MONTEFIASCONE  , a

town and episcopal see of the province of Rome, Italy, built on a hill (2077 ft.) on the S.E. side of the Lake of Bolsena, 70 M. by rail N.W. of Rome . Pop . (1901), 3041 (town); 9731 (commune) . The cathedral (1519) is one of the earliest structures by Sammicheli, S . Maria della Grazie is also by him . The town has in San Flaviano (built in 1032, repaired and enlarged in the Gothic style late in the 14th century), a curious double church of importance in the history of architecture (cf . G . T . Rivoira, Origini dell' architettura lombarda, i . 326 sqq.); in its interior some 14th-century frescoes were discovered in 1896 . In the crypt is the grave of a traveller, who succumbed to excessive drinking of the local wine known as Est, est, est . The story is that his valet who preceded him wrote " est " on the doors of all the inns where good wine was to be had, and that here the inscription was thrice repeated .

It is possible that Montefiascone occupies the site of the Fanum Voltumnae, at which the representatives of the twelve

chief cities of Etruria met in the days Of their independence; while under the Empire the festival was held near Volsinii .