The Lazio region, with undulated
hills, stretches from the western buttresses of the Apennines to the Tyrrhenian
Sea. The landscape is varied and presents flatlands, on the coastline and
in the hinterland, ridges and calcareous highlands. Latium has four very
ancient volcanic distincts, where the craters of extinct volcanoes form
the lakes of Bolsena, Vico, Bracciano, Albano and Nemi. It features Rome,
capital of Italy, as well of the region. Other important cities are Frosinone,
Latina, Viterbo and Rieti. Latium is the cradle of Roman civilization and
it is incredibly rich in outstanding relics of the different periods. The
traces of the Etruscan civilization are remarkable and can be found at
Veio, Vulci, Tarquinia and Cerveteri. The region has always been the center
of an intensive artistic life, which, from the Middle Ages to the eighteenth
century, has had as cardinal point the presence of the Church (the Vatican
City, seat of the papacy, is in the heart of Rome).
RONCIGLIONE is the first centre
to be reached on the tour when coming from Rome (km 46, the Cassia Cimina
Road). It belonged to the Duchy of Castro and Ronciglione and was founded
by Paul III in 1537. In the past the town was famous for a variety of "industrial"
enterprises such as ironworks and paper mills; important printing works
emerged. Among the Farnesian monuments to be remembered are : the Torrioni
,the remains of a fourteenth century stronghold, and the Fontana dei Liocorni,
ordered by the Farnese and which dates back to the sixteenth century Among
the important festivals of the town is the famous Carnevale (Carnival)
.There are characteristic horse races without a jockey which take place
through the streets of the town itself, Corse a vuoto di cavalli (February
and August).
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