Capranica Prenestina is a small medieval village perched at over 900 metres on the Prenestini mountains, not far from San Vito Romano. Its history is tied to two noble families, the Capranica and the Colonna, who over the centuries shaped both its architecture and its fate. In 2024 the village joined the prestigious club of Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages.
At the heart of the settlement stands the 16th-century Church of Santa Maria Maddalena, recognisable from afar by its unusual small dome (“cupolino”) - a design in which the hand of the Bramante school has been recognised, a rarity among Apennine towns. Nearby stands Palazzo Barberini, formerly Colonna, which overlooks the stone houses of the old town from a medieval base, although the structure seen today dates back to the 16th century: since 2001 it has housed the Civic Natural History Museum of the Prenestini Mountains. The main square is also home to the church of the Madonna delle Grazie (or delle Fratte), with its simple barn-like structure and rustic stone stairway.
In the surroundings of Capranica Prenestina lie some of the area’s most striking places: the Sanctuary of the Mentorella, set amid the green of the Prenestini mountains, and the hamlet of Guadagnolo, at 1,218 metres the highest inhabited place in Lazio, a starting point for scenic trails with spectacular views over the valley below.
Opening hours and contacts
Civic Natural History Museum of the Prenestini Mountains
The museum is closed to the public until 1 November 2026 for modernisation work. It is normally open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and from 3:00 to 7:00 pm: after it reopens, it is best to ask for confirmation of the opening hours.
Phone: +39 335 812 1634
Email: info@museonaturalisticomontiprenestini.com
Address: Piazza Aristide Frezza 6, Capranica Prenestina (Rome)
Church of Santa Maria Maddalena
The church is generally always open; if it is closed you can phone the parish priest. You can also ask the parish priest to visit the dome.
Phone: +39 06 9584322
Email: info@chiesadellamaddalena.it
Sanctuary of the Mentorella
The sanctuary is open every day from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm: Mass times and contacts are on the sanctuary page.
Sources: Museo civico naturalistico dei Monti Prenestini - official website for the museum; Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena - Visite for the church (checked in October 2026).
Photo: Umbowiki, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.