The old quarter stands on a hill overlooking the valley of the Fosso di Morlupo to the west,[4] while the modern district extends into the eastern plain.

The neighbouring towns are Castelnuovo di Porto, Civitella San Paolo, Fiano Romano, Monterotondo, Morlupo and Rignano Flaminio.

The original Capena occupied the plateau of a nowadays uninhabited hill called La Civitucola,[5] which is about 4 miles (6.4 km) northeast of a post station on the ancient Via Flaminia.

[7][8] Recent archaeological studies have revealed that ancient Capena may have retained a vibrant urban life and some degree of regional significance for longer than had previously been believed.

[10] Continuous habitation began in the 11th century AD, when the Benedictine monastery of Saint Paul[11] – now usually referred to as the Palazzo dei Monaci (Palace of the Monks) – was established on the tuff outcrop known as ‘la Rocca’ (the Rock).

Despite occasional popular uprisings, the entire village remained under monastic jurisdiction until the fall of the Papal States in 1870, when Leprignano (now Capena) broke away and became an independent municipality.

However, the centro storico (the old quarter in the west of the built-up area) has remained little changed in many decades, as can be observed from a comparison between contemporary images[17] and the scenes filmed around the Fontana di Porta Nuova in the 1952 movie Totò a colori.

[22] Wachtmeister's daughter Gabila is also a resident artist and her grandson Battista is a ceramicist who has recently led a project to install mosaic benches and sculptures at various locations around the old quarter.

[26] The locally produced bianco Capena (denominazione di origine controllata) is a "slightly bitter wine that is straw yellow with a lightly fruity aroma.

The celebration takes a different form in Capena from that observed in most parts of Italy as it is based on a symbolic re-enactment of the story that Mary lost her Son and searched for him for three days before the pair were emotionally reunited.