Stories told by a grandfather to his grandchildren who live in Australia.

History and Legends of Bracciano Lake, Italy

Which story would you like to read?

Romanella

The Golden Bell

Romanella

( previous name is not known)
(ella is believed to mean old in etruscan language)

It is said that one day an old man appearing as a beggar went from door to door seeing if someone would help him out and give him warmth and shelter. No one would help him all turning him back out into the street. Except for one lady called Romanella - she took him in, fed him and showed him kindness. After being fed and warmed, the man left Romanella's home and went on his way. (People later believed the old man /beggar to be Jesus or a manifestation of a spirit).


Bracciano Lake

Two days later the man knocked on Romanella's door and called to her “Romanella Romanella run! run! run!! ....cover your eyes so you will not know, run to the church at the top of the hill and do not look back until you reach the top or you shall not make it." Romanella, feeling the urgency and knowing this man would not tell her an untruth, ran and ran until she reached the top. She turned at this point and saw her city entirely covered by water.

There is a sunken city under the waters of Bracciano Lake near Rome, in Italy.

The Golden Bell

It was said the church in the city of Romanella had a solid gold bell. Fishermen decided to find this bell and return it to the rightful owners, the church. After many days of searching they found the bell and loaded it onto their ship. The fishermen however on retrieving the bell decided that maybe it would be better to keep it as it was worth a great deal. While they were contemplating this, allowing their greed to take over, it is said the earth shook, and the lake turned upside down, the bell fell back into the water where it has never been seen to this day. The fishermen lived to tell of this tale.

This page was first published on the 17th April, 1999 with the permission of Carla Canini who holds the copyright
and was last modified 17th April, 1999 .

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