The cruise port of Rome - Civitavecchia, Italy - was visited by more than 2 million passengers in 2016, and 833 liners entered the port. Although the port is the most remote from Rome, it is located 80 kilometers from the capital.
Civitavecchia in Italy is a small town in the Lazio region, where only a little more than 50 thousand people live, it is a Roman province.
History
The name of the city is translated as “old city”. The exact date of the appearance of the village is not known, but it is a known fact that the founders were Etruscans. This civilization preceded the Roman Empire and had a significant impact on culture on the Apennine Peninsula.
The first mention of the city is in Pliny the Younger, dated 107 AD. Then the settlement was called Centrum of Values and it contained the villa of Emperor Trajan. In 110, the Romans built a port in the city called Centumcell, which later became the main sea gate of the empire.
In the Middle Ages, Civitavecchia in Italy belonged to the Byzantines, then to the Saracens. In 1696, the city was given the status of a free port. In 1849, he fell under French occupation, and during World War II he was badly damaged by bombing, although he was quickly restored.
The modern city, as in the old days, is the main port of Italy, from where ships sail to Sardinia, Tunisia and other shores of the world.
Civitavecchia sights in Italy
The city is undeservedly ignored by tourists, most often they, having gone down from the liner, go to the railway station to get to Rome. But the city is one of the oldest in the whole country, and there is something to see here. These are archaeological sites that remember Roman rulers, monuments and narrow streets with paved paths.
The modern attraction of the city, which cannot be overlooked, is the “Sea Kiss”. There is a statue on the main promenade. This is a statue 9 meters high and a total weight of 60 tons. The sculpture is a kissing couple.
Fort michelangelo
It is impossible not to pay attention to this monumental building of the 16th century. The real symbol of the city and the attraction of the entire Lazio region is located in the port of Civitavecchia in Italy.
The fortress was built by Julias II as a defensive structure against pirates. Above the entrance to the fortress there is a commemorative plaque saying that the first stone was laid by the Pope.
The construction of the fortress lasted for many years, and the famous architect of the Middle Ages, Donato Bramante, was involved in the project, and his students were already completing the work. And the name of the fortress was due to the fact that the tower of the fort was built by Michelangelo Buonarotti himself. According to tourists, even if time is running out in the fort, you should definitely look and take a walk along the fortress walls.
The fort is presented in the form of a citadel, measuring 100 X 82 meters, with 4 corner towers, with a diameter of 21 meters each.
Gateway to the old city
Walking along the oldest walls of the old city, from the west side you can see the gate. They were built under Pope Clement XIII, and they were the most important point on the Tyrrhenian Sea.
In 1943, due to the bombing, they were completely destroyed. Not so long ago they were restored, and completely to their original form.
Vanvitelli Fountain
The historical part of the port is separated from the city by the walls that were erected during the reign of Pope Urban VIII. One of which includes the Vanvitelli Fountain.
The sculpture of the fountain depicts the head of an old faun, from whose mouth water flows. The fountain is made of white Italian limestone. According to reviews of Civitavecchia in Italy, the fountain must be seen, because the faun has a surprisingly mysterious look that leaves no one indifferent.
Antique Baths
A photo of Civitavecchia in Italy is impossible to imagine without frames from Term Taurina. This significant landmark of the city is located 5 kilometers from the historic port (northern part of the city). Despite the fact that there is no longer a healing spring, tourists come here to experience the atmosphere of antiquity.
There are two versions of the origin of the name. One of them sounds very fabulous. In Latin, the word taurus sounds like a bull. Legend has it that once the ancient God in the guise of a bull with his hoof released healing springs. A more plausible version suggests that the water came from the lake under the name Aquae Tauri, so the term was given that name.
In this place, the Etruscans built therms. With the advent of the Romans, they were improved, and they were used until the fall of the empire. Now these are well-preserved ancient structures, but without healing waters.
