Viterbo Fotografia
Authorial photography in the medieval heart of San Pellegrino
About Viterbo Fotografia
The authorial photography festival in the City of Popes
Viterbo Fotografia is a festival dedicated to authorial photography, organized by the Gruppo Fotografico Magazzino 120 in the medieval heart of Viterbo, the capital of the province of the same name in northern Lazio. For two weeks, the San Pellegrino district—one of the best-preserved medieval villages in Europe—becomes a sprawling gallery: the halls of the Palazzo degli Alessandri and the Torre Scacciaricci host exhibitions, talks, and meetings with photographers, creating a striking dialogue between contemporary images and volcanic peperino stone.
San Pellegrino, a unique stage
The choice of the San Pellegrino district is no coincidence: with its characteristic external staircases (profferli), bridge-houses, and narrow alleys, it is the symbol of medieval Viterbo, the city that hosted the papal curia and the first conclaves in history during the 13th century. Exhibiting contemporary photography in these spaces creates a short-circuit between distant eras, building a visitor experience that blends visual art with historical heritage and invites the public to rediscover even the lesser-known corners of the Tuscia historic center.
The exhibitions and artists
The festival prioritizes photography as a storytelling language: humanist narratives, social research, street photography, and intimate documentation of contemporary life. In the 2026 edition, returning after an eight-year hiatus, the public was able to see, among others:
- Volti a perdere by Umberto Verdoliva and Diego Bardone, dedicated to faces suspended between media visibility and the desire for anonymity;
- Still Here by Antonio Faccilongo, an intense account of women who lost their loved ones to war;
- La Cantata dei giorni dispari by Umberto Verdoliva, a journey through family memory and personal recollections;
- Rorschach: Anatomia del silenzio by Michele Di Donato, a photographic project on the theme of anorexia;
- collective exhibitions by the Gruppo Fotografico Magazzino 120 and the Associazione Spazi Visivi of Sanremo.
Talks, meetings, and photographic culture
Alongside the exhibitions, the program includes talks with the artists, book and fanzine presentations, and open discussions. The inauguration is traditionally held in Piazza San Pellegrino in the presence of the exhibiting photographers: a convivial format that brings enthusiasts, students, and curious visitors closer to authorial photography, in the spirit of the FIAF circles to which Magazzino 120 belongs.
A project rooted in the territory
Created to connect the local community with the national artistic scene, Viterbo Fotografia is an expression of a historic Viterbo association and contributes to the cultural life of the Municipality of Viterbo and the entire province. With free admission on weekends, the festival is also an opportunity to visit the city during the off-season: just a few steps from the exhibitions, you can find the Palazzo dei Papi, the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, and the famous thermal baths, among the most beloved destinations in the Etruscan Lazio region.
Viterbo Fotografia — edition 2026
The festival's return after eight years
The sixth edition of Viterbo Fotografia, held from March 14 to 29, 2026, brought authorial photography back to the medieval heart of Viterbo after an eight-year absence. The Gruppo Fotografico Magazzino 120 transformed Palazzo degli Alessandri and Torre Scacciaricci, in Piazza San Pellegrino, into an immersive path of exhibitions, talks, meetings, and book and fanzine presentations: a true second act for a project born to connect the local community with the national photographic scene.
Exhibitions on the program
The protagonists of the 2026 edition were Umberto Verdoliva and Diego Bardone with Volti a perdere, a reflection on faces suspended between media visibility and the desire for anonymity; Antonio Faccilongo with Still Here, an account of women who lost their loved ones to war; Verdoliva again with La Cantata dei giorni dispari, between family memory and personal recollections; and Michele Di Donato with Rorschach: Anatomia del silenzio, a project dedicated to the theme of anorexia. The path was completed by collective exhibitions from Magazzino 120 and the Associazione Spazi Visivi of Sanremo.
Inauguration and opening hours
The official inauguration was held on Saturday, March 14, at 5:00 PM in Piazza San Pellegrino, with a talk featuring the artists. The exhibitions were open to visitors on Saturdays and Sundays, from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM and from 4:00 PM to 7:30 PM, with free admission throughout.
Programme Viterbo Fotografia 2026
- Saturday, March 14, 5:00 PM — Official inauguration in Piazza San Pellegrino and talk with the artists
- Volti a perdere — Umberto Verdoliva and Diego Bardone: faces suspended between media visibility and the desire for anonymity
- Still Here — Antonio Faccilongo: an account of women who lost their loved ones to war
- La Cantata dei giorni dispari — Umberto Verdoliva: a journey through family memory and personal recollections
- Rorschach: Anatomia del silenzio — Michele Di Donato: a photographic project on the theme of anorexia
- Collective exhibitions by the Gruppo Fotografico Magazzino 120 and the Associazione Spazi Visivi of Sanremo
- Talks, meetings with artists, and book/fanzine presentations
- Exhibitions open Saturday and Sunday, 10:30 AM-1:00 PM and 4:00 PM-7:30 PM, at Palazzo degli Alessandri and Torre Scacciaricci
Highlights Viterbo Fotografia 2026
- Sixth edition: the festival's return after an eight-year hiatus
- Exceptional venues in the medieval district: Palazzo degli Alessandri and Torre Scacciaricci
- Humanist photography, reportage, and social research with nationally renowned artists
- Talks and meetings with the exhibiting photographers
- Free admission to all exhibitions
Prices Viterbo Fotografia 2026
Practical information — Viterbo Fotografia
Where and when
The exhibitions are held at Palazzo degli Alessandri and the Torre Scacciaricci, in Piazza San Pellegrino, in the historic center of Viterbo. Open on Saturdays and Sundays, from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM and from 4:00 PM to 7:30 PM. Admission is free.
How to get there
By train: Viterbo is connected to Rome via the FL3 regional line; the Porta Romana and Porta Fiorentina stations are just a few minutes' walk from the San Pellegrino district.
By car: From the A1 motorway, take the Orte exit, then the SS675 Orte-Viterbo expressway. The San Pellegrino district is in a restricted traffic zone (ZTL): it is advisable to leave your car in the parking lots near the city walls and continue on foot.
Tips
Combine your visit to the exhibitions with a walk through the medieval district and, for those staying longer, the thermal baths of Viterbo or Lake Bolsena, both a short distance from the city.
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Where does it take place — Viterbo Fotografia
Palazzo degli Alessandri e Torre Scacciaricci
Piazza San Pellegrino, 01100 Viterbo