hole in the cellar and press through. They must surely have been stunned by their discovery.
Today, the same men still run the excavations. They take us through a small 12th century church, through the remains of a Roman house, to a room that hosted the Tribunal of the Inquisition, used as a torture chamber and prison cell. The church still has intact frescoes depicting the city as it was in the 1100s, and there are even a few half-hidden skeletons poking out of walls.
The torture chamber sports wrist chains hanging from the walls and a rather spooky looking chair. However, the prison cell is the most interesting. One of its most famous inhabitants, Giuseppe Andrea Lombardini, was an inqusitor-turned-freemason (as well as a bigamist), so the walls are peppered with masonic symbols and other strange markings yet to be decoded, naturally awakening the conspiracy theorist in me.
The real Narnia today
Back in the present, we alight to the blinking sunlight to watch rehearsals for the next day’s festival celebrations. Italy’s national day is almost upon us, and Narni is celebrating with a medieval festival, much like the one that saw the birth of Narni Sotterranea more than 30 years ago. There are horsemen, archers, musicians and dancers, and we are treated to a fabulous show.
All too soon the day ends, and the spell is broken. Suddenly I find myself on a bus with no air condition, with a coke in my hand and my Dan Brown book in the other, trying to capture what is left of the symbolical mysteries of Narni.
I loved the Narnia books when I was little. How about you?
Disclosure: In Narni and in Umbria, I was a guest of Umbria Regional Tourism Board. However, as always, all opinions – and all conspiracy theories – are mine and mine alone.
What a fun place to spend the day. I love the costumes!
Cool, aren’t they?
I love medieval festivals! I always wonder what really happened back in the past that people passed down all these stories, secrets and hidden chambers.
(I guess the modern version of our fairy tales now are science fiction XD)
The past, the future; both intriguing.
I certainly love the Narnia books, although I was half expecting your post to be about New Zealand where the recent films were shot 😉 This is far more fascinating, and gruesome!
Would love to see the New Zealand locations.
What a fascinating place – and I love the connection to the Chronicles of Narnia! The medieval festival looks like it would be a great deal of fun!
🙂
A Dan Brown book sounds very a propos for that place. I had no idea where Narnia came from – and rather some gruesome discoveries. What is it with humans and torture – so barbaric.
Deep down, I suppose we’re still quite primitive.
I loved the Narnia books as a kid (still do), but I had no idea it was a real place. Thanks for helping me learn something new today.
I love them, too.
My friend acted in these types of things when we lived in St. Augustine- too funny! Whenever I see things like this I always remember my friend. Sounds like a fun tour.
St Augustine, one of the oldest towns in the USA, isn’t it? I imagine they must have their fair share of medieval celebrations.
With the exception of the torture chambers, Narni looks like a fun place to visit. I didn’t realize Narnia was based on an actual place!
Torture chambers: definitely not fun, but interesting nonetheless. And thought-provoking.
This place looks great! Would love to go to the Narnia underground!
Even though Narni isn’t that well known, it’s quite close to Rome, so not too difficult to visit 🙂
What a fascinating story. Love that prison cell.
It is a great story, isn’t it…
What a great place to visit! I too loved the CS Lewis books but didn’t know about Narni. The walls with masonic symbols look so interesting and those costumes are great.
I find symbols and codes so intriguing.
This is just like the cave in Prince Caspian where everyone hides while fighting the king! In the books, they say that the altar upon which Aslan was slain had a cave built up around it, with complex halls weaving through it, covered with strange and ancient writings. It is “present day” Narnia’s stronghold, forgotten by the invader’s legend, although the talking animals remember where it is from. It’s a site of strong magic, and some dark magicians try to resurrect the White Witch there.
Cool! Thanks for that, Meg!
The walls with masonic look so interesting and those costume are great. Thanks for letting me stopped by.
Thank you!
