Ronciglione
Ronciglione is a city and comune in the province of Viterbo, about 20 kilometres from Viterbo. The city is located in the Cimini mountains, over two tuff scarps, on the SE slope of the volcano crater now housing the Lake Vico. The citys economy is based largely on agriculture, with production of nuts, the most ancient document mentioning Ronciglione dates to 1103. A historian from the 16th century Orvieto set its foundation around 1045, it was a possession of the Anguillara, a Guelph family of Rome. Pope Paul II conquered it to the Papal States in 1465, in 1526 Ronciglione became a possession of the Farnese, and lived its period of greatest splendour, its industries included manufacturing of copper, paper and others. Ended in 1649 the Farnese seignory and bought back by Pope Innocent X, the Ronciglionesi took active part in the Roman Republic of 1798–99, the French troops, crushed the revolt and burnt the city on July 20,1799. Ronciglione has one of the most beautiful mediaeval burgs of central Italy, the city monuments and sights include, The Castle, originally built in the High Middle Ages, with the characteristic angle rounded towers.
The Cathedral, a Baroque edifice designed by Pietro da Cortona, the bell tower is from 1734. It houses a Tryptych of Christ by the Viterbese painter Gabriele di Francesco, the church of Santa Maria della Provvidenza, restored in Baroque style, although still retaining a three-floors Romanesque belfry. The interior, with a nave, houses some frescoes from the 15th century. The ruins of the church of St. Andrew, with a belfry from 1436. Church of Santa Maria della Pace, began in 1581 and variously attributed to Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola or Rainaldi and it houses paintings by Sebastiano Conca, Cavalier DArpino and a tabernacle by Sansovino. The suggestive basilica church of SantEusebio, along the Via Cassia,3 km in direction of Rome, located on a wide alture, it was built by monks ascpaed from Palestine in the 7th and 8th centuries. Traces of the ancient coenoby and the belfry can still be seen, the interior of the current edifice has a nave with aisles of irregular dimensions, with 12th-13th centuries frescoes and a Madonna with Child from the 15th century.
It is dedicated to St. Eusebius, bishop of Sutri which is nearby, a villa with extensive botanical gardens, built by Ulisse Igliori for his wife Lina in 1928 and currently owned and operated as a luxury Bed and Breakfast by their daughter Paola Igliori. Ronciglione is known for its Carnival, established as a derivative of the Renaissance Carnival of Rome, it has typical empty races in which the horses are left to run without riders. The cities are divided into 9 contrades which contend for the Palio of the Manna, Ronciglione is served by the SP1 Cimina provincial road, connecting it to SS2 Cassia national road which starts from Rome, and to Viterbo. SP35 provincial road connects the town to Caprarola and Capranica, there is a station on the Orte-Civitavecchia railroad, which has abandoned in 1995
Sacrofano
Sacrofano is a comune in the Metropolitan City of Rome in the Italian region Latium, located about 25 kilometres north of Rome. Located near the Monti Sabatini, at the feet of an extinct volcano, Sacrofano borders the following municipalities, Campagnano di Roma, Castelnuovo di Porto, Magliano Romano, Rome. They were originally part of the territory of the Etruscan city of Veii, it was home to numerous Roman villas, which were abandoned in the 5th-6th centuries. A fundus Scrofanum is mentioned for the first time in 780, apart a short conquest by Cesare Borgia, they kept Sacrofano for nearly three centuries, in 1560 it was included in the Duchy of Bracciano. In 1662 the Orsini ceded it to the Chigi family, the Rocca The church of San Giovanni Battista, dating from the 12th century but restored in the 15th century. It has a bell tower from the 14th century. The church has a plan, with a single nave. The 1515 altar, in polychrome marbles, houses the relic of St. Justin Martyr, Sacrofano has a station on the Roma-Civitacastellana-Viterbo regional railway.
It can be reached by car from Rome in c.20 minutes through the Via Flaminia and the Via Sacrofanese
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys or driven over a set distance for competition. Horse races vary widely in format, countries have developed their own particular horse racing traditions. Variations include restricting races to particular breeds, running over obstacles, running over different distances, running on different track surfaces, Horse racing has a long and distinguished history and has been practised in civilisations across the world since ancient times. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in Ancient Greece, Syria and it plays an important part of myth and legend, such as the contest between the steeds of the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir in Norse mythology. Chariot racing was one of the most popular ancient Greek, both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC and were important in the other Panhellenic Games. This was despite the fact that racing was often dangerous to both driver and horse as they frequently suffered serious injury and even death.
