Rocca di Papa

Rocca di Papa is a town with 15,936 inhabitants (as of 31 December 2012) in the province of Rome in the Italian region of Lazio.

  • 5.1 Twin towns
  • 5.2 Coat of Arms

Name

The name of Rocca di Papa is as much as Castle of the Pope and refers to the historically close relationship with the Holy See. The residents and neighbors of the city, they call usually only Rocca in a dialect Rocca.

Geography

Rocca di Papa is located 25 kilometers southeast of Rome, 7 km southeast of Frascati and 14 km northwest of Velletri. It is one of the Castelli Romani.

The old town is built around the eponymous castle ruins, which lies on a secondary summit of Monte Cavo, the second highest point in the Alban Hills. Besides, many streets are so steep that they are not accessible by cars and are accessed by stairs. It has of Rocca di Papa not only a wide view, the place is also clearly visible from Rome in good weather. The municipality covers an altitude 390-956 m asl in the Maschio delle Faete.

To the municipality of the district on the eastern slopes of the Monti Vivaro heard delle Faete.

Rocca di Papa is a member of the Comunità Montana dei Castelli Romani e Prenestini. It is also the administrative center of the Natural Park of the Castelli Romani.

The neighboring municipalities are clockwise Laziale Albano, Castel Gandolfo, Grottaferrata, Marino, Monte Compatri, Rocca Priora, Artena, Larian, Velletri, Nemi and Ariccia.

Geology

Rocca di Papa is located in a volcanically active area formerly, called Vulcano Laziale whose activity began about 600,000 years ago. The town itself is situated on the caldera of the volcano, which began in a period about 270,000 years ago. At this caldera includes the highest elevations of the Alban Hills, Monte Cavo (950 m asl ) and the Maschio delle Faete (956 m asl ). The bottom of this volcanic crater is Campi di Annibale called, since Hannibal is said to have mounted with his troops. The Vulcano Laziale became extinct about 20,000 years ago. Thanks to the mineral-rich volcanic soil, the region of the Alban Hills is especially fruitful, and for viticulture.

The municipality is located in the seismic zone 2 (medium endangered).

Traffic

Rocca di Papa is located on the strada stadale SS 218, which connects the strada stadale SS 217 Via dei Laghi with the strada stadale SS 215 via tuscolana. The nearest motorway exit Monte Porzio Catone is on the A1 motorway you. 12 kilometers away.

The nearest railway station on the regional train line FR4 Rome Albano is located in Marino, 5 km away. Until its setting Rocca di Papa had an endpoint on the tram in the Castelli Romani. The station was connected to the historic center by a funicular railway, which was discontinued in 1963. A new cable car is currently in the planning stage.

Short portrait

Over the roofs crowned by the ruins of the destroyed fortress in 1577. A steep and winding road leads up to it, the turns are connected by steps and narrow paths. The heart of the city is the Piazza della Repubblica.

Below the fortress, which was in 1328 the Bavaria, who had moved with his army over the Alps to the imperial coronation in Rome conquered by Emperor Louis, the district of the Bavarian city ( districts Bavarese ). Ludwig had had embarrassed a garrison here because the situation to him on a ridge appeared strategically advantageous. The presence of Bavaria has left its mark: the colors Rocca are also white - blue.

Attached is mainly wine, the well has a good reputation, also fruits and vegetables.

In the 19th century, populated in ancient times Rocca di Papa was one of the visited places by numerous artists in the Campagna Romana; the town was often the subject of artistic representations.

Interesting addition to the Fortezza ( the ruins ), among others, the Church of the Crucifix ( church crucifixion ), the responsible built by Baroque architect Antonio Del Grande in 1664, Duomo dell Assunta, the Fontana della Barcaccia, the quarters dei Bavaresi ( the Bavaria district ) and the Via Sacra.

Demographics

Source: ISTAT

Policy

Pasquale Boccia (PD ) was elected in May 2006 to the mayor and re-elected in 2011. His center-left civil list Uniti by Rocca di Papa also with 11 of 16 seats, the majority in the City Council.

Twin Cities

The writer Luise Rinser, who was born in Landsberg Pitzling and lived for decades in Rocca di Papa, where in 1986 she became an honorary citizen, has initiated the creation of this twinning.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms shows a red shield with a silver tower with the letters R and P for Rocca di Papa. The city colors are blue and white.

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