Perched on a tufa outcrop in the province of Viterbo, Civita di Bagnoregio is one of Italy’s most photographed and well-loved villages. Nicknamed “the dying city” because erosion is gradually wearing away the rock on which it stands, this small medieval wonder has captured the attention not only of visitors, but also of internationally acclaimed directors and screenwriters.
Its pedestrian bridge, which links it to the outside world, and the sweeping views across the Valle dei Calanchi make it an extraordinary natural film set. It is little surprise that so many Italian and international films have been shot in Civita di Bagnoregio over the decades.
I due colonnelli: Totò in Civita di Bagnoregio
Among the films shot in Civita di Bagnoregio, one of the best known is undoubtedly I due colonnelli (The Two Colonels, 1962), directed by Steno and starring Totò and Walter Pidgeon. It is a classic of commedia all’italiana, the Italian comedy genre.
The film tells the absurd story of an Italian officer and an American officer, childhood friends who find themselves on opposing sides during the Second World War.
The choice of Civita, the “dying city”, was no accident. Its narrow lanes, quiet little squares and natural isolation perfectly reflected the idea of a human microcosm detached from history. The film remains one of the most significant moments in the relationship between this village and 20th-century Italian cinema.
Marcello Mastroianni and Alberto Sordi: stars on the tufa rock
Civita di Bagnoregio has had the honour of hosting two of the greatest actors in Italian film history: Marcello Mastroianni and Alberto Sordi. Both shot scenes here for productions now regarded as part of Italy’s national film heritage, including Contestazione generale (1970) and Mario Monicelli’s Il medico e lo stregone (1957).
Their presence turned the Lazio village into something of a pilgrimage spot for film lovers. On screen, it recalls an Italy that no longer exists, with expressive faces, dialects and rural settings.
Civita di Bagnoregio and Japanese cinema: Miyazaki and Castle in the Sky
One of the most intriguing links associated with Civita di Bagnoregio concerns Japanese animation, particularly Hayao Miyazaki. It is said that the founder of Studio Ghibli visited the Lazio village and was deeply struck by its singular setting: a settlement that appears to float in mid-air, perched on an isolated rock and reachable only via a narrow pedestrian bridge.
This visual impression is thought to have played a decisive part in inspiring Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986), one of the great works of animated cinema. In the film, a floating island hides ancient secrets and architectural wonders.
The comparison between the “dying” town clinging to the tufa rock and Laputa’s flying city is immediate. Both exist on the edge of the real world, and both evoke the fragility and beauty of passing time.
Puoi baciare lo sposo: romantic comedy in Civita’s lanes
A more recent chapter in Civita di Bagnoregio’s film history is Puoi baciare lo sposo (My Big Gay Italian Wedding, 2018), a romantic comedy directed by Alessandro Genovesi and starring Diego Abatantuono and Monica Guerritore.
The film centres on the marriage of two men and the mixed reactions of their respective families, using the Lazio village as the backdrop for several scenes.
Pinocchio in Civita di Bagnoregio
Among the productions that have chosen Tuscia as a location, several film and television adaptations of Carlo Collodi’s classic have also been shot around the province of Viterbo, an area full of medieval villages, countryside and fairy-tale settings.
With its distinctive architecture and otherworldly atmosphere, Civita di Bagnoregio naturally lends itself to stories where reality and fantasy meet, as happened with the television miniseries inspired by the novel Le avventure di Pinocchio. Storia di un burattino (The Adventures of Pinocchio: Story of a Puppet), directed by Alberto Sironi.
Living in Civita di Bagnoregio
Civita di Bagnoregio lies in the province of Viterbo, in northern Lazio, around 120 km from Rome and less than 30 km from Orvieto. Private motor vehicles cannot enter the village, so everyone visiting must cross the bridge on foot.
That has not put off some people who have chosen to live in Bagnoregio, including Harry Styles, who bought a house in Civita, or elsewhere in the surrounding area and Tuscia. For the best local property opportunities, browse idealista listings:
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