Genzano of Roma is a town of about 24,140 inhabitants and is one of the cities that are part of the territory of the Roman Castles. Situated in the Alban Hills, 29 km from Rome to 465 m above sea level, is located above the Lake of Nemi, which you can easily get along a path that starts from Genzano. The territory is also part of the Regional Park of Castelli Romani, and the area offers numerous nature trails for walking or cycling.
Besides for the beautiful natural sights Genzano of Rome is also known and appreciated, both in Italy and abroad, for the history and architecture, with its great palaces and historic houses but also for the ancient traditions which are still kept alive with festivals and celebrations.
HISTORY OF GENZANO
The origins of Genzano of Rome are very ancient but there are dissenting views. In the territory have been found numerous archaeological Latin and Roman. It was also assumed the presence, around the tenth century, of a small settlement which would be linked to buck the introduction of hemp. The historian Moroni reports that in 1255 the Cistercians mainsails erected a castle and then around it grew the population. Over the next two centuries, Genzano of Rome met the alternate domain of the Cistercian monks, the Orsini, Savelli and Colonna. In 1402 the village was completely destroyed by fire and later rebuilt. Sold around 1490 to the Colonna, along with Nemi, Genzano was run by the family for about 80 years.
Since the,n Genzano developed under the rule of the Sforza Cesarini, and then, their heirs and successors. In these two families should be the special urban structure of Genzano, characterized by a dual system. The Olmata, avenues lined with trees, damage from the entrance to the city to welcome the tourist who comes from Rome. With the Restoration, and the end of feudalism, Genzano came under the direct dependencies of the Holy See, which elected him to the capital, were also included in its jurisdiction Nemi, Civita Lavinia (now Lanuvio) and Ardea. September 23, 1828 had the title of city by Pope Gregory XVI. With the fall of Rome and the end of temporal power, Genzano became part of the Italian State.
Between the end of the 800 and the rise of fascism, Genzano has been the scene of social struggles, especially peasant struggles for land distribution. Were also serious damage to the town during the Second World War, largely as a result of aerial bombing in the aftermath of the landing of Anzio. Between January 31, 1944 and April 14, 1944 109 people were killed; Genzano was almost razed to the ground, having had more than 80% of homes destroyed or heavily damaged.
THINGS TO SEE IN GENZANO
Collegiate Church of the Holy Trinity: Is a catholic church in Genzano of Rome and presents an architecture with a Latin cross with three aisles, a semicircular apse, an altar and ten altars. The facade has two tiers. Inside the church is a visible pulpit carved in wood that has a gold embossed in the center, representing the delivery of the Rule of St. Benedict of Norcia. Also interesting are the fourteen plates depicting the Stations of the Cross, and an oil on canvas of the Assumption. On the dome are depicted the four evangelists.
Santa Maria della Cima: Known among the inhabitants of Genzano as "Vecchio Duomo", the church was one of the main religious sites in the city. The facade is in baroque style and features a large Doric entablature. The portal has a curved pediment. Inside the church has one nave which were opened on two chapels and three altars on each side. Among the works of art you can admire a painting of the "Madonna and Child with St Philip Blacks", plus a large crucifix at the foot with two minor brothers. In the church are buried the Tigers and the Saints Vincent, from the Catacombs of Saints Marcellinus and Peter.
Church of the Annunciation: Is a Catholic church in Genzano of Rome, which has a façade with two orders: the bottom Tuscan, Ionic in higher education. The church has a nave on which there are two side altars. The vault and the apse frescoes have six sibyls, the God Father, the Evangelists, the Assumption, St Augustine and Santa Monica.
Capuchin Church: On February 24, 1629 was consecrated the church attached to the primitive Capuchin monastery at the foot of the historical center of Nemi, near the site of the Sanctuary of the Crucifix. However, because of the difficulty of bringing running water at the site of the new monastery, as well as the uncomfortable position in which the same was situated, the Capuchin friars in 1637 took the decision to leave the convent and settle in Genzano inhabitant of Nemi, where the Duke Giuliano Cesarini II readily financed the building of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi and the adjacent convent.
Palazzo Sforza-Cesarini: Is a historic palace and is also one of the finest monumental buildings in the area of the Roman Castles. The architecture of the building has few attractions for the history of eighteenth-century Roman palace next to the park is the large-Sforza Cesarini
Antonini's Villa: Is on two levels, the lower consists of a series of rooms, some viable partly blind. The seven walls that rise to the west belonged to a single room, identified as the Calidarium. From Calidarium you go to another room which is a curved section of wall that would suggest a circular room with the function of laconicum. After an operation to clean up the vegetation were found two blocks of lava stone were most likely to cover a corridor through which you access directly from the villa, a circular structure found during this excavation.
Fountains Clementine: in 1777, were built on streets Livia, also designed the arms, surmounted by two fountains, kiosks, dedicated to Popes Clement XIII and Clement XIV. The fountain has a basin-shaped sarcophagus with two rings on the front, a relief depicting spirals, grapes and a Bacchic mask with face in the fountain of youth and elderly left in the fountain on the right.
Botanical Garden: This is a beautiful romantic English-style garden, built in the mid-1800s at the behest of the Duke Sforza Cesarini Lorenzo for his wife. It covers 92000 square meters at a height of 150 meters along the cliff from the old part of the country descends to the lake. It is characterized not only by the presence of evergreen trees such as cedars of Lebanon, redwoods and oaks, a large network of paths and fountains and fake ruins.
HOW TO GET TO GENZANO
By car: From the South of Rome: Take the Naples-Rome, exit Valmontone, continue for approximately 30 km. direction of Velletri. Take the Via Appia, direction Genzano. From North: GRA, exit 23, Via Appia, direction Ciampino-Albano Laziale. Carry on along the Appian Way for about 25 km. up in Genzano.
By bus: From Rome, take Metro A to Anagnina, then take bus transport service for non-urban CO.TRA.L Genzano and Velletri direction or Latina.
By train: (Rome Termini Station) Local train Rome-Velletri, and after you can take the bus to reach Genzano.