
The town of Lanuvio southeast of Rome was built on the ancient town of Lanuvium and legends tell that Lanuvium was founded by Diomedes or by a Trojan named Lanoios after the Trojan War (1180-1170 BC). Defeated by the Romans in 338 BC, Lanuvio obtained a privileged treatment in exchange for half of the proceeds of the Juno Sospita sanctuary that was in use since the sixth century BC. Starting from the late Republican period, it became the destination of the most prominent of the Roman political figures, living there were: M. Emilio Lepido, M. Giunio Bruto, Augusto and Marco Aurelio. It gave birth to two other emperors Antonino Pio and Commodo. Lanuvio was the home of Publio Sulpicio Quirino, Roman governor of Siria in the period of Jesus Christ. He conducted the first population census, registering a couple who later became known as Saint Joseph and the Virgin Mary. With the edict of Theodosius in 391 AD, the arrival of Christianity as the only religion and the closing of all the pagan temples, Lanuvio began to decline. In the Middle Ages the population took refuge in the hills around a 'castrum', to escape the Saracen invasions, and restored the ancient Roman walls of tuff blocks. It became an active centre again in the eleventh century thanks to the work of the Benedictine monks but for centuries it was increasingly subject to looting and sieges. In the fifteenth century came Colonna and, in 1564, it was purchased by Giuliano Sforza Cesarini, under whom it had a period of relative tranquility. In World War II, because of the strategic importance of its location, it was bombed from the sea and subjected to air raids of the Allied armies landing at Anzio.
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DOC Colli Lanuvini wine
The wine "Colli Lanuvini" comes from grapes harvested in Lanuvio and Genzano from which you…
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The Temple of Juno Sospita
Archaeological excavations have revealed at least three different structures in different historical periods. The first…

The Roman Theatre
In one corner of the medieval castle in Lanuvio, underlying ancient remains are clearly…

Fountain of Piazza Mazzini
In 1675 Filippo Cesarini commited a number works of embellishment of the city and built…

The Medieval Tower
La Torre Maschia of the walls is a massive cylindrical body with a walkway around…

Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Maggiore
The Collegiate Church of S. Maria Maggiore was a Romanesque church dated the year 1240…
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The Fountain of Rocks (La Fontana degli scogli)
It was commissioned by Filippo Cesarini in 1675 to Carlo Fontana, a student and collaborator…

Marble Roman Sarcophagus
The Roman marble sarcophagus of Lanuvio is made with Greek Proconnesus marble and dates back…

Colonna Palace
Although this building was never completed and has a modest appearance, Marcantonio Colonna was born…

Il Borgo Medioevale di Lanuvio
The medieval village was founded to oversee and defend the coast from the incursions of…

Loreto Bridge on Via Astura
Lanuvio was crossed by the Via Astura that in the eighth century BC connected Rome…
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Enoteca del Consorzio Vini Colli Lanuvini (Consortium of Lanuvini Hills wines)
The Consortium of Lanuvini Hills wines is located inside the medieval tower in an exciting…

Grape and wine festival
In September Lanuvio dedicates a festival to wine and grapes, two of the elements that…

Civic Museum
The Museum is divided into three sections representing the three major phases of the history…