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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

Sentinels on the Highway Torrita Tiberina, Filacciano and Ponzano Romano
(view of Nazzano)

Torrita Tiberina

Views of Torrita Tiberina from NE and SW
Views of Torrita Tiberina from NE and SW

Torrita Tiberina is located on a ridge which is almost entirely encircled by the Tiber and it enjoys fine views over the valley both northwards and southwards.

Entrance and main square
Entrance and main square

A simple gate is the only access to the town: a few steps on the main (almost the only) street lead to the main square which has balconies on both sides. The small palace which served as the residence of the owners of Torrita, bears the coat of arms of the Torlonia, who acquired it in the XIXth century, when they became the richest family of Rome.

Fortifications
Fortifications

Torrita owes its name to the medieval towers (It. torri) which protected it: not so much from foreign enemies, but from assaults by local troops in the then frequent clashes between rival Roman families, especially the Colonna and the Orsini.

Filacciano

Entrance to the town
First entrance to the town

Filacciano has the same layout of the other towns, but its appearance is very different due to a XVIIth century face-lift aimed at facilitating the farming activity of its inhabitants. S. Martino al Cimino and Oriolo are other examples of attempts to improve the living conditions of farmers and to better organize their work.

Main square
Main square

Two long and low buildings housed stables and small flats for the servants. From an architectural viewpoint the buildings provided a double wing to the main palace built on the site of an old fortress.

Palazzo del Drago
Palazzo del Drago; small piers with the moons of the Muti Papazzurri

Filacciano belonged to the Orsini and then to many other Roman families until in 1853 the fief of Filacciano was acquired by the del Drago. The main palace however is decorated with the heraldic symbol (a moon crescent) of the Muti Papazzurri who bought Filacciano in 1674 (the image used as a background for this page shows a coat of arms of a Cardinal Orsini in the rear part of the town gate).

Coats of arms of the Orsini and the Muti Papazzurri: heraldic symbol of the Del Drago
Coats of arms of the Orsini and of the Muti Papazzurri: heraldic symbol of the Del Drago

Ponzano

Main square, parish church and detail of Palazzo Liberati
Main square, parish church and detail of Palazzo Liberati

Ponzano has lost in part its medieval layout which was very similar to those of the nearby towns. There is no longer an entrance gate, but it still has a winding street leading to the parish church. Ponzano belonged for centuries to Abbazia di S. Paolo alle Tre Fontane.

Churches
Churches: Sant'Andrea in Flumine and S. Sebastiano

The remaining fortifications of Ponzano have little interest, but two churches in the immediate surroundings of the town are rather picturesque: Sant'Andrea in Flumine (river) is located very near the Tiber and retains its old fortified tower, turned into a bell tower at a later stage. S. Sebastiano is on the top of a hill overlooking the highway.

Move back to Fiano Romano, Civitella S. Paolo and Nazzano.


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.