Ficoncella Terme
This is also an ancient Roman spa complex, but active. Located near Ter Taurina. Tourists come here already not only to admire the ancient buildings, but also to plunge into the healing waters. The local waters can get rid of many diseases, especially psoriasis, female pathologies, arthritis and diseases associated with the nervous system. Although the local waters have a number of contraindications, the procedures are not recommended in the presence of chronic liver diseases, renal failure, hemorrhoids and high blood pressure. An absolute contraindication is pregnancy.
Therma are located 4 kilometers from the city. The water temperature here ranges from +30 to +60 degrees. The composition of the water is calcium sulfate with a small percentage of alkali.
Holy places
St. Francis of Asis Cathedral is the main temple of the city of Civitavecchia in Italy. It is located in the historical part of the city and was built on the site where the Franciscan church used to be. The doors of the temple for believers were open at the end of the 18th century. In World War II, the cathedral was badly damaged, but it was completely restored in 1950.
The building itself is a prime example of a combination of baroque and neoclassical style. It was built of light stone, so it looks magnificent. At the entrance there is a sculpture of St. Francis of Asis and Antonio of Padua.
Another magnificent church of the city is Sant'Agostino. It is located in the northern part of the city. The fame of the church was brought by the sculpture of the Virgin Mary, in which bloody tears flowed from her eyes in 1995. Now believers come to the statue not only from Italy, but also from all over the world.
On Lendra street is a church belonging to the brotherhood of gonfalonier. It is one of the oldest in the city, built in 1274. In the altar part of the shrine there is a statue of the Madonna, the church itself is decorated with frescoes of Galicia and a wooden crucifix, which appeared here in the 1700s. By the way, near the church there is a settlement of the gonfalonier fraternity.
Castle of santa north
These are impregnable and severe walls of the most magnificent and ancient castle of the city. It was built back in 1068 on the site where the ancient Roman port used to be. For tourists, only the courtyard is open, where cultural events are often held.
The castle is located outside the city, on the seashore, if you go towards Rome on the Via Aurelia.
National Archaeological Museum
The museum is located in a building of the XVIII century, in the historical part of the city. The building was erected under Pope Clement XIII for the papal guard.
Now in the museum you can see artifacts of different periods, from the Roman Empire to the Middle Ages. Almost all of the exhibits were found during archaeological excavations in the city itself and the surrounding area.
The most significant finds are considered the oldest copies of ancient statues, which were made at the beginning of our era. According to tourists, it is especially interesting to look at the statue of Apollo, which was created in the 1st century BC. We found it on the spot where Villa Simonetti (Santa Marinelle) is located. It is believed that the statue is a late reproduction of the Colossus of Rhodes.
Beaches
Civitavecchia in Italy, of course, is a port city, but even here there are good beaches. The most famous is Pirgo. It is located near the train station. Boulders are lined at a five-meter distance from the shore, and a pier is installed nearby, resembling an antique aqueduct. The coastline is rocky and there are pebbles. There are a lot of entertainment in the area, you can rent a sun lounger.
Near the city there is La Frasca beach. There are many reefs with a total length of 6 kilometers. For swimming, this beach is not the most suitable place, but for diving it is best suited, you can also go fishing here. If you like natural reef beaches, then you can settle nearby, in a pine forest at the campsite.
Particularly popular is the beach in the resort town of Sant'Agostino, which is 10 kilometers from Civitavecchia (Italy). This is a two-kilometer coastline with a safe entrance to the sea, where you can relax with children.
If you like fun in the water park, then some 2 kilometers from the city is the AquaFelix water park. It works from June to September, and a bus from the train station follows from the city. Departure times are 10:00 and 11:00.
Shopping
Endless streams of tourists allow local boutiques to flourish, although the city itself is quite small.
As tourists say, you should first go to the open market, which is located on Regina Margherita Square. Here you can buy absolutely everything, from ordinary socks to jewelry. At the market you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables, which are brought here by local residents. The main concentration of boutiques and shops on the street of Corso Centochelle, Piazza Vittorio Emmanuel.