Pontine Marshes

<< Lazio

The Pontine Marshes (Agro Pontino) are former marshlands located in the western part of the Province of Latina. This territory is an alluvial plain and now an agricultural area. Here are Latina and a few other towns with interesting attractions, as well as some seaside resorts.

Latina

Latina is the second largest city in Lazio, after Rome. It was founded in 1932 by the fascist government of Italy, after the swamplands of the Pontine Marshes were drained. Originally called Littoria, it was populated mainly by settlers from Northeast Italy, and in 1945 its name was changed to Latina. Now it is an agricultural and industrial center.

Duilio Cambellotti Civic Museum

The Duilio Cambellotti Civic Museum (Museo Civico Duilio Cambellotti) is an art museum hosted in a building facing the main square of Latina. The museum houses a large collection of works by Art Nouveau artist Duilio Cambellotti.

Piana delle Orme Museum

The Piana delle Orme Museum (Museo di Piana delle Orme) is a museum located in the countryside east of Latina. The museum is dedicated to local history, with exhibits on the surrounding environment, traditional life, and a large section focused on World War II.

Cisterna di Latina

Cisterna di Latina is a town in the Province of Latina. The area has been inhabited since ancient times, while the modern town was founded in the Middle Ages, after the previous Roman settlement of Tres Tabernae was abandoned. The town was the site of a battle during World War II, and it is now an agricultural and industrial center.

Garden of Ninfa

The Garden of Ninfa (Giardino di Ninfa) is a monumental garden located on the site of a ruined medieval village called Ninfa. The area features the ruins of a castle and various other buildings, and it has been turned into a garden in the 20th century. The garden features over a thousand species of plants and trees, and it is located east of Cisterna di Latina, near Norma.

Norma

Norma is a small town in the Province of Latina. Inhabited since ancient times, it features various archaeological ruins.

Archaeological Park of Ancient Norba

Norba was an ancient Latin town and later a Roman colony. The town was destroyed during a civil war in 82 BCE. The Archaeological Park of Ancient Norba (Parco Archeologico Antica Norba) hosts the ruins of the town, and includes the remains of several structures such as temples, baths, and defensive walls. The Civic Museum (Museo Civico) in Norma features exhibits dedicated to the ancient Norba.

Priverno

Priverno is a town located at the foot of the hills east of Latina. A flourishing town under the Romans, now it is best known for the historic abbey located nearby.

Fossanova Abbey

The Fossanova Abbey (Abbazia di Fossanova) is a medieval abbey located near Priverno. Erected between the 12th and 13th century, it is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the region. The church features a decorated facade, while the interior is simple but imposing.

San Felice Circeo

San Felice Circeo is a seaside town in the Province of Latina, located next to Mount Circeo. The area has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and it is now a tourist destination.

Mount Circeo

Mount Circeo (Monte Circeo) is a coastal promontory facing the Tyrrhenian Sea. A popular tourist attraction, the mountain was inhabited in prehistoric times, and various remains of Neanderthals were found here. According to Roman tradition, this was the home of Circe, a goddess that appears in Homer’s Odyssey. The mountain and the surrounding coast are part of the Circeo National Park (Parco Nazionale del Circeo).

Terracina

Terracina is a town located along the Tyrrhenian coast in the Province of Latina. Founded in ancient times, it was conquered by the Romans and was one of the most important centers in the region. The town was later ruled by the Papal States, and was at the border with the Kingdom of Naples. Terracina is now a tourist destination with various historic attractions.

Temple of Jupiter Anxur

The Temple of Jupiter Anxur (Tempio di Giove Anxur) is a Roman temple located on top of a hill overlooking Terracina and the Tyrrhenian Sea. Built between the 2nd century BCE and the 1st century BCE, it was originally a large sanctuary. Later destroyed, it was turned into a monastery and a church in the Middle Ages. The area now features the ruins of various structures that were once part of the complex.

Terracina Cathedral

Also known as: Co-Cathedral of San Cesareo (Concattedrale di San Cesareo)

The Terracina Cathedral (Duomo di Terracina) is the main church of the city, located near the ancient forum. The church was erected in the Early Middle Ages over a previous Roman temple, and was later reworked in Romanesque and Baroque style. The cathedral features a decorated portico and a 12th-century bell tower, and it hosts various artworks.

Forum Aemilianum

The Forum Aemilianum (Foro Emiliano) is an archaeological area in the center of Terracina, featuring the ruins of various buildings of the Roman forum of the ancient city. Among these are the ruins of a theater and a temple. A nearby archaeological museum houses various ancient artworks found in and around the town.