Bolsena

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Comune di Bolsena
Municipal coat of arms
Country	Italy
Region	Lazio
Province	Viterbo (VT)
Mayor	Paolo Equitani (since June 2004)

Elevation	350 m
Area	63.94 km²
Population
- Total (as of 2001)	4,111
- Density	64.29/km²
Time zone	CET, UTC+1
Coordinates	42°38′41″N, 11°59′09″E
Gentilic	Bolsenesi
Dialing code	0761
Postal code	01023

Patron	St. Christine Martyr
- Day	July 24
Website: www.comunebolsena.it

Bolsena is a town and comune of Italy, in the province of Viterbo in northern Lazio on the eastern shore of Lake Bolsena. It is 10 km (6 mi) NNW of Montefiascone and 36 km (22 mi) NW of Viterbo.

View of the city with the Lake.

The Castle of Bolsena.

[edit] History

While it is fairly certain that the city is the successor to the ancient Roman town of Volsinii (sometimes termed Volsinii Novi – New Volsinii – to distinguish it from the Etruscan city), scholarly opinion is sharply divided as to whether Bolsena is the same as the ancient Etruscan city of Velzna or Velsuna (sometimes termed Volsinii Veteres – Old Volsinii), the other candidate being Orvieto, 20 km (12 mi) NE.

Bolsena is best known for a miracle said to have occurred there in 1263, when a Bohemian priest, in doubt about the doctrine of Transubstantiation, reported bleeding from the host he had consecrated at Mass. The Duomo di Orvieto was eventually built to commemorate the miracle and house the Corporal of Bolsena.