Ahh, love this. having read anything about Narnia per se but I still want to visit! =D
Thanks for coming over 🙂
How interesting! I’ve never heard of the real Narnia. I guess you learn something new every day 🙂
Isn’t that the truth…
Narni sounds fascinating — the prison, especially. What fun the medieval festival would be. I know that feeling after you’ve just experienced some very cool place and head back to normal.
Yeah, me too. Sad to be back to normality, at least to begin with.
Great find! I love the story behind it all and the costumes were amazing. Plus you can’t go wrong with a good conspiracy or a Dan Brown novel!
Such fun, conspiracies 🙂
Great article 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, Muza-chan.
Dan Brown and CS Lewis – now that’s a combination!
Yes, that would be an interesting book.
Ah, another place in Italy I never knew existed!
Italy is full of secret little jewels.
Wow, this sounds like an amazing place. Though the negativity of the use of two of those rooms freaks me out. I would love to see those symbols on the wall.
At least the negative/barbarous reminders make one think.
I was totally in love with the Narnia books and the BBC TV series as a child – it was even dubbed in German. Very cool that you visited that place during the medieval festival, what an experience!
Love the books. And the BBC series was quite good, too.
Wow, I did not know that Narnia really existed I read the book and seen the movie (are fond of fantasy stories), is very exciting to know that those places about which I fantasized really exist, thanks for putting me aware of what.
Thanks for reading 🙂
Not quite the snow-covered wood I was expecting, but still looks worth a visit!
Would be interesting to visit during winter, actually.
You captured the imagination with this one! Great photos and story. . .certainly makes me want to go there (and read Dan Brown – again!)
I’m a bit ambivalent about Dan Brown. He is entertaining, though 🙂
I loved and still love the Narnia series. I’ve read them to my children several times and we enjoyed a traveling exhibit that led us ‘into the wardrobe’ and loved it but now that I read your post, I think your experience certainly had more “awe” factor! I had no idea a Narni existed and what an intriguing tale…
Wouldn’t it be great to go into the real wardrobe…
Another great story, as always! I loved these books when I was young, too. I remember reading them over and over. I had no idea this place existed near Rome!
Me too. Over and over.
Lovely post! I had know about Narni but didn’t realize it was so close to Rome. Glad you got out without being trapped by any evil snow witches!
A white witch would be an interesting addition to the festival 🙂
Oh my goodness! I love the history!! Such a cool place to visit and tell us about!
Thank you for linking up this week!
As always, happy to, Becca 🙂
Wow! I haven’t know that there is a really Narnia as well. By the way, the movie is my all-time favorite!
Isn’t Tilda Swinton excellent as the White Witch?
[…] Sophie’s World – A Visit to the Real […]
Narnia has totally captured my heart recently…so glad you were captivated, as well!
I’m a bit envious that Alex got to see this 🙂
Wow thanks a lot for introducing us to Narni! I had no idea that this place really exists. I love Narnia books. I’ve head of a bar in East London that is stylized as Narnia, where you enter the main room through a wardrobe. Both places, I have to go there! I read Narnia books when I was a young adult and I still love them very much 🙂
I so want to see that bar. Just googled it – looks like it called Callooh Callay and is in Shoreditch. (This way, I’ll find it later 🙂 )
Ciao! I live in Todi, 50 km from Narni. I love the Narnia novels and now I’m reading the book to my 8 and 4 year olds! Last february I realised this photostream about Narnia in Todi: please check it out and tell me if you like it! Thank you!
http://pinterest.com/VisitUmbria/narnia-or-todi-with-the-snow-12/
Just had a look. Very cool and wintery collection – and like Narnia. How fun that it’s so close to Narni!
Wow, it must’ve seem like you’re in the Narnia movie while solving those symbolic mysteries from Dan Brown’s books! I’d love to see a medieval festival!
What a wonderful place to get lost in, packed with history and myths around every corner!
I never read them but am interested to learn that this is a real place…
Narnia is one of my favourite books, I would love to go here.
What a fairy-tale place. I loved the Narnia books when I was growing up.
They were among my favourites as well.
One of the greatest place on earth!