Monuments and natural beauties
-
Chiesa di S. Maria: this church is not open to public.
It has been restored for years and many important
artistic objects have been so far found. It was built
in the middle of Sperlonga in XII century and it
was mentioned in a document in 1135 (Codex Caietanus).
Here it was described as an important religious place
in the Southern part of Lazio. The church has two
naves and the main altar is decorated with a big
painting portraying Our Lady of the Assumption. In
the first years of 1700, S. Leone Magno was proclaimed
the Patron of the town and the ancient chapel called
of the Crib was dedicated to him. It contains a wonderful
statue of Neapolitan school. Along the side naves
there are several chapels. One of them contains an
altar of 1700; the vault is richly frescoed and it
is dedicated to Saint Dominick.
- Grotta
di Tiberio: this cave maybe contained a villa already
built during late-Republican age. It was widened
and richly decorated during Tiberio’s age and
became an imperial residence. The villa was built on
Levante
beach and included also the thermal baths and a private
port. During Augustan age, it was restructured and
a swimming pool was added; it was used for fish culture.
The cave was then decorated with marbles and mosaics
made of glass tiles, with statues portraying Ulysses
and his deeds. Tiberio used this residence until 26
a.C.
when a landslide frightened him and he choose to move
to Capri.
- Museo
Archeologico: the collection of this archaeological
museum contains marble statues of Homeric inspiration
and of II century b. C. Only four episodes have been
recognized, among them the blinding of Polyphemus.
It is a real marble representation of the Odyssey
that helps
to learn the myth of Ulysses in ancient art. Maybe
all the groups were created by three famous sculptors
from
Rhodes: Atanodoro, Agesandro and Polidoro, authors
also of the famous portrait of Laocoonte in Vatican
Museums.
Tiberio ordered to these famous sculptors the decoration
of the cave. There is also another marble group,
a Roman masterpiece made in II century a.C. In the
museum
there
are also other items that decorated the villa (statues
of the gods, portraits, mythological representations,
etc. ).
- Torri
di avvistamento: the sighting towers were built in
1500. The central tower (only a part remains)
dominated the village and its profile is now in
the coat of arms
of the municipality. Torre Truglia is on a rock
at the end of the promontory of Sperlonga. It was built
in 1532
on a pre-existing Roman tower and a pirate, Khair
ad - Din called, Redbeard, destroyed it two years
later.
It was rebuilt in 1611 and it then gave hospitality
to a sergeant and a soldier. In 1623 Turks, again,
destroyed
it. It returned to life in the following century.
Today it contains an important centre about sea
life
and
environment, “Riviera
d’Ulisse”. There were two other towers,
Torre del Nibbio and Torre di Capovento, built
on a rock over
the sea in 1532. It was used also as the customs.
It was almost completely destroyed, but recently
it was
built again.
- Oasi
Blu:this oasis is a wonderful blue area near Tiberio’s
villa and W.W.F. Italia manages it. This protected
area is made of a promontory covered by Mediterranean
bush.
There are some small creeks.
- Chiesa
di S. Rocco: a church built in XV century.
- Palazzo
Sabella: this palace in 1739 gave hospitality to the
antipope Clemente VII, who was escaping
after the defeat of Anagni. The façade was rebuilt in
XVI century.
Testi: Linda Liguori
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