Alban Hills

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The Alban Hills (Italian: Colli Albani, rarely Monti Albani; Albanians hill or Albanian mountains) are the remains of a formerly volcanic mountain ring, the complex of the Vulcano Laziale, and with a circumference of about 60 km in Lazio, 20 km southeast of Rome 24 km north of Anzio. The summit of Monte Cavo (950 m) dominates this massif, however, a peak of the Monti delle Faete with (956 m) is the opposite Maschio delle Faete, the highest elevation. The volcano was active from 600,000 BC to 20,000 BC. There is an opening in the southwest of the old ring, formed by two crater lakes, the Lake Albano, Lago Albano and the Lake Nemi, Lake Nemi.

The Alban Hills were for the ancient Romans the Albanus Mons. On top of the Temple of Jupiter Latiaris, the federal sanctuary of the Latins, in which the consuls celebrated the feriae Latinae, as well as some Roman generals stood their triumphs, when them a triumphal procession in the city was denied. The temple no longer exists; leading to him Roman road via triumphalis, you can visit.

The area of ​​the Alban Hills, especially around the crater lakes, in ancient times was a favorite retreat of the Roman nobility summery, which had built villas to escape the heat and dirt of the capital. Because of its beautiful landscape, they have been frequently visited by painters.

See also: Castelli Romani; Campagna Romana; Monte Alban in Mexico