EXPLORE
CULTURAL HERITAGE AND SPIRITUALITY
Strong and brave warriors.
The Hernici, the people of the stones
Alta Ciociaria. A land that is dense with history. Inhabited since the 7th century B.C., there is rich evidence that Italic peoples such as the Hernici, the Volscians, the Samnites, and subsequently the Romans settled in the territories of Alatri, Anagni, Ceccano, Ferentino, Fumone, Paliano and Veroli.
The women, the knights, the arms, the loves
Between Rome and Naples, the Papal States and the Kingdom of Naples, disputed in the Middle Ages by powerful Roman families such as the Caetani and the Colonna. Churches and abbeys, fortresses and castles, palaces and museums, squares and fountains. A middle land, a strategic land. Where many famous battles took place. A place of great historical and cultural heritage, impressive architecture and ancient monasteries with their extraordinary beauty.
Alatri, Anagni, Ceccano, Ferentino.
So many stories in one story
Alatri, the city of the cyclops, with its 4th-century B.C. polygonal wall surrounding the Acropolis area Anagni, city of the four Popes, with its 11th-century Cathedral , one of the finest medieval architectural complexes in Italy; the Palazzo Boniface VIII, where the the Pontiff was slapped. Ceccano, first a Volscian settlement then a Roman city, has the Castello dei Conti di Ceccano (Castle of the Counts of Ceccano), located on the ancient Acropolis and dominating the whole city. Following our journey through history we encounter Ferentino, a Hernician city with polygonal walls. The Covered Market and the Roman Theatre are also must-sees.
Fumone, Paliano, Veroli.
La Rocca, the Colonna family,
the Scala Santa
Near Ferentino is the town of Fumone; you simply must stop in to see the Rocca. You have to climb all the way up to visit this little medieval jewel. This is the seat of the castle where Pope Celestine V was imprisoned, "...he who made out of cowardice the great refusal." . Witness the power of the Colonna family in Paliano. The superb Ducal Palace, residence of the princes, and the Collegiate Church of St. Andrew are two famous attractions. Veroli, an ancient feudal land that had always been a faithful ally of Rome, boasts one of the most beautiful historic centres. A must-see is the Basilica of Santa Maria Salome with the Holy Staircase, one of only three in the entire world.
Like a lit candle in a dark room. The monastery is there, reminding us of the spirit
The journey to see the monasteries founded by St. Benedict is iconic because of the spiritual depth that you can feel in these lands. Places of worship, steeped in a thousand-year history that from the Sacro Speco of Subiaco reaches as far as theAbbey of Montecassino. The Charterhouse of Trisulti, the Casamari Abbey and theFossanova Abbey are other wonders to put in the travel journal. Isolated hermitages, praying monks, Gregorian chants, ancient manuscripts, and Gothic-Cistercian architecture. An inexhaustible source of energy, a refuge for the soul.
