Cultural Itineraries

Our first stop is the city of Fregellae (328 BC/124 BC), the most important Latin Italian colony and also the representative of the Italic instances in the Senate of Rome. The latter decided to destroy it in 124 BC, however, some of its architecture has remained intact throughout the centuries making it one of the most important and long-lived sites in the world. Moving along, Fabrateria Nova is the city where most of the inhabitants of Fregellae were deported. Immersed in the green and rich in ruins which speak about the past more than words ever can, Fabrateria Nova is located close enough to be reached by foot or by bicycle. With herons, storks and falcons, the area is known for its magnificent birdlife. Finally, there is the castle of Roccasecca, built at the end of the first millennium AD, silhouetted on the Liri plain, and place of birth of St. Thomas Aquinas.

The Montecassino abbey is one of the most famous places of worship, not only in Italy and in Europe, but also in the world. A work of St. Benedict of Norcia, it was built in 529. While its history is marked with bombings and destruction by humans (the Saracens, the Lombards, the Allied troops during the 2^nd World War) and by natural disasters (the 1349 earthquake), this has never prevented the abbey to rise and to show the world its cloisters, its staircase, its crypt rich of mosaics and its important museum.

On a peaceful lush green slope in the town of Collepardo, stands the Trisulti Charterhouse: a fascinating abbey enclosed within imposing walls, declared a national monument. Within the complex, we find treasures like the church of St. Bartholomew (with an architecture that was first gothic and then baroque), the Romanesque-Gothic quarters, the famous pharmacy and the wonderful gardens. Let’s not forget the ancient library which contains over 36,000 volumes.

A place that stands out in every way, situated behind a rocky hill approximately 300 m above sea level in the municipality of Veroli, since the 13^th century, the Casamari abbey remains a major representation of the Cistercian gothic architecture. Despite its many transformations, its integrity remained unaffected: the arched entryways, the portico with four-mullioned windows, the Roman era columns, and the elegantly understated interiors. For these reasons, it is undoubtedly one of the main cultural attractions of the region. The archeological museum, the cloister and the chapterhouse are also noteworthy.