In the Roman Empire and mounted horse racing were major industries, fifteen to 20 riderless horses, originally imported from the Barbary Coast of North Africa, ran the length of the Via del Corso, a long, straight city street, in about 2½ minutes. In times, Thoroughbred racing became, and remains, popular with the aristocrats and royalty of British society, equestrians honed their skills through games and races. Equestrian sports provided entertainment for crowds and honed the excellent horsemanship that was needed in battle, Horse racing of all types evolved from impromptu competitions between riders or drivers. The various forms of competition, requiring demanding and specialized skills from both horse and rider, resulted in the development of specialized breeds and equipment for each sport. The popularity of sports through the centuries has resulted in the preservation of skills that would otherwise have disappeared after horses stopped being used in combat. There are many different types of racing, Flat racing.
Jump racing, or Jumps racing, known as Steeplechasing or, in the UK and Ireland, National Hunt racing, Harness racing, where horses trot or pace while pulling a driver in a sulky. Breeds that are used for flat racing include the Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse, Paint, Jump racing breeds include the Thoroughbred and AQPS. In harness racing, Standardbreds are used in Australia, New Zealand and North America, light cold blood horses, such as Finnhorses and Scandinavian coldblood trotter are used in harness racing within their respective geographical areas. There are races for ponies, both flat and jump and harness racing, Flat racing is the most common form of racing seen worldwide. Track surfaces vary, with turf most common in Europe, dirt more common in North America and Asia, individual flat races are run over distances ranging from 440 yards up to two and a half miles, with distances between five and twelve furlongs being most common. Short races are referred to as sprints, while longer races are known as routes in the United States or staying races in Europe
Ascoli Piceno
Ascoli Piceno is a town and comune in the Marche region of Italy, capital of the province of the same name. Its population is around 49,500 but the area of the city has more than 100,000. The town lies at the confluence of the Tronto River and the small river Castellano and is surrounded on three sides by mountains, two natural parks border the town, one on the northwestern flank and the other on the southern. Ascoli has good connections to the Adriatic coast and the city of San Benedetto del Tronto, by highway to Porto dAscoli. In 268 BC it became a civitas foederata, a city with nominal independence from Rome. In 91 BC, together with cities in central Italy, it revolted against Rome. Its inhabitants acquired Roman citizenship, following the developments and the fall of the Roman Republic. During the Middle Ages Ascoli was ravaged by the Ostrogoths and by the Lombards of King Faroald, in 1189 a free republican municipality was established but internal strife led dramatically to the demise of civic values and freedom and to unfortunate ventures against neighboring enemies.
This unstable situation opened the way to foreign dictatorships, like those of Galeotto I Malatesta, initially recruited as a mercenary in the war against Fermo, Sforza was ousted in 1482, but Ascoli was again compelled to submit to the Papal suzerainty. In 1860 it was annexed, together with Marche and Umbria, many of the buildings in the central historical part of the city are built using marble called travertino, a grey-hued stone extracted from the surrounding mountains. Its central Renaissance square, Piazza del Popolo is surrounded by a number of buildings utilizing this stone, according to traditional accounts, Ascoli Piceno once housed some two hundred towers in the Middle Ages, today some fifty can still be seen. Main sights include, Cathedral of SantEmidio, dedicated to Saint Emygdius, Tempietto di SantEmidio alle Grotte Tempietto di SantEmidio Rosso San Francesco, Gothic style church begun in 1258). The dome was completed in 1549, a monument to Pope Julius II is in the side portal, while the central portal is one of the finest examples of local travertine decoration.
