‘Castrum Brachiani’ is first mentioned in documents in the 12th century. It was a region of farmers until the arrival of the aristocratic Orsinis who, through a succession of wars, endowed their domain with some importance. After passing through the hands of several other families, in 1419 the town was granted as a fief to the Orsini brothers by Pope Martin V. In 1470 they started building the monumental castle which remains the pride of the Braccianesi to this day. The town government, independently of the castle, built its own fortified surrounding wall. Today parts of the wall and two towers can still be seen: the ‘sentinel’ and another tower behind the Church of Santa Maria Novella. Over the years the Orsini turned Bracciano into a veritable Renaissance court, which hosted sovereigns and other illustrious men of the time. The last of the Orsinis, riddled with debts because of their lavish lifestyle, turned over the dukedom to the odescalchi family, current owners of the castle, who have wisely preserved the historic and artistic heritage of the old domain. Bracciano is now a prosperous town of about 14.000 inhabitants.
What to see
The Odescalchi castle is open to the public and abounds in masterpieces that have enriched this residence over the centuries. Also to be admired are the Vignola fountain in the Piazza del Comune and the splendid medieval churches, notably Saint Stephen Collegiata with its 14th-century painting, the old hospital of the Church of Saint Sebastian, which houses a superb fresco by Antonazzo Romano, and the Church of Santa Maria del Riposo, with frescoes by the Zuccari brothers. Of special artistic importance is the convent of Santa Maria Novella, whose cloister features a well on which are carved the coats of arms of the Orsini family
