Saturday, November 7, 2020

ARTENA

Altitude 420 m (1,400 feet). 12,000 inhabitants

The name dates back to 1873

Since 1151 the town was called Montefortino and the name was changed because it was linked to its reputation as a city of bandits

It was feud of the families Tuscolani, Colonna, Orsini and Borghese since 1614 with the Cardinal Scipione Borghese Caffarelli (1577/1633)

For the particular shape of the town it is considered to be the largest pedestrian area in Europe

Palazzo Borghese

Borghese Palace

1615/18 designed by Jan Van Santen aka Giovanni Vasanzio (1550/1621) for the Cardinal Scipione Borghese with PORTAL maybe by Martino Longhi il Giovane (1602/60)

Frescoes by Paul Brill (1554/1626)

On the same square of the palazzo there is the PALAZZETTO DEL GOVERNATORE (small palace of the governor) also by Jan Van Santen aka Giovanni Vasanzio, used in the past as a courthouse and also as a prison

Museo Civico Archeologico

Archaeological Museum

The museum building was originally the GRANAIO BORGHESE, the Borghese barn. Besides being a museum it now houses the headquarters of the City Council and it is used for cultural events

Objects found in the territory of Artena dating back from the Neolithic period until the ninth century AD

Collegiata di S. Croce

Collegiate Church of the Holy Cross

Built in the twelfth century. It was rebuilt in 1661 for Cardinal Scipione Borghese with two short bell towers on either side of the façade

Site of the ancient city of Fortinum

Archaeological area of ​​about 30 hectares (74 acres) dating back to 500 BC at PIANO DELLA CIVITA (630 m - 2000 feet), 1.5 km from Artena

A town (oppidum) of the Volsci people hypothetically called Fortinum for a population called Fortineii that lived in this territory

Walls of 2.5 km (1.5 miles)

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