Ecological day
For centuries, the Roiano fountain in Montefiascone represented much more than a watering hole for animals. Located just steps from Lake Bolsena and along the paths that once connected the town to the Pearly Valley, it was for years a place of passage and rest, a place of memory and nature. Today, thanks to the commitment of the municipal branch of the Italian Hunting Federation, this ancient site has been brought back to life. The setting is an ecological day, experienced not as an isolated gesture, but as an act of love for the land, its roots, and those who inhabit it. Armed volunteers of good will cut brambles, cleaned the basins, fixed dry stone walls and furnishings, and collected trash, restoring decor to an area that had become almost invisible, suffocated by decay and neglect.
Deep rural culture
But this project has a value that goes far beyond its physical redevelopment. The Roiano fountain is a living memory for Montefiascone hunters: a meeting point, a refuge, and a symbol of a community with a deep rural culture. Hunters once stopped here on warm mornings to share stories, tales, breakfasts, and, occasionally, a sip of that "est! est!! est!!!" so dear to the people of Montefiascone. Farming families stopped here to fetch water, useful for filling the flasks they carried during long days of work in the fields or to fill jugs for household needs. This is where the livestock was watered, and tales and legends were told around the fire during winter vigils.
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The phrase on the license plate
«From the old stone the water flows slowly, the dog bends down and even the hunter approaches;
"Two thirsty souls, forever bound by Diana, a single body of water that bathes passion." This is the phrase engraved on the commemorative plaque designed by the Federcaccia section and produced in collaboration with the Municipality of Montefiascone, which appreciated the initiative and took care of waste disposal. A simple yet profound thought, which encapsulates the essence of an ancient and indissoluble relationship: that between man, dog, and nature. "Hunting is not just about taking," explain the local Federcaccia representatives, "but about observation, care, and respect. Hunters are the first to know the territory, to notice changes, and to intervene when necessary. This fountain has been forgotten by many, but not by us."
A strong signal
Frallicciardi, City Councilor for the Environment, who attended the event, emphasized this: "Federcaccia's work is a virtuous example of collaboration between citizens and institutions. Hunters once again demonstrate not only that they are beneficiaries of nature's offerings, but also active custodians of environmental and cultural heritage." Roiano's intervention also sends a powerful message at a time when the figure of the hunter is often misunderstood or trivialized. On the contrary, it reaffirms how hunting, understood in its most authentic sense, is an integral part of environmental balance and the transmission of rural traditions. It's an activity rooted in history and renewed through concrete gestures of protection and enhancement. Roiano isn't just a fountain, but a fragment of Montefiascone's identity, restored to the community thanks to the dedication of those who never forget. Those who love these places not only for what they offer, but for what they represent. And this is also why, by stopping in Roiano, we are not only facing a historic site of Montefiascone, but we are paying homage to a past that lives on every day, in its steps along the paths, in its attentive gaze towards nature, and in its outstretched hand towards the future.
