Greccio
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Greccio is an old hilltown and comune of the province of Rieti in the Italian region of Lazio, 42°27N 12°45E, at 705 meters (2313 ft) above sea-level overhanging the Velino river on a spur of the Monti Sabini, a sub-range of the Apennines, about 16 km (10 mi) by road NW of Rieti, the nearest large town. The population of the comune was 1500 as of the 2003 census.
[edit] History and Monuments
The town first makes its appearance as Grecce or Grezze in the 11th century, when it had a castle. The castle has now disappeared except for a single tower, which is now the belfry of the church of S. Michele.
Greccio is notable as the place where, in December 1223, St. Francis devised the first living Nativity crèche (in Italian: presepe); the tradition continues there to this day, and a memorial of St. Francis, the Santuario di S. Francesco, may be visited.
The actual town of Greccio has been depopulating, and the administrative functions of the comune are now in the frazione of Limiti di Greccio.
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