Italy’s Bellybutton (October/November 2023)

This article originally appeared in the October/November 2023 issue of Dream of Italy. Piazza San Rufo in Rieti has an offbeat claim to fame. Locals say that in this square, marked by a round, travertine monument sits the geographical center of Italy. The spot is labeled as “Umbilicus Italiae” or Italy’s bellybutton. Critics of the monument’s style claim it looks like a “caciotta”…

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