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Visit Rome following 8 XVIIIth century itineraries XVIIIth century Rome in the 10 Books of Giuseppe Vasi - Le Magnificenze di Roma Antica e Moderna The Grand View of Rome by G. Vasi The Environs of Rome: Frascati, Tivoli, Albano and other small towns near Rome A 1781 map of Rome by G. Vasi An 1852 map of Rome by P. Letarouilly Rome seen by a 1905 armchair traveller in the paintings by Alberto Pisa The 14 historical districts of Rome An abridged history of Rome How to spend a peaceful day in Rome Baroque sculptors and their works The coats of arms of the popes in the monuments of Rome Pages on a specific pope Pages complementing the itineraries and the views by Giuseppe Vasi Walks in the Roman countryside and in other towns of Latium following Ferdinand Gregorovius A Directory of links to the Churches of Rome A Directory of links to the Palaces and Villas of Rome A Directory of links to the Other Monuments of Rome A Directory of Baroque Architects with links to their works A Directory of links to Monuments of Ancient Rome A Directory of links to Monuments of Medieval Rome A Directory of links to Monuments of Renaissance A Directory of links to Monuments of the Late Renaissance A list of the most noteworthy Roman Families Directories of fountains, obelisks, museums, etc. Books and guides used for developing this web site An illustrated Glossary of Art Terms Venice and the Levant Roman recollections in Florence A list of Italian towns shown in this web site Venetian Fortresses in Greece Vienna seen by an Italian XVIIIth century traveller A list of foreign towns shown in this web site
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All images © by Roberto Piperno, owner of the domain. Write to romapip@quipo.it. Text edited by Rosamie Moore.

To the Italian visitors of my web site

Branching off Via Flaminia - part two: Morlupo and Leprignano (Capena)
(Renaissance relief in Riano)

Morlupo

Entrance
(left) Route to the old town; (right) Orsini memories (the rose was part of the family coat of arms)

While nearby Castelnuovo was a fiefdom of the Colonna, Morlupo belonged to the Orsini. In 1425 Pope Martin V Colonna destroyed the castle and for a few years Morlupo was assigned to his family; it returned to the Orsini in 1432. In 1598 the castle was given some Renaissance features by Antimo Orsini.

Palazzo Borghese
Palazzo Borghese: details

Antimo Orsini wrote his name on most of the doors and windows of the castle, but just a few years later (in 1613) he sold Morlupo to the Borghese. They chose as the residence of their representatives a small palace outside the medieval town. It was decorated with the family heraldic symbols.

Parish church
(left) Parish church (S. Giovanni Battista); (right) detail of the main square and S. Caterina da Siena

In 1593 Antimo Orsini almost entirely rebuilt the Parish church in the main square. In the XVIIth century another (small) church was built at the western corner of the square.

Strolling in old Morlupo
Strolling in old Morlupo (the image used as background for this page shows a detail of the relief below the closed window)

Leprignano (Capena)

Coat of arms and palace
(left) Coat of arms of Capena; (centre) Palazzo dei Monaci; (right) stairs of Palazzo dei Monaci

The territory around Leprignano has been inhabited since the Iron Age (900 BC); the ancient town of Capena was located two miles from Leprignano. The Romans conquered Capena in 395 BC soon after having destroyed Veio (Veii). In Roman times Capena was renowned for its well farmed fields and its vineyards; by the end of the IIIrd century AD Capena was most likely abandoned because the last records about the town date back to the time of Emperor Aurelian (270-75).
In 1933 Leprignano was renamed Capena, but its coat of arms retains a reference to the old name: a small hare (in Italian: lepre). The medieval town belonged to Monastero di S. Paolo fuori le Mura (also Civitella S. Paolo and Riano belonged to that abbey).

Roman column and statue
(left) Roman inscription in the Town Hall; (centre) Roman column and statue; (right) S. Salvatore painting in (new) S. Michele Arcangelo

Very few people live in the old medieval burg; modern buildings and churches are spread along the road linking Capena with Via Flaminia and memories of the past have been moved to new locations.

Medieval reliefs
(above) S. Leone: medieval reliefs; (below) inscription in old S. Michele Arcangelo celebrating Pope Sixtus IV

Leprignano belonged to Monastero di S. Paolo until 1818; then it was included in the administrative and fiscal system of the Papal State.

Buildings
(left) Run down XVIIth century building; (centre) Torre dell'Orologio; (right) a restored house

Most historical buildings were badly modified in the last 150 years, but recently some of them were brought back to their original design. The clock shows the Italian hour (learn more on this by clicking here).

Return to page one (Introduction, Riano and Castelnuovo di Porto)


Pages on towns of Latium other than Rome In the Duchy of Castro: Farnese, Ischia di Castro, Valentano, Gradoli, Capodimonte, Marta In Maremma: Corneto (Tarquinia), Montalto, Canino A Pilgrim's Way: Via Francigena: Acquapendente, Bolsena, Montefiascone In and about Viterbo: Viterbo, Bagnoregio, S. Martino al Cimino, Tuscania, Bomarzo, S. Maria della Querce, Bagnaia, Orte, Vasanello, Vitorchiano From Civitavecchia to Civita Castellana: Civitavecchia, Tolfa, Allumiere, Oriolo Romano, Capranica, Sutri, Bassano, Monterosi, Nepi, Castel d'Elia, Civita Castellana From Bracciano to Viterbo: Manziana, Canale Monterano, Vejano, Barbarano, Blera, Vetralla Around Monte Cimino: Ronciglione, Caprarola, Carbognano, Fabrica, Corchiano, Vignanello, Vallerano, Soriano The Bracciano Lake: Bracciano, Trevignano, Anguillara At the foot of Monte Soratte: S. Oreste, Rignano, Faleria Land of the Romans' wives: Montopoli, Poggio Mirteto, Casperia, Cantalupo, Roccantica Sentinels on the Highway: Fiano Romano, Civitella S. Paolo, Nazzano, Torrita Tiberina, Filacciano, Ponzano Along Via Aurelia: Palidoro, Palo, S. Severa and S. Marinella A Walk to Malborghetto: Prima Porta, Malborghetto Branching off Via Cassia: S. Maria di Galeria, Formello, Isola Farnese To Nomentum and beyond: Mentana, Monterotondo, Palombara A Walk to Ponte di Nona: ancient monuments along Via Prenestina Via Appia Antica A short and delicious digression: Tivoli, Montecompatri, Monte Porzio Catone, Frascati, Grottaferrata, Marino, Castelgandolfo, Albano, Ariccia, Genzano, Velletri, Nemi, Rocca di Papa, Rocca Priora, Civita Lavinia (Lanuvio), Porto, Ostia Where the painters found their models: Anticoli Corrado, Castelmadama, Vicovaro, Arsoli Subiaco The Roman Campagna: Palestrina, Genazzano, Paliano, Anagni The Ernici Mountains: Ferentino, Alatri The Volsci Mountains: Valmontone, Colonna, Segni, Norma, Cori On the Latin Shores: Anzio, Nettuno, Torre Astura On the edge of the marsh: Sermoneta, Sezze, Priverno Circe's Cape: S. Felice, Terracina Veroli Branching off Via Flaminia: Riano, Castelnuovo di Porto, Morlupo, Leprignano (Capena)

Latium was enlarged in the 1920s with territories from the neighbouring regions: the map on the left shows the current borders of Latium; the map on the right has links to pages covering towns of historical Latium: in order to see them you must hover and click on the dots.