DISCOVER: PLACES

Four Popes in one jewel

The city of the Popes and a holy city of the Ernici, Anagni is set on a spur of the Ernici Mountains, at an elevation of 424 metres. Its excellent geographical position made sure of its development over the centuries as a cultural, religious, and political centre. The title "city of Popes" came about because it was the birthplace of four Pontiffs: Innocent III, Gregory IX, Alexander IV, and Boniface VIII. La Cathedral of Anagni is one of the most beautiful medieval architectural complexes in Italy. It was begun in 1072 and completed in 1104. The masters Cosmati and Vassalletto left their masterpieces in this church: the beautiful floor, the episcopal chair, the tortile candelabra, and the coloured tiles of the splendid mosaics make our imagination run wild. Inside you’ll find the Crypt, where you can admire one of the most important pictorial documents in Italy. The Palazzo di Bonifacio VIII, very close to the Cathedral, dates back to the 11th century and was the scene of some very important events. In fact, in 1303 the emissaries of the King of France Philip the Fair, Guillaume de Nogaret and Sciarra Colonna, penetrated the palace walls where Pope Boniface VIII resided, and in one of the rooms the affront of the slap of the Pontiff famously occurred.