Discovering Lazio: Villa Adriana and Villa d'Este

With its cultural heritage and beautiful landscape, a visit to Tivoli, the ancient "Tibur Superbum", as Virgil called it, is a must for those who decide to discover Lazio or who just want to spend a few days in Rome.

Tivoli, which boasts being more ancient than Rome (1215 BC), is located on the slopes of the Tiburtini Mountains, and is just 32 km from Rome.

Due to its geographical position, near the large waterfall on the Aniene River, the city has enjoyed a favourable position since ancient times, from both the climatic and strategic point of view, controlling all the traffic to and from Abruzzo. The abundance of water also resulted in the construction of major structure over the centuries. The splendid landscape, like a balcony overlooking the Roman Campagna, has made it attractive throughout history.

Thanks to the Villas, which are a UNESCO World Heritage site, the spas, the medieval town and the monuments, Tivoli offers a pleasant holiday venue or wonderful stopping place for all travellers.

To see

The Roman Amphitheatre
Discovered in 1948, it has only recently been completely excavated and restored. It was used for gladiatorial competitions and hunting games with wild animals (venatio). It has an elliptical shape and a central arena measuring 60 x 40 metres, surrounded by a corridor (ambulacrum) 2.20 metres wide. Today we can see the substructures of the rows of seats, which are thought to have been 12 metres high.

Gothic House - Via Campitelli
This street is one of the most typical lanes of Tivoli, with stone paving, and rows of medieval houses. The finest one is the so-called Gothic House featuring a pure style and enriched by other elements such as the profferlo (an external stairway with an arch beneath) and crenellation supported by marble corbels. There are even older houses in the Via del Colle below.

Cathedral or church of San Lorenzo
Apparently built in the 5th century on the Roman Forum, it was completely rebuilt in 1635 by Cardinal Giulio Roma. In Baroque style, the façade has a portico with three arches. The building has a single nave with side chapels, one of which contains the 13th century group of the Deposition, an unusually beautiful wooden carving, recently restored, a significant example of medieval sculpture. The artistic treasures of the church also include the Triptych of the Saviour, a fine 13th century painting on wood, attributed to the Benedictine monks of Farfa. The original Romanesque bell tower is located to the left of the façade.

Church of S. Maria Maggiore
Built by Pope Simplicius on the ruins of a Roman villa, it was radically enlarged and transformed in the 12th century after being included within the city walls built by Barbarossa. Later, in the 15th century, the lateral arches were walled and replaced with tall windows, and the central arch of the entrance was provided with a fine Gothic portal with a tabernacle on top, the work of the sculptor Angelo da Tivoli. The bell tower, rebuilt in 1590, is located to the left of the church. The high altar, by the architect Galvani (late 16th century) contains a precious painting on wood of the Our Lady of Graces, painted in 1200 by the Franciscan painter Jacopo Torriti.

Church of S. Silvestro
The 12th century Romanesque building originally had three naves with two rows of cipollino marble columns; the lateral naves were walled in the 17th century and the columns were sold for the price of 265 scudi. The left nave was later demolished in order to widen Via del Colle. The most interesting feature is the set of frescoes from the second half of the 12th century, decorating the triumphal arch and apse, and depicting the legend of the Emperor Constantine and St. Sylvester.

Mensa Ponderaria
This is the place where samples of weights and measures, used for trade in the adjacent Roman Forum, were kept. We can still see two counters with various samples. On one side there is the Augusteum, the shrine dedicated to the imperial cult.

Piazza del Comune
For a long time the building has been the City Hall, and is located on the opus quadratum city walls dating from the 5th – 4th century BC; it includes some medieval structures such as the tower on the left side of the main façade. It became municipal property in 1587 following the donation of half of the building by Sixtus V, and the other half after the payment of 1,000 scudi lent by St. Philip Neri. The main façade was entirely refurbished in 1883. The Palazzo contains fine paintings and sculptures, most notably the altar paintings by Sano di Pietro (1406-1481) depicting St. Bernardino, who then gave his name to the building.

Rocca Pia
The fort was built in 1461 by Pope Pius II (Enea Silvio Piccolomini) to ensure the loyalty of the city of Tivoli. It is a square structure with four large circular towers, and is situated on top of a small hill, exploiting the favourable position for defensive purposes. The two smaller towers are said to have been completed by Sixtus IV, but probably by Alexander VI. After 1870, the Rocca Pia was converted into the district prison, with the addition of a building inside the courtyard. The complex has not yet been assigned for a specific use.

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