Adjacent to the church is the 16th-century Loggia dei Mercanti, in Bramantesque style of the Roman High Renaissance, convent of San Francesco, adjacent to the above-named church, of which two noteworthy cloisters remain today. The rectangular façade has a 1547 portal similar to that of SantEmidio, the convent houses the town library, the Contemporary Art Gallery and an auditorium. San Domenico, former convent, now school, has a Renaissance cloister with 17th-century frescoes, santa Maria Inter Vineas, 13th century church San Pietro Martire, 13th century church with a 1523 side portal by Nicola Filotesio, known locally as Cola dAmatrice. The interior contains the precious reliquary of the Holy Thorn, a gift of Philip IV of France, San Tommaso,1069 Romanesque-style church built with spolia from the neighboring Roman amphitheater. San Vittore, Romanesque church documented from 996 with a low bell tower, edicola di Morelli, Monumental baroque niche attached to the exterior of the church of San Francesco at the Piazza del Popolo
Loreto, Marche
Loreto is a hilltown and comune of the Italian province of Ancona, in the Marche. It is most commonly known as the seat of the Basilica della Santa Casa, Loreto is located 127 metres above sea level on the right bank of the Musone river. It is 22 kilometres by rail south-southeast of Ancona, like many places in the Marche, it provides good views from the Apennines to the Adriatic. The city has a line of walls designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger. Notes Official website Official website of the sanctuary Catholic Encyclopedia article Loreto
Castel del Piano
Castel del Piano is a town and comune of Grosseto province in the Italian region of Tuscany. The area of Castel del Piano is known to have been inhabited in prehistoric times, from 1175 to 1321 it was a possession of the Aldobrandeschi family. After the fall of the Republic of Siena, it part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. The city is divided into four contrade which take part in a palio held every 8 September, the palio was raced for the first time in 1402. The contrade are, Borgo Monumento Poggio Storte Chiesa della propositura Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Grazie Monte Amiata Southern Tuscany - Map It Out, useful travel information and updated events in Castel del Piano and Southern Tuscany
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a unitary parliamentary republic in Europe. Located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, Italy shares open land borders with France, Austria, San Marino, Italy covers an area of 301,338 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate and Mediterranean climate. Due to its shape, it is referred to in Italy as lo Stivale. With 61 million inhabitants, it is the fourth most populous EU member state, the Italic tribe known as the Latins formed the Roman Kingdom, which eventually became a republic that conquered and assimilated other nearby civilisations. The legacy of the Roman Empire is widespread and can be observed in the distribution of civilian law, republican governments, Christianity. The Renaissance began in Italy and spread to the rest of Europe, bringing a renewed interest in humanism, exploration, Italian culture flourished at this time, producing famous scholars and polymaths such as Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo and Machiavelli. The weakened sovereigns soon fell victim to conquest by European powers such as France and Austria.
Despite being one of the victors in World War I, Italy entered a period of economic crisis and social turmoil. The subsequent participation in World War II on the Axis side ended in defeat, economic destruction. Today, Italy has the third largest economy in the Eurozone and it has a very high level of human development and is ranked sixth in the world for life expectancy. The country plays a prominent role in regional and global economic, military and diplomatic affairs, as a reflection of its cultural wealth, Italy is home to 51 World Heritage Sites, the most in the world, and is the fifth most visited country. The assumptions on the etymology of the name Italia are very numerous, according to one of the more common explanations, the term Italia, from Latin, was borrowed through Greek from the Oscan Víteliú, meaning land of young cattle. The bull was a symbol of the southern Italic tribes and was often depicted goring the Roman wolf as a defiant symbol of free Italy during the Social War. Greek historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus states this account together with the legend that Italy was named after Italus, mentioned by Aristotle and Thucydides.
The name Italia originally applied only to a part of what is now Southern Italy – according to Antiochus of Syracuse, but by his time Oenotria and Italy had become synonymous, and the name applied to most of Lucania as well. The Greeks gradually came to apply the name Italia to a larger region, excavations throughout Italy revealed a Neanderthal presence dating back to the Palaeolithic period, some 200,000 years ago, modern Humans arrived about 40,000 years ago. Other ancient Italian peoples of undetermined language families but of possible origins include the Rhaetian people and Cammuni. Also the Phoenicians established colonies on the coasts of Sardinia and Sicily, the Roman legacy has deeply influenced the Western civilisation, shaping most of the modern world
Fermo
Fermo listen is a town and comune of the Marche, Italy, in the Province of Fermo. Fermo is on a hill, the Sabulo, elevation 319 metres, the oldest human remains from the area are funerary remains from the 9th–8th centuries BC, belonging to the Villanovan culture or the proto-Etruscan civilization. It was originally governed by five quaestors and it was made a colony with full rights after the battle of Philippi, the 4th Legion being settled there. It lay at the junction of roads to Pausulae, Urbs Salvia, with the Pentapolis, in the 8th century it passed under the authority of the Holy See was thenceforth subject to the vicissitudes of the March of Ancona. In the 10th century it became the capital of the Marchia Firmana, under the predecessors of Honorius III the bishops of city became prince-bishops, first with the secular rights of counts, and as princes of Fermo. In 1199 it became a city, and remained independent until 1550. After this it was governed by different lords, who ruled as more or less legitimate vassals of the Holy See, the Roman theater, scant traces of an amphitheater exist.
