Cultural Corridors of South East Europe

Europe

The Via Francigena (Pilgrim Routes)



The Via Francigena (Pilgrim Routes)

The theme was integrated into the Council of Europe programme in June 1994 and the route is awarded certification as a “Cultural Route of the Council of Europe” on 9 December 2004.
The Via Francigena follows the path taken by Sigeric, Archbishop of Canterbury, who traveled to Rome in 990 to meet Pope John XV and receive the investiture pallium.
The seventy-nine stages recorded in the Archbishop’s succinct diary of his journey have made it possible to retrace the key stops on this, the shortest route between the North Sea and Rome, which first became known as the “Via Francigena” in 876.
The various regions, provinces and towns along the Via Francigena have decided to join forces with a view to enhancing the cultural and natural heritage and they created the European Association of Via Francigena.

European Institute of Cultural Routes
Information source: The Council of Europe Cultural Routes brochure, 2004
Photo: The Via Francigena close to Montefiascone; © AEVF