Construction of the Basilica of San Flaviano in Montefiascone (VT) began in Romanesque style in the 11th century, although its structure was elongated in the early 1300s and a new Gothic style façade was added. Inside, two churches are stacked one on top of the other, linked by a staircase that can be accessed from the right nave. The lower church features a 14th-15th century rib vault and frescoes.
The Basilica owes a great deal of its historical relevance to its position on the ancient pilgrim route of the Via Francigena, while its most famous element is certainly the chapel built by the German prelate, Johannes Defugger. Legend holds that he was responsible for naming the white wine of the area Est Est Est (as it is still known today) from the term used to indicate the areas with the best grapes. The Latin inscription on his tomb actually evokes this memory: “Here lies my Lord Defuk, dead from an excess of Est Est Est”.
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