Remains of the city wall, of blocks of hard limestone, may be seen just outside the Porta S. Francesco. The medieval embattled walls superposed on it are picturesque, the cisterns of Fermo are an archaeological site situated on top of the hill, at 310 metres above sea level. Fermo boasts one of the most gigantic and well-preserved example of Roman cisterns in Italy and they were built around 1st century a. C. The structure is a construction of about 30 by 70 metres consisting of 30 underground rooms. The underground pipe network above the cisterns was connected to a canal around the external walls, from the canal, small pipes brought water into the cisterns, water inlets are still visible inside the rooms. The cisterns are made of Opus caementicium which is the waterproofing old Roman concrete, the level of the water inside the rooms was about 70 centimetres and the total amount of water inside was about 3000 mq. The Palazzo dei Priori, restored in 1446, with a statue of Pope Sixtus V in front of it, the Biblioteca Comunale contains a collection of inscriptions and antiquities.
Fermo Cathedral, Excavations undertaken in 1934–35 under the churchs pavement brought to light remains from the age of Antoninus Pius and this had three naves divided into four bays, with a raised presbytery. Of its mosaic decorations today only those in the apse are visible, after the destruction of this church by Christian of Mainz in 1176 by order of Frederick Barbarossa, the church reconstructed in 1227 by Giorgio da Como. It has a Gothic facade made of Istrian stone, divided by pillars and with a central rose window, a bell tower from the same age. In the vestibule are several tombs, including one from 1366 by Tura da Imola, and the modern monument to Giuseppe Colucci, the interior reflects the late 18th century reconstruction
Anthony the Great
Saint Anthony or Antony was a Christian monk from Egypt, revered since his death as a saint. He is distinguished from other saints named Anthony by various epithets, Anthony the Great, Anthony of Egypt, Anthony the Abbot, Anthony of the Desert, Anthony the Anchorite, and Anthony of Thebes. For his importance among the Desert Fathers and to all Christian monasticism and his feast day is celebrated on January 17 among the Orthodox and Catholic churches and on Tobi 22 in the Egyptian calendar used by the Coptic Church. The biography of Anthonys life by Athanasius of Alexandria helped to spread the concept of Christian monasticism and he is often erroneously considered the first Christian monk, but as his biography and other sources make clear, there were many ascetics before him. Anthony was, the first to go into the wilderness, Anthony is appealed to against infectious diseases, particularly skin diseases. In the past, many afflictions, including ergotism, erysipelas. Anthony was born in Coma in Lower Egypt in AD251 to wealthy landowner parents, when he was about 18 years old, his parents died and left him with the care of his unmarried sister.
Shortly thereafter, he decided to follow the Evangelical counsel of Jesus which reads, If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven. Anthony gave away some of his familys lands to his neighbors, sold the remaining property and he left to live an ascetic life, placing his sister with a group of Christian virgins, a sort of proto-convent. For the next fifteen years, Anthony remained in the area, there are various legends associating Anthony with pigs, one is that he worked as a swineherd during this period. Anthony is sometimes considered the first monk, and the first to initiate solitary desertification, philo opined that this class of persons may be met with in many places, for both Greece and barbarian countries want to enjoy whatever is perfectly good. Christian ascetics such as Thecla had likewise retreated to isolated locations at the outskirts of cities, Anthony is notable for having decided to surpass this tradition and headed out into the desert proper.
He left for the alkaline Nitrian Desert on the edge of the Western Desert about 95 km west of Alexandria and he remained there for 13 years. According to Athanasius, the devil fought Anthony by afflicting him with boredom and the phantoms of women, after that, he moved to a tomb, where he resided and closed the door on himself, depending on some local villagers who brought him food. When the devil perceived his ascetic life and his worship, he was envious and beat him mercilessly. When his friends from the village came to visit him and found him in this condition. After he recovered, he made an effort and went back into the desert to a farther mountain by the Nile called Pispir. There he lived strictly enclosed in an old abandoned Roman fort for some 20 years, according to Athanasius, the devil again resumed his war against Anthony, only this time the phantoms were in the form of wild beasts, lions and scorpions
Fonni
Fonni is a town and comune in Sardinia, in the province of Nuoro. It is the highest town in Sardinia, and situated among fine scenery with some chestnut woods, Fonni is a winter sports centre with a ski lift to Monte Spada and Bruncu Spina. The term Fonni probably derives from the Latin fons, meaning fountain or god of the sources, in fact the village contains numerous spring water fountains. The local costumes are extremely picturesque, and are seen on the day of St John the Baptist. The mens costume is similar to that worn in the district generally, the women wear a white chemise, over that a very small corselet, and over that a red jacket with blue and black velvet facings. The skirt is brown above and red below, with a band between the two colours, it is accordion-pleated. Two identical skirts are worn, one above the other. The unmarried girls wear white kerchiefs, the women black. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a now in the public domain, Hugh. Neighborhoods in Fonni are called Rioni of these the oldest is called su piggiu or the skin, others include puppuai and cresiedda to the south, logotza to the east
