Tarano is a small town in the province of Rieti, whose name indicates, its geographical location at the confluence of two rivers. The first written documents that attest the existence of a settlement go back to 952. The town submitted the domain of the Abbey of Farfa and later it was directly controlled by the Papal States. The main center was strengthened with the building of a fortress to protect the territories. In 1347, Tarano was ceded to Cola di Rienzo, while in 1409, it passed to the Savelli family in fief and later to the Orsini, till 1581.
Sites of Interest:
- the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, built in the XII century, features an asymmetric façade. The interior has obvious signs of the various rearrangements, that the building submitted over the centuries. Inside are preserved several valuable artworks such as: a Crucifixion of the XIV century, of the Art School of Assisi, and a painting depicting St. Bartholomew of the XIII century;
- the Church of Santa Maria della Noce, in the village of San Polo, built to celebrate the apparition of the Madonna to a shepherdess of San Polo. Inside the church there are several decorative paintings of great value, such as: the Christ and the Penitent Magdalene by Sebastian Flores, a beautiful mural fresco depicting St. Nicola of Bari and a "Noli me tangere", part of the triptych, all three completed in 1563;
- the Convent of San Francesco, seriously damaged over the centuries, seat of an important arbitration in 1299 between Rieti and Narni.